Thank you very much, Madam Chair and members of the committee, for once again inviting us to appear before you to share the views of the members of the Canadian Steel Producers Association on today's topic of section 53 tariffs.

Briefly, the CSPA is the national voice of the Canadian primary steel and pipe and tube industry. Our 14 member companies are based in six provinces of the country: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Our industry represents 123,000 direct and indirect jobs and contributes $15 billion to the Canadian economy.

The steel we produce also ends up in a wide range of products, including integrated North American automotive, construction and energy sectors, amongst many others. We are the United States' largest importer of steel, and the United States is Canada's largest importer of steel, so steel goes like this.

First, I want to start off by strongly supporting the establishment of tariffs on steel. We are very pleased that the government is taking this critically important step to protecting Canada's steel industry and our workers. This action is warranted in retaliation—in retaliation—to unfairly traded steel from China, and it aligns with similar actions taken by the United States, Mexico and elsewhere. As we have said repeatedly, unfair trade from China hurts Canadians, hurts Canadian industries and hurts our workforce. It also deeply compromises our trading relationship with the United States.

China has developed a significant overcapacity in its steel production, and its practice of unfair trade is irrefutable. International organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, otherwise known as the OECD, and the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity are excellent resources that enable this committee to review the documented facts.

In Canada, there are currently 18 active anti-dumping duties in place against China for primary forms of steel. Indeed, 56% of Canada's entire trade caseload involves China, yet, despite the significant number of findings of dumping, steel from China is surging. It is doubling in the Canadian market over the last few years. This demonstrates well that our trade remedy system alone is insufficient for these exceptional circumstances.

Canadians agree with this action. In recent national opinion polling, 79% of Canadians indicate their support for these tariffs. Canadians understand that we are facing an exceptional existential threat and that unfair trade is not only bad for the steel industry but has terrible consequences across the economy.

The U.S. also agrees with this action, as witnessed by USTR Ambassador Tai's public statement upon Canada's announcement of the section 53 tariffs.

Canada is standing strong with the U.S. in taking direct aim at Chinese overcapacity in steel, aluminum and EVs. Given the highly integrated nature of our economies, Canada must remain aligned with the United States to ensure a fair and secure supply of steel throughout North America.

In May, the U.S. announced 387 tariffs on Chinese EVs, steel and aluminum, amongst other products. Of those 387 tariff codes, 289 were on steel. I am pleased to say that Canada's notice of intent to enact section 53 on steel in Canada essentially matches the U.S. tariff codes.

In closing, we look forward to working with the government and all parties to ensure a smooth and rapid implementation of these absolutely necessary tariffs.

Thank you.