N.S. premier makes case against tire tariffs in Washington

Premier Stephen McNeil said he's "certainly encouraged" after meeting with U.S. Department of Commerce officials during a trip to Washington this week where he said he had the chance to make the case against imposing tariffs on car and truck tires.

The United States is looking to levy them as a way to try to safeguard home-grown businesses.

But McNeil said the tariffs, particular those on tires, could hamper the ability of the province's three Michelin plants to attract new investment. He said the tariffs could also affect U.S. jobs.

"We just wanted to make sure they fully understood that the Michelin operation in Nova Scotia was integrated within the North America chain," McNeil said.

"And that if you impact a product coming out of Nova Scotia, whether it be a final product a product that is actually used in the U.S. to make a final product, it would impact American jobs."

McNeil said tires and their component parts move across the border during the manufacturing process and imposing tariffs would not be practical.

"I was certainly encouraged by the meeting," McNeil said. "Grateful to be able to have a chance to sit down and talk to them to lay out the impact on our economy and the impact on their economy and there was a lot of common ground."​