Mr. Poilievre,

You have rightly raised concerns about the Stelco layoffs and the impact on Hamilton steelworkers. But I have a question about the position you are taking.

Stelco is owned by U.S.-based Cleveland-Cliffs, whose CEO, Lourenco Goncalves, has publicly supported President Trump’s steel tariffs and has even said that his “fingerprints” were on the 50% tariff imposed on Canadian steel.

Stelco is now citing the trade environment and reduced demand as reasons for idling its Hamilton finishing operations and laying off hundreds of Canadian workers.

So why are you treating this primarily as a failure of the Canadian government rather than asking whether an American-owned company—and its leadership—should be held accountable for the consequences of policies its CEO has publicly supported?

Are you allowing Trump’s trade strategy to set the terms of the argument here?

Canadian steelworkers are the ones losing their jobs. Why shouldn’t we be asking whether the people who supported the policies contributing to this situation should bear some responsibility for the consequences?

If we’re going to put Canadian workers first, shouldn’t that question be asked too?

If Cleveland-Cliffs acquired Stelco knowing it had Canadian employment obligations, and its CEO subsequently supported tariffs that harmed the Canadian operation, what exactly should Canada’s government be entitled to demand from the owner?

Gord Moose
Editor & Lead Writer
North of Polite