Motion asks for level playing field
Jun 24, 2009 - 05:10 PM
PICKERING -- A Pickering councillor recently supported a narrowly-passed motion that would see municipalities retaliate against American firms unless the United States' Buy American policy is stopped.
At the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Whistler, B.C., Ward 2 City Councillor Doug Dickerson agreed with FCM president Jean Perrault that the U.S. protectionist policy is hurting Canadian firms, costing Canadian jobs and damaging Canadian efforts to grow the economy.
Although the North American Free Trade Agreement has largely removed the old "protectionist" mentality, it's not binding on U.S. state or municipal governments, which have a great deal of purchasing power, he said in a press release. Therefore, much of the U.S. stimulus funding is made available with a clause to use American steel and manufactured goods, "some of which would otherwise have come from Canadian firms."
Coun. Dickerson said the motion wasn't intended to start a fight with the U.S., but to level the playing field as Canada has no such restrictions.
"We want value for our dollar and we want an open market where trade can move freely back and forth," he said.
The U.S. and Canadian governments have three months to find a solution. Failing that, Canadian municipal governments will have to consider the resolution and implement it as they see fit.
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