Canadian diplomats battle Buy America

[CHIMO]

Source: The Star.com

WASHINGTON — A small army of Canadian diplomats fanned out across Washington today in a full-court press to "contain the contagion" of Buy America trade protectionism.

Stressing that the frantic round of lobbying was "to educate, not to threaten," Canada's Deputy Head of Mission Guy Saint-Jacques led Ottawa's effort to reach out to more than 75 members of Congress with a barrage of raw statistics showing how the benefits of free trade flow both ways.

All 13 of Canada's consul-generals to the United States were involved in the meetings, together with "private-sector allies," officials said.

"I can report the congressmen are surprised by how many jobs are in their districts, supported by trade with Canada," Saint-Jacques said in a conference call with reporters.



Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/648001#

[OHdem10]

1. Please remind the Canadians: With all due respect, that the Buy

American only applies to Money supplied by Government Stimulus.

Every other country, with China leading the way has this stipulation.
The Stimulus Money supplied by Government Stimulus is to provide
American jobs in this Crisis.

I fear Canadian Officials are using this for electioneering. Sometimes
the first casualty of Politics is truth.

[CHIMO]

2. Agree 100%

With the stipulation.

Wish it would apply in Canada.
Canadians don't like being casualties, as do others.

Unfortunately, neither of the two leading parties are prepared to back this in Canada. The government is putting on the official push, but they are lacking any will to do anything about it. The official opposition has the same mind set.

So untill the corporations are hurt nothing will be done.

[Oregone]

3. "Every other country....has this stipulation"

Thats not true. One quick exception is Canada (who is procuring from America with stimulus funds).

Do you have a real list of countries with domestic procurement clauses attached to their respective stimulus measures?

[galileoreloaded]

4. Actually "BUY AMERICAN" is waived if the outsourced materials

are either 25% or 30% cheaper, can't remember. I will go look it up in the last IFB I got from the Feds. Otherwise the contractor claims financial hardship, and voila, here comes the Chinese/Korean/Taiwanese pipe/steel/etc.

[CHIMO]

5. It Would

Be a great help to the corporations if the clause could be defined.

Is it value added. Is it from an American Corporation?

Purchasing people aren't exactly sure what it means. Does it mean that there are no foreign labels on any component?

What does it mean?

[sasquatch]

6. Sorry, my anger got me

[glinda]

7. Just spoke to a friend of mine tonight in Canada and she is under the impression that

America is canceling contracts with small and other businesses up there. She says they are hurting. I think it is political and that she is a good example of the normal person and what they hear. She does not understand our unemployment and is consumed with seeing their businesses falter. It is a big disconnection.

[tocqueville]

8. Europe threatens US with trade war, same story

Barack Obama to dilute 'Buy American' plan after Europe threatens US with trade war

Barack Obama is expected to water down "Buy American" plans in his economic stimulus package after European diplomats privately threatened to launch a trade war in retaliation.

By Tim Shipman in Washington and Philip Sherwell in New York
Published: 7:04PM GMT 31 Jan 2009

The White House has promised to review the protectionist proposals, passed last week by Democratic allies in the House of Representatives, which would ban the use of non-American steel in the $800 billion of construction projects.

Obama officials are under pressure from what European diplomats in Washington describe as a discreet but outspoken campaign of "quiet fury" from America's closest allies.

.....

European Commission representatives and diplomats from the British, French, Canadian and Mexican embassies in Washington have all launched an intensive lobbying operation to convince senators to strike the provisions from the bill they will debate this week.

A Western diplomat in Washington made clear that otherwise a trade war was in prospect. "The EU has said it will not stand idly by and let this happen. I've not heard words that strong from Brussels in 20 years," the official said.

"This is a very serious situation and there are very strong emotions here pushing for some form of protectionism. The Americans have been made very aware of our concerns and if we need to make things very explicit about what we will do, we will spell things out in words of one syllable.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4414202/Barack-Obama-to-dilute-Buy-American-plan-after-Europe-threatens-US-with-trade-war.html

protectionism under Roosevelt hurt more the US economy than anything else, but the lesson hasn't been learned...

[Prometheus Bound]

9. It'd be kind of cool if this somehow led to the end of NAFTA.

I'm speaking as a Canadian.

[TrogL]

10. It's time to invade the United States

(no, Agent Mike, I'm not serious)

With all your troops tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan you're defenceless. All you've got left are all the LGBT troops you fired but they're probably so pissed of about Proposition 8 they'd probably help.

Better check the fire extinguishers at the White House (c'mon Agent Mike, read your history)

All we'd want is the Northern half - all you crackers are safe (at least for now).