Harper Fails Us Again. When is he Going to Stand Up For Canada?

With 85% of Americans wanting protectionism, despite the fact that Obama doesn't necessarily, he has to listen to the American people.

Michael Ignatieff warned months before our Prime Minister finally acted, and now we are at the risk of serious trouble if we can't turn this around.

Harper has courted America, but forgot to protect Canada.

"Canadian manufacturers (are) up in arms, saying they are being barred from bidding on contracts in the U.S. even as American companies with free access to the Canadian market are beating them out for business here at home.

"Their complaints have grown all the more urgent as efforts by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to win an exemption for Canadian firms from Buy American in the U.S. have bogged down at the negotiating table.

"John Hayward, who runs an industrial equipment plant in Halton Hills, said U.S. President Barack Obama talks about the importance of free trade "but the actions just aren't matching up with the words.

"For American companies to be doing so much business in our market and blocking Canadian access to theirs, and then turning around and beating out the same Canadian companies in Canada, is just intolerable."

Some of the comments at the end are quite telling as to how Canadians are reacting to this. Like everything else, the Harper government drags it's heels until it's too late. They are all partisan politics, all the time, and we are paying the price.

Article Comments

1. RE: efforts by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to win an exemption for Canadian firms from Buy American in the U.S. have bogged down at the negotiating table '

Once again the Harper govt proves to be utterly useless as it fails Canada and Canadians. Ignatieff by contrast (not that it has been reported much) has stood up for Canada and told US legislators MONTHS AGO that their 'buy American' nonsense my well result in a serious backlash from Canadian manufacturers. Iggy has told US legislators that vital Canadian export industries are at major risk from 'buy American' and that unfettered American access to Canada's multi-billion dollar industrial market is not a God given right. Harper and Co of course have done nothing as they are afraid to stand up to their US bosses and think painting GO Trains blue is more important.

2. US is clearing out jobs in Canada as well. - I work for an European company managed by US division, they have cleaned out 90% of the work here to send to their US division regardless of the cost. Every time I make a purchase at a store I look for Canadian goods and willing to pay more for it, next to impossible to find but will keep at it.

3. You Reap What You Sow - Perhaps if the Harper clan didn't interfere in Obama's primary contest last year in Ohio - which could have cost him dearly - Obama would be more open to discussing this with Harper. That action was unprecedented and now Canadian manufactures are paying the price for it. Harper is the last chump on earth Obama is going to help, especially politically