The prime minister has finished his daylong show of solidarity with Hamilton’s steel sector.
Justin Trudeau toured and met with workers at both Stelco and ArcelorMittal Dofasco on Tuesday.
In between, the PM took part in a roundtable discussion with industry representatives, including members of the United Steelworkers, the Canadian Steel Producers Association and the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.
Trudeau pledges to keep the pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump during NAFTA renegotiations and to ensure a good deal for Canada.
He adds that no two countries in the world “share a level of integration” equal to Canada and the United States and stresses that “in the steel industry, we see it better than just about anywhere else.”
The prime minister disputes Trump’s claim that he can justify tariffs on steel and aluminum imports because of a threat to national security.
Trudeau says that argument makes no sense since Canadian steel is in American tanks, ships and planes. His visit comes amid concerns that an exemption from U.S tariffs for Canadian steel might be temporary.