Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Government of Canada announced that it would not implement surtaxes on the import of certain steel products, as recommended by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal.
Over one year has passed since the tribunal made these remedy recommendations. Despite concerns about the World Trade Organization's reaction, Canada should have taken the same position as the United States and Mexico against offshore imports. I am very disappointed the government has not chosen to act on the inquiry findings determined by the CITT.
The steel industry in Niagara has suffered significantly from this lack of safeguard action. Atlas Specialty Steel and others have either collapsed or are on the verge of collapse. About 550 dedicated Atlas workers in the region of Niagara are now without work. These are real people with real families facing an upsetting and uncertain future.
While I am pleased that the newly formed North American steel trade committee will look at many of these pressing issues, I fear that it may be too little, too late for the Canadian steelworkers.
We need to ensure that a North American steel accord is developed and put into place immediately. We need to revisit safeguard action on steel imports now. We need to take whatever actions we can to preserve the steel industry in Canada for Canadian workers.