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OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to deal another blow to a key Canadian industry when he signs an order on Tuesday to double U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The order will raise the tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the U.S. from 25 per cent to 50 per cent starting Wednesday, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“He’s delivering on his promises to bolster our steel and aluminum industries in this country and to protect those jobs,” said Leavitt.
“The tariff agenda of this president, he believes very strongly in it. And as you have all seen, he is unafraid to use tariffs to protect our industries and protect our workers,” she said.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick as Trump prepares to sign the tariff order. More than 90 per cent of Canada’s steel and aluminum is exported to the United States
Asked about the impending tariffs this week, government ministers have refrained from commenting before the order is signed. For now, Canada is focusing on looking for new markets and using more Canadian steel inside the country’s borders, said Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne on Tuesday.
“We need to use more Canadian steel, we need to have measures in place to favour that and that’s exactly the discussion I’m having with the industry and we’re going to be working on that, because you know, a strong and very prosperous steel industry in Canada is at the core of building Canada of the future,” said Champagne.
On Friday, Trump toured a steel plant in Pennsylvania and posted on his Truth Social account that it was “an honor” to raise the tariffs on steel and aluminum.
“Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before. This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers,” wrote Trump.
“He made that announcement in Pennsylvania and he plans to deliver on that promise to Pennsylvanians,” said Leavitt.
National Post
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