Canadian builds with Canadian steel: Singh lays out plan to build, not cut

HAMILTON — Following a roundtable discussion with members of United Steelworkers (USW) in Hamilton, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced that an NDP government will fight for Canadian steelworkers with a massive job-creating public infrastructure program, using Canadian content including Canadian steel.

Singh will also make changes to Employment Insurance (EI) to help workers keep working and keep putting food on the table as unpredictable American President Donald Trump launches a trade war. His 25 per cent tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum is set to kick in on March 12. A further 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods will follow, according to Trump. Following similar Trump tariffs in 2018, steel exports to the United States dropped by nearly 40 per cent.

“Canada is strong, our steel is the best in the world, and we have everything we need to build up our economic strength to protect workers, jobs and our economy,” said Singh. “People want to keep their jobs, not prepare for unemployment – and that’s why my plan is to build, not cut. “Through direct investment and transfers to provinces, we can flow funding for new homes, hospitals, highways, bridges and more, and require that every foot of steel in those projects is Canadian steel, made by Canadian steelworkers.”

Singh also announced his commitment to reform EI to expand the work-sharing program to ensure workers stay connected to their jobs instead of being laid off. That means eliminating the waiting period, expanding eligibility, and increasing benefits to reflect the cost of living.

“I completely disagree with Mark Carney that cutting tax for CEOs and cutting Canadian jobs now is the path forward. It’ll cost Canada far more than it will save. And, of course, Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives will use any excuse they can to give handouts to big business, cut public service jobs, cut programs, cut supports and leave every Canadian to fend for themselves,” said Singh. “That’s not what the maple leaf stands for. In Canada, we take care of one another. We will get through Trump’s trade war together as a nation, and we’ll get through it by building Canadian, buying Canadian and investing in Canadian workers.”

In Hamilton alone there are more than 28,000 manufacturing jobs, nearly 9,000 of them directly linked to the steel and metals industries. In the Halifax metropolitan area, more than 1,300 manufacturers rely on exporting products. In Sault Ste. Marie, the mayor says 50 per cent of households depend on the steel industry.

According to one estimate, every one job lost in steel means six jobs are lost elsewhere.

BACKGROUND

Build Canada

• Jagmeet Singh and the NDP will undertake a major construction program to stimulate the economy, create jobs and build assets for communities.
• Singh will require only Canadian steel is used in all federally-funded infrastructure projects.

Build Canadian Buy Canadian

• The NDP Build Canadian Buy Canadian plan will ban American companies from all federal government procurement contracts and projects when Canadian workers can do them, at any time the United States is imposing additional tariffs on Canadian goods.
• The NDP Build Canadian Buy Canadian plan will change Canada’s procurement policies to:
  • Favour Canadian companies in the bid selection process.
  • Give preference to suppliers and contractors with a unionized workforce in the bid selection process.
  • ⁠Increase Canadian content requirements.

EI Work-sharing programs

• Singh will expand the EI work-sharing program, so employers reduce hours instead of cutting jobs entirely.
• Work-share programs require employers to reduce hours evenly among employees rather than laying them off; and employment insurance kicks in to top up wages for employees’ lost hours.

Enhancing EI benefits

Singh and the NDP will enhance EI Benefits so affected workers do not end up without support, including:

• Increasing EI replacement rate to two-thirds of insurable earnings with a minimum weekly benefit of $450.
• Extending EI benefits to 50 weeks nationwide.
• Implementing a uniform national qualifying threshold (360 hours or 12 weeks of employment).
• Eliminating the one-week waiting period.