Canada 'must fight for exemption on steel tariffs'
Steel being imported to the U.S. will face a 25 per cent tariff, U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week, with aluminum to face a charge of 10 per cent.
While the move, designed to boost U.S. manufacturing, left many concerned, these are those who think it's just the latest volley in a growing trade dispute.
Keanin Loomis, President and CEO of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, told The Current's Anna Maria Tremonti that Canada shouldn't take the decision lying down.
"We need to fight for an exemption for Canada," he said. "We also have to have a diversion strategy, because it's anticipated that these U.S. tariffs will divert 13 million tonnes in steel."
"That will be steel be looking for a home, and we are particularly susceptible to that."
The government should also be preparing for retaliation, Loomis argued.
"We buy as much steel from [the U.S.] as they buy from us."
"ArcelorMittal Dofasco buys a $1 billion worth of iron, ore, and coal from the United States to go into the making of steel."
"So we need to think about those pain points within the U.S."
At the top of this page you can listen to the full conversation, which includes the Toronto Star's Washington correspondent Daniel Dale on how Trump's decision surprised his own party; and Colin Robertson, who was part of the original team to negotiate NAFTA.
A previous version of this story quoted Keanin Loomis incorrectly. In fact he said the new tariffs would divert 13 million tonnes of steel.
This segment was produced by The Current's John Chipman, Alison Masemann and Amra Pasic.