This is a news article from "Waterloo Region Record", August 8th, 2009.
located waterloo Ontario, Canada.











Canada’s premiers say the provinces are prepared to open their doors to American businesses to fend of protectionism in the United States.
If need be, the premiers say they could force Canadian municipalities to follow suit and open up their own projects to American bidders.
The premiers wrapped up their annual meeting Friday saying that they will back the federal government’s fight to stop “Buy American” provisions from being tacked on to about $290 billion US earmarked for infrastructure projects in the United States.
“we are very concerned about the ‘Buy American’ provisions in the U.S. economic stimulus package,” said Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, who chaired the meeting in Regina.
“We want to support the national government in their in their efforts to send a very clear message to the United States that we believe it’s important to be free and fair traders and we believe that of our trading partners as well.”
The comments come after Stockwell Day, the federal trader minister, said last month that he wanted all the provinces to sign on to a commitment not to discriminate against U.S. companies bidding on projects in Canada. Day said once provinces agree, he’ll take the afreement to Washington and seek the same treatment for Canadian Companies.
Busisness leaders in Canada complain that they have been shut out of bidding for water treatment and school renovation projects in the U.S.
Ottawa believes U.s. lawmakers are using the reluctane of provences to sign on to international free trade guidelines on such projects as an excuse for protectionism.
The premiers noted that millions of jobs on both sides of the border depend on free trade. Wall said business and political leaders in both countries recongnize the economic havoc protectionism could cause.
Manitoba Premier Gary Doer said such an agreement would benefit both sides.
“We’re not asking for something from the United States that we’re not absolutely confident we can provide here in Canada,” said Doer.
But he noted that have work to do to fend off U.S. protectionism.
“we’re to have to make this case neighbor to neighbor, company to company, worker to worker, governor to premier, prime minister to president”, doer added.

hmm I wonder if u.s. representatives will agree not to discriminate against canadian goods. I seem to recall getting shafted with softwood lumber, and that's just off the top of my head. Frankly, I think we're doing just fine up here.
It also seems that if you decide to break nafta and ylu're american then canadian premiers just kiss your ass. How can there be protectionism while waving the flag of free trade via nafta?
I wouldn't mind getting ride of nafta altogether. There are plenty of other countries that are rising up and they all need goods, secure ones at that.

Let's not forget this is an essential piece to the overall agenda..... i forgot to mention that!