The National Post reports, “The Canadian government has ‘concerns’ about the recently announced ($450-billion) jobs-creation plan by U.S. President Barack Obama (that includes about $140-billion for infrastructure and public works projects) because of Buy American provisions attached to its infrastructure spending. …(Trade minister Ed) Fast said government officials would be taking part in a ‘consultation process that was established as part of the 2010 Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement.'”
“The Council of Canadians, a social activist group, called on the government to let its procurement deal with the U.S. expire as planned this month, and follow Obama’s lead by increasing funding for municipalities with Buy Canadian provisions attached. ‘Canada’s cities and towns need over $30-billion in water-system upgrades alone and another $100-billion for other badly needed infrastructure,’ Meera Karunananthan, a water campaigner for the Council of Canadians, said in a statement.”
Our media release can be read at http://canadians.org/media/trade/2011/14-Sep-11.html.
