Finance committee  Thank you very much.

Finance committee  I think it's crucial. If you look at what's happening in the U.S. in regard to the $2 trillion dollars, and if you look at my testimony in regard to the “Buy Clean” report, Canada has an advantage. If you look at aluminum, steel, lumber, you see we have the lowest carbon emissions of anywhere in the world.

Finance committee  Thank you very much, Peter, and thank you for saying the things.... After 45 years, it is a long shift. I'm in an elected position, and I'm going to serve out my term and, as you say, move on. It's always been an honour to work with Mr. Easter and the so many people I've gotten to see.

Finance committee  Peter, that could take a long.... That one tears at my heart. I've seen promise after promise after promise with regard to pharmacare and by all indications, if you look at the last two years, the spin that was out there that pharmacare was about.... I've witnessed many bankruptcies in the steel industry and whatnot, and I've seen some of our members when we weren't able to protect the pensioners because of the fact that their benefits were cut because the bankruptcy laws weren't in our favour.

Finance committee  You'll have it before the end of this session.

Finance committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thanks as well to the clerk and the committee staff, the interpreters and the committee members for the opportunity to join you here today. I am Ken Neumann, the national director for Canada for the United Steelworkers Union. Our union represents more than 825,000 workers in North America, including 225,000 workers in virtually every economic sector and region of Canada.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  In my view, as I said and as you know, we released a statement from both me and the international president. I know that the president, Thomas Conway, is very much connected with the Biden administration. I know that we've talked to the person who has now become the person who looks after the infrastructure, and we've been having ongoing discussions.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  First of all, someone mentioned—maybe Mr. Strickland or Mr. Diaz—about China. We have not been able to put a good handle on dumped steel. You have a country such as China that produces in excess of a billion tonnes. They use capacity of roughly 800 million tonnes, and with the rest, they look for a home.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Meg, did you want to take this?

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  I'm not sure I quite understand. What prevents us...? Because right now—

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  I think this boils down to the long-standing relationship.... The fact is, as I said earlier in my testimony, sometimes you will have a slab that could be produced in Hamilton or Lake Erie that could cross the border four or five times before it turns into a final product. There's this long-standing relationship between Canada and the United States.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Who is the question for? I'm not sure.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  We do. I know where our union stands. I listen to what Mr. Strickland says. I think that workers in the U.S. understand that Canada is not the problem. I get Jerry's point that every government wants to look at its citizens. Of course. Canada would do the same whatever the case may be.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Thank you very much for that question. You hit the nail on the head. We've been calling for that with this government. We've laid it out several times that there should be a carbon border adjustment because Canada—you heard in my testimony—has some of the cleanest steel and aluminum there is.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to begin by thanking you, the clerk, committee staff, the interpreters and all the committee members for the opportunity to make a submission and join you here today. As you said, my name is Ken Neumann. I'm the national director for the United Steelworkers in Canada.