'Buy American' Deal Not Imminent: Doer

(CBC News)

Canada's new ambassador to the United States says there's no imminent resolution for the "Buy American" trade issue.

Three days into his new posting, Gary Doer was in Ottawa Thursday to meet with the federal cabinet before heading to Washington, D.C. There, addressing the "Buy American" provisions in the U.S. stimulus package will be a top priority, but Doer emphasized there is no immediate solution.

"I want to say to people here that when I came into the office, there was no deal on the desk for 'Buy American' … or in the drawer."

Americans are preoccupied right now with the health-care debate and the war in Afghanistan, he said, adding that Canadians can still get face time in Washington, but he can't act alone.

"The faces have got to be all of us. It's got to be companies, unions, cabinet secretaries meeting with cabinet ministers, ambassadors meeting with people on the Hill, prime minister with the president," said Doer. "It's got to be everybody involved in this effort." Read more here.