Canada repeats that U.S. steel tariffs would hurt American jobs

[May 01, 2018]    OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada has repeated its position that imposing punitive measures would hurt jobs in both countries, in reaction to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to postpone the imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs.

Workers stand behind rolls of steel at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, March 13, 2018. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

The Trump administration said on Monday that tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico would be suspended until June 1.

Speaking a few hours before the announcement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said tariffs were a "very bad idea" guaranteed to disrupt trade between the two nations.

"As the Prime Minister said today, we remain confident that the U.S. administration understands that tariffs would hurt American jobs as much as they would Canadian jobs," said Adam Austen, a spokesman for Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

In a statement e-mailed late on Monday, Austen also said Canada would work to secure good jobs for steel and aluminum workers on both sides of the border.

Trudeau and Freeland have already made clear they expect Canada to be granted a permanent exemption from the tariffs.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

 

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