OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined the chorus of condemnation over a U.S. government decision to slap a 220 per cent duty on the sale of Bombardier jets, stating Wednesday that he’s “disappointed” by the move and vowing to fight for Canadian jobs.
In Quebec, where the Montreal-based company employs thousands of workers, Premier Philippe Couillard urged the federal government to take a strong stand against Boeing, the American aerospace giant whose complaint over Canadian subsidies to Bombardier sparked the U.S. decision to impose the punishing duty.
“Not a bolt, not a part, (and) of course not a plane from Boeing (should be) entering Canada until this conflict is resolved in a satisfactory way,” Couillard said in Quebec City.
U.S. aerospace giant Boeing contends that the Montreal-based plane maker is propped up by Canadian government subsidies that allow it to offer the jets at unfair low prices in the U.S. market.