Canada takes action to defend steel and aluminium industry: PM Trudeau

Trudeau has considered the diversion of unfairly cheap foreign steel and aluminium as a threat to the Canadian and North American job markets.

The PM said Canada is presently having 71 trade remedy measures in force on steel and aluminium alone.

The changes which Canada will bring include new anti-circumvention investigations, greater flexibility in the Canada Border Services Agency.

Canada will also meet its trade partners Mexico and the US more often to identify and discuss solutions that harm all the three nations.

Canada, Mexico and the US are the partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

In a statement, Trudeau said: "Canada is a trading nation, and we will not allow North American industries to be hurt or threatened by unfair trade practices, like the diversion of steel and aluminum. Our businesses and workers rely on our integrated industries, and we will take strong action to defend and protect our most important trade relationships."

"Canada will not be used as a backdoor into other North American markets. Our people have worked hard to be competitive in this global economy, and they deserve a level playing field.”

The US has recently imposed tariffs of 25% and 10% on  steel and aluminium imports respectively from any other country but exempted Canada and Mexico.