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Canada to US: Are We Still Friends?

American protectionism worries our northern neighbor

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 8, 2009 10:13 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Canada’s biggest problem now also happens to be its best friend: America. PM Stephen Harper once worried that Canada’s “special relationship” with the US had been lost under George W. Bush—and it hasn’t improved a bit under Obama, writes Luiza Ch. Savage in Macleans. Not only has Obama kept Bush’s tighter border-security measures, he’s sent spy drones to watch the border, giving it “something in common with the tribal lands between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Even more worrisome is the “buy American” provision in the stimulus—a real blow to Canada, which relies on US exports for a full quarter of its economy. The problem, says one expert, is that the countries don’t get each other’s politics. “Canadians like to talk about NAFTA and say, ‘We’re your biggest trading relationship.’ Well, here NAFTA is a dirty word and everyone knows that Canada has a trade surplus.”

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is greeted by Barack Obama as the G20 leaders arrive to a working dinner reception at the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Sept. 24, 2009.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is greeted by Barack Obama as the G20 leaders arrive to a working dinner reception at the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Sept. 24, 2009.   (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)
A person is shown standing near the U.S.-Canadian border in Derby Line, Vt., on Friday, Oct. 2, 2009.
A person is shown standing near the U.S.-Canadian border in Derby Line, Vt., on Friday, Oct. 2, 2009.   (AP Photo/Alison Redlich)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 19 comments
Fiskebolle
Oct 9, 2009 11:58 AM CDT
211.9 billion? 120 billion? Hah. Don't you know we can magically conjure these amounts right out of thin air nowadays? Your way of obtaining it is out-dated.
schmidtkoff
Oct 9, 2009 9:51 AM CDT
despite the indroduction of the passport card this isl an economic hardship for families who want to take day trips to the canadian falls or travel to toronto etc.
Realist
Oct 9, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
Canada has the worlds largest supply of fresh water, vast (if more expensive to refine) oil reserves, the highest quality of diamonds found so far in the world, huge forests, and nice folks. Why would anybody not want to be their friend? (Well, Stephen Harper, I suppose - he's awful!)
Politics • US • World

 
Canada • NAFTA • Stephen Harper • free trade • economic stimulus package • Canadian border • US-Canadian border • spy drones • Obama administration • President Obama

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