Trudeau meets with mayor, steelworkers in Regina

The prime minister once again toured the Queen City, this time meeting with the mayor and with steelworkers at Evraz.

Justin Trudeau was in Regina Wednesday for the second time within a week.

In the afternoon, Trudeau went to the north part of the city and wearing a bright orange hard hat took a tour of Evraz’s steel factory. Minister Ralph Goodale joined him as he took time to stop at several workstations along the way.

The prime minister then spoke to a room filled with steelworkers and assured them of the federal government’s support.

“I’m really happy to be having the kind of conversations we’re having this week instead of the conversations we might have had had the American decision gone differently last week,” he said.

Trudeau added for certain reasons like national security, he believes the federal government is comfortable to say a steel tariff won’t happen again in Canada.

The PM was also asked about the Trans Mountain Pipeline and if the steelworkers could be assured it’s going to happen as the pipe they make at Evraz will likely be used in building the pipeline.

“The Trans Mountain Pipeline is going to get built. It’s a project in the national interest.”

He added it’s part of the federal government’s approach on its national climate plan.

“We’re going to be getting our resources to market safely, securely through this new pipeline and we’re going to create new markets for it across the Pacific which is important to not be uniquely behold into the American market for our oil,” Trudeau said.

He said at the same time the government is working on a world-class ocean protection plan that’s also in the nation’s interest also adding so is a price on carbon.

“These are all things in the national interest and they go together,” Trudeau said. “We have a national price on carbon across the country so we can actually get a pipeline built to get it to markets across Asia.”

As far as NAFTA negotiations go, Trudeau said Canadians knows there’s a ‘win, win, win’ outcome when it comes to the final document. He said talks are being had right now with Minister Freeland currently in the U.S. and in the end he knows a good deal can be reached for all countries involved.

“We know that a good deal is possible — we won’t accept a bad deal. We know that because a good deal for everyone is possible — we’re going to get there.”

Trudeau meets with Mayor Fougere

Earlier in the day, he paid a visit to city hall to meet with Mayor Michael Fougere to talk about a variety of topics, including the possible U.S. steel tariffs.

“We are the largest steel producer in Western Canada and we have over 1,000 employees in Regina so what happens in trade happens in Regina,” Fougere said. “So pleased he’s out here taking leadership to say he’ll defend the interests of the steel industry.”

The mayor also brought up funding for transit as well as housing money.

“Homelessness is a priority for this council and the prime minister is very receptive to that discussion when our report is finished in the fall.”

One of the bigger projects on the horizon for Regina is a possible underpass or overpass on the Ring Road by the rail line tracks.

“For public safety, for frustration of drivers who see this all the time, trains coming at the worst possible time and that frustration is there and he understands that and he knows we will be applying for funding and he’s certainly prepared to look at that and that’s a positive.”

—With files from Britton Gray