Conservative deputy leader Lisa Raitt has joined the chorus of calls pressuring the federal government to eliminate U.S. tariffs on aluminum and steel.
Raitt was in Windsor-Essex to speak with business leaders about the impact the 25 per cent U.S.-imposed duties are having on their operations.
The Conservative MP’s visit on Wednesday was just a day after Liberal foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland’s trip to Windsor.
As part of her USMCA discussion with autoworkers on Tuesday, Freeland noted that tariffs are a separate issue to the new trade deal, one she will let the tariff fight play out at the World Trade Organization.
But Raitt made it clear she believes the issues are connected and need to be addressed before the government signs off.
Raitt found support from Barry Zekelman, the CEO of Zekelman Industries which owns Atlas Tube in Harrow.
"I've had grown men call me, crying - crying, because they think they're going to lose their business and lay people off,” said Zekelman, claiming the tariffs are being felt by his company.
Raitt tells CTV Windsor Canada needs to go back to the table, and find a way to stop the tariffs before it's too late.
Essex New Democrat MP Tracey Ramsey has been calling for a tariff task force. She tells CTV Windsor local jobs hang in the balance.
“We have put our steel and aluminum sector in this country in a very dangerous position,” says Ramsey.
Zekelman equates the Liberal government’s strategy to sitting inside a burning house.
“(Freeland) is willing to burn herself down with the house, and I think that's idiotic," said Zekelman.
Raitt said she will take the concerns she heard in Harrow on Wednesday back to her party in Ottawa and to the floor in the House of Commons next week.
Raitt also admitted the Conservatives will make more visits to Windsor-Essex, because the region is a key battleground for the party for the 2019 federal election.
Raitt was accompanied by Essex conservative candidate Chris Lewis during her tour of the region.
