Use Trade Sanctions to Beat ‘Buy America’: Export Chief

(David Akin — Canwest News Service)

The leader of the country’s biggest industry association wants Ottawa to threaten trade sanctions against U.S. companies to force American officials to work harder at improving a deteriorating economic relationship between the two countries.

Jayson Myers, president of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, said he prefers a negotiated end to the economic problems caused by the “Buy America” provision that has stuck itself to much of President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package.

As a result, many Canadian firms with a long history of sales to American customers are getting shut out.

“Clearly the threat of retaliation is something that does attract attention in the United States and the retaliatory pressures we’re seeing right now against “Buy America” provisions are certainly causing a lot of concern in the U.S. administration,” Mr. Myers said in a joint interview with Canwest News Service and Global National. “It’s something the Canadian government should use as a negotiating lever here.” Read more here.