S. C. R. No. 45 As Introduced

As Introduced

130th General Assembly

Regular Session

2013-2014

S. C. R. No. 45

Senator Hite

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To urge the Office of the United States Trade 1
Representative to ensure that no World Trade 2
Organization rules are violated in regard to 3
government funding of the McInnis Cement and the 4
Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant in Quebec, 5
Canada. 6

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, The cement industry is a major employer and economic 7
supporter in Northwest Ohio as well as the entire state; and 8

       WHEREAS, McInnis Cement is partially owned by the Quebec 9
government and has received government assistance for the 10
construction of the Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant in Quebec, 11
Canada. To wit, the Quebec government has authorized a C$250 12
million guaranteed loan to McInnis Cement and an additional C$100 13
million equity investment in the company from Investissement 14
Quebec, in addition to other support from public sources, 15
including another C$100 million equity investment from the Caisse 16
de depot et placement du Quebec; and 17

        WHEREAS, The cement market in Quebec is already 18
oversaturated, and the stated purpose of the Port-Daniel-Gascons 19
cement plant is not to supply Canadian projects but to ship the 20
vast majority of its production into the United States; and 21

        WHEREAS, Ohio's private cement industry should not have to 22
compete with a taxpayer-funded operation based on foreign soil. 23
The new cement plant will take market share and potential jobs 24
from hardworking Ohio residents; now therefore be it 25

        RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly 26
of the State of Ohio, on behalf of all citizens of this state, 27
urge the Office of the United States Trade Representative to 28
ensure that no World Trade Organization rules are violated in 29
regard to government funding of the McInnis Cement and the 30
Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant in Quebec, Canada; and be it 31
further 32

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 33
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the 34
United States, the Office of the United States Trade 35
Representative, each member of the Ohio Congressional delegation, 36
and the news media of Ohio. 37

WHEREAS, The cement industry is a major employer and economic	7
supporter in Northwest Ohio as well as the entire state; and	8

WHEREAS, McInnis Cement is partially owned by the Quebec	9
government and has received government assistance for the	10
construction of the Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant in Quebec,	11
Canada. To wit, the Quebec government has authorized a C$250	12
million guaranteed loan to McInnis Cement and an additional C$100	13
million equity investment in the company from Investissement	14
Quebec, in addition to other support from public sources,	15
including another C$100 million equity investment from the Caisse	16
de depot et placement du Quebec; and	17

WHEREAS, The cement market in Quebec is already	18
oversaturated, and the stated purpose of the Port-Daniel-Gascons	19
cement plant is not to supply Canadian projects but to ship the	20
vast majority of its production into the United States; and	21

WHEREAS, Ohio's private cement industry should not have to	22
compete with a taxpayer-funded operation based on foreign soil.	23
The new cement plant will take market share and potential jobs	24
from hardworking Ohio residents; now therefore be it	25

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 130th General Assembly	26
of the State of Ohio, on behalf of all citizens of this state,	27
urge the Office of the United States Trade Representative to	28
ensure that no World Trade Organization rules are violated in	29
regard to government funding of the McInnis Cement and the	30
Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant in Quebec, Canada; and be it	31
further	32

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly	33
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the	34
United States, the Office of the United States Trade	35
Representative, each member of the Ohio Congressional delegation,	36
and the news media of Ohio.	37