Kinew commits $1.5M to tariff-impacted industries, orders Manitoba to buy only Canadian-made steel
'It's really important that we think through how we build up this country': premier
The Manitoba government is giving a grant of $1.5 million to the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters to develop a program to support industries impacted by the Trump tariffs.
Premier Wab Kinew says he has also ordered the provincial civil service to ensure from now on that Canadian-made steel is used "anytime we build something, anytime we buy something, anytime we acquire a piece of equipment."
He made the announcements Thursday at the Gerdau steel mill in Selkirk, just north of Winnipeg, backed by a large Canadian flag and dozens of steel workers in hardhats.
"Our government commits to you that your jobs are going to be here, the Selkirk steel mill is going to be here and we're going to have a strong steel sector in Manitoba long after Donald Trump leaves office," Kinew said.
"We gotta stand up for our way of life and we have to stand up for the true north strong and free. And that's what today is all about."
The U.S. president imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum, among other products, on March 12.
Asked whether his declaration that steel jobs won't disappear means there won't be layoffs, Kinew didn't hesitate.
"Yeah, that's what I'm saying. We're going to work together," he said, pointing to loans and other financial supports announced in the budget.
"If push comes to shove and we get to a tougher situation, I can tell you that the minister of finance has a whole binder full of contingency plans we can activate," he said.
However, he says, the first step in helping businesses stay afloat is to support them through the supply chain, which is why he gave the Canadian steel procurement directive.
At least one major Canadian steel producer, however, has already laid off staff due to the U.S. tariffs. More than 100 workers at a steel plant in eastern Ontario have been laid off either temporarily or permanently.
When Kinew was asked if his pledge to buy Canadian steel would make things more expensive for his province, he said "if the government of Manitoba has to invest a few more dollars to ensure we're creating and sustaining steel jobs here in our province, then that's what we need to do.
"There has, over the years, been a cost to being cheap when we spend your tax dollars. We always want to get good value for money, but along the way, sometimes, that's led to contractors and subcontractors using steel that's brought in from other countries," he said.
"Right now, in this moment of a trade war … it's really important that we think through how we build up this country.
The trade war is an economic challenge Canada never asked for, but is ready to fight, Kinew said.
"When it comes to patriotism, when it comes to the maple leaf and rallying around the flag, then I think every single Manitoban that I know is willing to step up," he said.
"I am not going to let Donald Trump take manufacturing jobs away from Manitoba."
However, Kinew balked when asked how the government is helping tariff-affected workers at Eascan Automation. The Winnipeg-based company laid off about a third of its employees as orders for its products dried up due to the trade war.
"I'm not going to criticize anyone but Donald Trump," the premiers said when asked whether he was disappointed by the company's decision.
There are federal government supports through employment insurance and the work-share program, Kinew said, and repeated the financial packages his government has prepared.
As for $1.5-million grant to the CME, it will be used to help businesses "plan to operate in this new environment," Kinew said.
The expertise of CME — Canada's largest trade and industry association — makes it a strong partner to reach manufacturers and equip them with information and support to face the economic uncertainty of the proposed tariffs, according to a government news release that accompanied Thursday's announcement.
The program to be offered by CME will include training on tariffs and market diversification, a summit to promote business-to-business connections and financial support for tariff-planning consultations, the release says.
Gerdau was established in 1907 in Winnipeg (as Manitoba Rolling Mills) before relocating to the south end of Selkirk in 1913.
It continues to be the single-largest employer in the city, which is also home to Karrich Industries and Castle Metals, two other players in the steel industry.
More than 70 per cent of the steel produced in the city heads south of the border, Mayor Larry Johannson has previously told CBC News.
"They process over 400,000 tons of scrap automobiles, railcars, bridges, and more every year to produce some of the cleanest recycled steel in the world," Johannson said on Thursday.
"Gerdau supports over 721 vendors across the province with many more outside of it, serving as the key player in Western Canada's steel hub."
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With files from Ian Froese