Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday kicked off a tour of the nation’s steel and aluminum regions to reassure workers worried that the United States could still introduce tariffs on the imports of the metals.
Trudeau’s first stop was the province of Quebec, the heart of Canada’s aluminum industry, where he will be accompanied by Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard. He was due to meet workers at Rio Tinto Ltd’s (RIO.AX) smelting plant in Alma.
U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to impose import tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent for aluminum, effective later this month.
Canada, the biggest supplier of steel and aluminum to the United States, escaped Trump’s import duties along with Mexico, but the two countries could still face duties if they fail to negotiate a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) deal.
This was excerpted from the 12 March 2018 edition of Reuters Canada.