Trudeau to kick off tour of steel and aluminum factories in Quebec
March 12, 2018 | By The Canadian Press
Ottawa – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is kicking off a tour of aluminum and steel factories today with a visit to Quebec’s Saguenay region.
The prime minister will meet with both bosses and union leaders at a Rio Tinto aluminum factory in Jonquiere, about 200 kilometres north of Quebec City.
Other stops on Trudeau’s tour include Hamilton, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and Regina.
A spokeswoman says Trudeau wants to show support for workers in an industry that is facing uncertainty after U.S. President Donald Trump slapped steel and aluminum tariffs on the rest of the world.
Chantale Gagnon says that while many in the industry breathed a sigh of relief when Canada and Mexico were temporarily exempted from the tariffs, they remain worried that the measure could be reversed.
Canada is the United States’ largest provider of steel and aluminum, with about 85 per cent of Canadian exports being directed to that country.
