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USW submission to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for the consultation on potential new measures to advance and defend Canada’s economic security interests

September 25, 2024
  • Submissions

The USW believes Canada must develop a comprehensive industrial policy and strategy focused on the shift to a decarbonized economy and that Canada’s trade policy should not undermine domestic job creation and climate goals. 

Canada must proactively build an industrial policy that supports its manufacturing sector as it decarbonizes. A comprehensive industrial policy should also bolster supply chains, while protecting and developing our comparative and competitive advantages in critical minerals, metals, mining, resource extraction and forestry. We must also ensure we have the policies in place to build a robust value-added and cleaner manufacturing sector. The creation and maintenance of good, community-sustaining jobs must form the basis of this policy. 

Canada must also pursue a trade and tariff policy that supports a targeted and specific use of tariffs and non-tariff measures to ensure the integrity of our key strategic domestic industries and sectors. We must strengthen our trade remedy system and stop negotiating trade and investment agreements that prioritize access to cheap goods, labour and services. Most importantly, our trade policy should enhance, rather than undermine, our ability to protect and develop our strategic and high value added manufacturing and industrial sectors.