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Steel and Aluminum Industry

The debate focused on the government’s support for Canada’s steel and aluminum industries, with members discussing past and current aid provided to major manufacturers. Conservatives argued that the government has failed to deliver substantive help to large companies like Stellantis and Algoma, stating that government commitments were insufficient and that inaction was contributing to job losses. The Liberal government responded that it has been actively working for six months to modernize facilities, assist businesses with tariff responses, and help companies like Algoma pivot to new manufacturing processes, such as those used for shipbuilding.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

7 statements

Kyle Seeback

Conservative
“The Liberals say they support Canadian workers and businesses, but they do not act. National Steel Car asked for tariff relief and got no response, even though its railcars are 98 percent Canadian. I want the government to actually help Canadian steel manufacturers.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals sure talk a good game. They are like the used car salesman people really like, until their tire falls off as they are driving home. Let me explain. Every day, they get up and talk about how they are there for Canadian businesses and for workers, yet when National Steel Car got in touch seeking tariff relief, what did it get? It got crickets. It makes steel railcars with 98% Canadian content. When it actually matters, why are the Liberals always either MIA or sending useless letters?

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Carlos Leitão

Liberal

Linked statement

“Our letter to the company was not useless. In it, the government promised to help them buy new equipment, update their work, make more products, and find new buyers. We have been doing this kind of work for six months.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 100 of 100

    Of this answer, 100% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, useless letters? Clearly, someone here is out of touch with reality. A letter that contains a commitment by the Government of Canada to assist a company to modernize, to buy new equipment, to expand production and to find new markets, is that a useless letter? I could have many other letters like that. That is what we have been doing over the past six months.

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Kyle Seeback

Conservative
“The government did nothing to help Stellantis, CAMI, PACCAR, and Algoma. It gave Stelco workers nothing but a useless letter. Now National Steel Car needs help, and the government will probably just send another useless letter.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am really glad the member wants some reality. Let us have some reality. Stellantis needed help from the government. What did it get? Nothing. CAMI needed support from the government. What did it get? Nothing. PACCAR needed support from the government. What did it get? Nothing. Algoma needed support from the government. What did it get? Nothing. Stelco workers needed support from the government. What did they get? They got a useless letter. Now National Steel Car needs help from the government. What is it going to get, another useless letter?

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Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“Are you sure you want to bring up Algoma Steel?”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 11 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Algoma Steel? Do you really want to go there? Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“We have kept Algoma Steel alive. We are helping it make steel in a new way so it can supply shipbuilders with high-quality steel.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, on Algoma Steel, we have been trying, and succeeding, to keep the company alive and help it pivot to a new way of making steel so that it can be the preferred supplier of high-quality steel for the shipbuilding industry. Algoma Steel, really?

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Jason Groleau

Conservative
“The government is ignoring the steel industry, and thousands of Canadian workers are losing their jobs. Dozens of Quebec businesses sent ideas to save their companies to the finance and industry ministers. Why have these ministers not listened to them?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals’ abandonment of the steel sector is causing tremendous harm to Canadian workers. Following the loss of 500 jobs at Stelco, another 2,000 jobs are now being lost across Canada. In recent months, dozens of Quebec businesses have contacted us to denounce the Liberal government, which is completely out of touch with reality. These businesses have submitted concrete recommendations to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Industry in hopes of securing their survival. My question is simple: Why has neither of these Liberal ministers listened to Quebec businesses?

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Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“We have been helping businesses deal with these tariffs for at least six months, including in the member's region. We have visited dozens of them, and we have programs in place to help. If the member asks those businesses, they will confirm what we are doing.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 94 of 100

    Of this answer, 90% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have been doing exactly that for at least six months, especially in my colleague’s region and in the Centre-du-Québec region. We have visited dozens of small and medium-sized businesses. Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has programs tailored to the tariff response to assist businesses. My colleague should speak with these businesses, because they will confirm what we have done over the past six months and will continue to do.

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