Stefanik to Trump: reverse decision to reimpose tariffs on Canadian aluminum

WASHNGTON (WWNY) - In a rare rebuke, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to reimpose a 10 percent tariff on Canadian aluminum.

“This decision will slow the rate of our economic recovery from COVID-19, particularly for the manufacturers along the Northern Border in the North Country,” Stefanik said in a statement Friday.

“Instead, our focus must be on working with our allies to address China’s overcapacity and the subsidized aluminum they continue to dump on the world market.”

The administration originally imposed tariffs on Canadian and Mexican metals in 2018 and lifted them last year to smooth the way for the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which went into effect July 1.

Trump announced Thursday that he was reimposing the tariffs on Canada because the country was flooding the U.S. with aluminum.

Canada quickly vowed to respond in kind.

“I urge the Administration to reverse this reinstatement so we can focus on restoring our economy while holding unfriendly nations – like China – accountable,” Stefanik said.

In her first two terms in office, the north country congresswoman was often critical of Trump, but became a staunch defender during his impeachment hearings last year in the House of Representatives.

Here is Stefanik’s full statement:

“I oppose the Trump Administration’s decision to reinstate the 10% tariffs on imports of non-alloyed aluminum from Canada. The United States and Canada have a strong economic partnership and trading relationship. This decision will slow the rate of our economic recovery from COVID-19, particularly for the manufacturers along the Northern Border in the North Country. Instead, our focus must be on working with our allies to address China’s overcapacity and the subsidized aluminum they continue to dump on the world market. I urge the Administration to reverse this reinstatement so we can focus on restoring our economy while holding unfriendly nations – like China – accountable.”

A release from Stefanik also included comments from Garry Douglas, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce:

“This is an unfortunate act of self harm by the U.S., as past tariffs against Canada have been. The U.S. and Canada make things together and this directly increases costs to many of our manufacturers with cross border supply chains that include aluminum goods. Just weeks ago, on July 1st, we implemented the new USMCA agreement as a celebration of the enormous importance of the U.S.-Canada economic partnership, and now we are already forgetting the special nature of that partnership. Hopefully, this will be short term in nature and will be reconsidered and reversed quickly.”