Thank you, Chair and members of the committee, for taking the time today to discuss the emerging crisis that the Canadian mould-making industry is facing. It's due to the invocation of section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to unilaterally alter the tariff structure on steel and aluminum goods entering the United States.
The changes being imposed have drastically impacted the way that tariffs are calculated. In one of the many cases I heard about in my area, a company said that before the April tariff was applied, it would have paid $1,473 in tariffs. The day after the tariff was applied, that same mould, which had about a $200,000 value, had a change in tariff price to just over $33,000. This change will put many of our mould-makers out of business, virtually overnight.
With that, I move:
That, given that:
The United States has invoked section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to unilaterally alter the tariff structure on steel and aluminum goods entering the United States;
These changes have reportedly resulted in dramatic tariff increases for members of Canada's mould-making industry;
The impacts extend beyond mould-making to the broader metallurgical processing sector and advanced manufacturers that rely on cross-border trade; and
This policy threatens thousands of Canadian jobs, the families they support and critical links in Canada's domestic manufacturing supply chain;
The committee:
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), undertake a study of at least two meetings to defend the interests of Canadian workers and taxpayers by examining the economic and supply chain impacts of these tariffs and assessing potential policy responses available to the Government of Canada;
Invite the Minister of Industry, the Minister of International Trade, representatives from the Canadian Association of Moldmakers, and other representatives, experts and stakeholders selected by parties to testify before the committee in relation to the study;
Begin the first meeting of this study no later than Thursday, April 23, 2026, and, once begun, give priority to the study over all other matters; and
Report its findings and recommendations to the House.
Thank you.