Deal close on 'Buy USA' — with strings

[CHIMO]

Source: thestar.com

OTTAWA–There has been a breakthrough in talks between Ottawa and Washington aimed at resolving a dispute over a protectionist U.S. policy known as Buy America, according to a source close to the negotiations.

A tentative deal is ready to go to the desks of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama, the source said, but both could still face significant political obstacles in winning support for the deal.

The pact is intended to respond to Ottawa's complaint that Canadian exporters are being excluded from bidding on projects under Obama's $787 billion (U.S.) stimulus package because Buy America provisions shut out foreign-made components being used on infrastructure projects.

Negotiators are expected to meet behind closed doors again next week in Washington to iron out final details of the tentative package.

Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/734439--deal-close-on-buy-usa-with-strings

[sasquatch]

1. Who gives a shit what Canada has to say about this

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. +++++

[Owl]

4. I'll second that.

[pampango]

5. I give a shit what Canadians think. I actually give a shit what a lot of people who aren't Americans

think. Progressives now don't give a shit what anyone who is not an American thinks?

Canada is a friendly neighbor that allows us to bid on their infrastructure projects. Why shouldn't we return the favor? Am I supposed to somehow resent Canadians because they are not US Americans?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

8. because we have a very manifest destiny attitude towards "jerbs"

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

7. our treaty obligations to our closest ally,

Canada isn't a problem.

[Owl]

3. deleted

[madrchsod]

6. i have no problem with canada

our currency is close enough and they have the same unions as the usa.

oh...they do`t have slave labor wages like china and india.

[upi402]

9. Gawd. Can we just get a little FAIR TRADE?

Why all this worshiping at the altar of 'giving away the farm' trade?
It didn't work, so lets fix it!

NAFTA and GATT ruined us. What is the confusion?

[pampango]

10. What's not fair about trade with Canada? n/t

[upi402]

11. Nothing is wrong. There is a timber issue...

and pollution into Puget Sound and the North Cascades. Other issues... but they're closer to our standard of living than the developing countries we are supposed to "compete" with. I love Canada, really.

Canada is a NAFTA tri national commission nation state. I HATE NAFTA! (a lot) but not Canada.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

12. The US has had free trade with Canada in varying forms since the 60's

Free Trade between Canada and the US first came to the professional victim US auto industry in the 1960's - I doubt many people have even heard of the Autopact or could name a single ill effect there of.

There is no reason the US can't have EU style free trade with nations of equals,

[pampango]

13. Good point about EU free trade. They seem to make it work even though some of the countries

in Eastern Europe are quite poor (Bulgaria and Romania, which joined in 2007, have per capita incomes that are lower than Mexico).

Many American progressives seem to have a hard time tolerating free trade even with Canada which is as close to us in terms of prosperity and culture as you can get, certainly moreso than the UK and Germany and even moreso than France and Bulgaria.

[Owl]

14. Damn right that our tax-dollars be for only "Buy America provisions".

"Buy America provisions shut out foreign-made components being used on infrastructure projects."