Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise tonight to talk about something that is as pressing an issue today, October 2, as it was when I asked my original question in the House earlier this year. On April 30 this year, we were wondering what would happen to us, because there was a temporary tariff exemption under steel and aluminum. We now know that within 24 hours of my asking that question in the House of Commons, those tariffs became permanent. The workers in those communities who depend on these 146,000 steel and aluminum jobs have had many sleepless nights since.
Following the signing of this new trade agreement, the USMCA, there are no assurances for the steel and aluminum workers in Canada, because once again the Liberal government has failed to get them a permanent exemption. Although there are a lot of accolades from the Liberal side about this deal, steel and aluminum workers in our country feel betrayed and left behind because these tariffs were left on the table.
In my riding of Essex, I have a steel manufacturer by the name of Zekelman Industries. It produces hollow structural steel. It is world class. Barry Zekelman is the CEO and chairman. We have been in constant contact on these steel issues. I want to say a little about this company, the employees and about Barry and the way he has given back to our community. Without Atlas Tube in Harrow, this community would not have the quality of life it does. I say that knowing that in Harrow, one in four children lives in poverty. We already live in one of the most impoverished areas in our country down in Essex and Windsor.
Barry Zekelman has grown this business from zero to a multi-billion dollar business, and he has become one of the premier employers in our region. People in his workplace are well paid and well treated. One of his sources of pride is that when someone walks into the plant, they will see on the wall how many days the company has been without an accident. He is extremely proud of the safe workplace and good jobs he provides. He knows the people who work for him, and when they come to work for him, they stay working for him, because these are good jobs that have supplied many families in our region with livelihoods for many years. We would like to see that continue.
Barry is very concerned. He has written to me asking for help from the government with safeguards that they feel are necessary on hollow structural sections. I sent a letter of support to the Minister Morneau, and I am hoping that the parliamentary secretary will be able to update the House on folks like Barry, who have been writing to the government desperately seeking some type of support or safeguard.
When will the government start to help our steel industry in Canada, because the clock is ticking on those jobs staying safe?