What Do You Think? Is Ed Fast Right Standing Up To The US?

This week Canada’s Minister for International Trade, Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and MP for Abbotsford, Ed Fast, stood up to the United States and told them their ‘Buy America’ trade provisions were unacceptable on projects being built on Canadian soil.

From the Globe & Mail –
[excerpt] “Trade Minister Ed Fast arrived in a trade meeting in Rome hounded by two potentially explosive trade problems at opposite ends of Canada – British Columbia and Newfoundland – and vowed to stand firm on both.

“In B.C., Mr. Fast said that unless Alaska bends on the Buy America trade provisions, the rebuilding of the B.C. ferry terminal is doomed though the Alaskans have other ideas.”

“Mr. Fast was referring to the ferry terminal that sits on Crown land in Prince Rupert, B.C., near the Alaska panhandle. Since the terminal is leased to the Alaska Marine Highway System until 2063, and the project is funded by the United States and Alaskan governments, Alaska Governor Bill Walker is insisting that the Buy America rule applies to the steel used in the construction and is proceeding with the call for tenders. The bidding process for the terminal upgrade, worth about $15-million (U.S.), is to end Friday.”
[source]

What Do You Think?

Is Ed Fast right in standing up to the US? WIll it work?
Let us know by using the comments box below or email us at editor@abbotsfordtoday.ca.