Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the full lifting of punitive U-S steel and aluminum tariffs is ”just pure good news” for Canadians as they head into the long weekend.

A jubilant Trudeau announced the end of the year-long trade dispute at Hamilton steelmaker Stelco this afternoon.

Under the agreement, U-S tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports, as well as retaliatory Canadian tariffs on American goods will be removed within 48 hours.

Trudeau says Canada stood firm in the face of American demands for a quota on Canadian steel and aluminum exports because the tariffs imposed on national security grounds did not make sense.

Instead, the two sides agreed to establish a process for monitoring steel and aluminum trade between them.

Trudeau says the lifting of the tariffs removes the greatest obstacle to ratification of the new North American trade pact.

(The Canadian Press)