Hamilton will be the backdrop for an announcement on the Canada US trade dispute.

Foreign affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland will be in Hamilton tomorrow to talk about steel, aluminum and retaliatory tariffs.

Foreign affairs Chrystia Freeland is expected at Stelco’s Depew gates at 11 am Friday morning, along with the innovation minister and the labour minister. They will be announcing details about Canada’s response to the newly imposed US steel and aluminum tariffs.

Freeland will be announcing further details about retaliatory measures against the US tariffs, including a surtax on already taxed steel and aluminum from Canada.

The ministers will also be unveiling a financial aid package for steel and aluminum workers. Hamilton Steelworkers local president Gary Howe and he says his members heard directly from Justin Trudeau that the government has their backs. He says what they want to hear tomorrow, is what the government will do to protect their jobs.

Howe says the financial aid package the government is expected to announce seems to be something to help steelworkers re-train in other industries if they lose their jobs. He says that’s a good initiative but primarily, the steelworkers want to keep their jobs. That’s their priority.