I had a very good conversation with the CEO of Seaspan. He's very enthusiastic about the meeting we're going to have. He mentioned to me that Canadian workers earn more than workers in other jurisdictions. They do, and that is a good thing. We want him to be providing good, high-paying jobs, and he does, and I told him that I absolutely understand and support that. We committed together to working hard to get Canadian ferries to use Canadian steel and build at Canadian shipyards, including Seaspan. I did congratulate him on an MOU that he signed with Algoma Steel a couple of weeks ago, to get Canadian steel into the icebreakers that he is building.
We need to get beyond talking points and talk about rewiring the supply chains in our country. We have to support our steel and aluminum sectors and softwood lumber, and that means convening conversations with Canadian manufacturers to ensure that our steel, aluminum and lumber sectors are producing the products that our manufacturers need.
Governments do have a role to play here, ensuring that we are placing the orders there. I want to go back to Mr. Lawrence, because I worry about those same workers. These conversations can be really important, because, if we get orders placed now, then that fills up the order books of our steel mills and aluminum smelters. It gives them the confidence to keep on operating.