Ok, my feelings on the whole "Buy American" thing isn't going to make me too popular. You see, philosophically, I don't see a problem with it. Monies spent by the US Federal Government, and the State and Local governments comes from where? The American taxpayer! And I can see why the American taxpayer would say "If there is no benefit coming to our local economies from awarding this contract to this company, then why should we do it?"
Of course this can go a little too far, which is buying substandard products or services, just to meet a specific government requirement - which unfortunately is often the case -- but if the quality is equivalent, even if the price is a little more, I say give it to the local supplier.
In Canada we are tip-toeing around this issue and going ..."oh, well we
believe in being fair and all that...let's go out an make in an absolutely equal playing field even if our taxpayers money is helping another country's economy." Quite honestly -- Dr. Phil would be saying "How's that working for you?"
The reality it is not. Hey, I know we are part of the global economy and open trade and all that jazz, but there is an old saying "Charity begins at home." And this isn't charity -- it makes long term viable economic sense!
We had an issue with the Canadian Federal Government spending not too long ago when the government awarding the provision of mid-size trucks for the Canadian military operation in Afghanistan to a US outfit, when there were two potential locations in Canada that bid and could have easily been retrofitted to provide this requirement. Moreover, these two plants were in economically depressed areas! So why didn't this factor into the decision? Because often bureaucrats can't see the forest for the trees....I mean -- for our own Canadian military -- the Canadians who are risking their lives each and every day??
The Americans and the Canadians should make it mandatory to provide information of how awarding business will assist the local economy -- what kind of off-set, job creation etc. would occur. Not rocket science is it?
And furthermore, what about foreign aid. Again I am not opposed to spending significant monies to help poorer nations and the like -- but unfortunately a lot of this aid ends up lining the pockets of corrupt government officials in these far away lands. Yet beyond that we have our own issues here -- why can't we take better care of our own -- maybe scale back a little of the foreign aid and help the First Nations, or the many abused children in our own country. Or what about the homeless etc. etc.
So call me
a heretic if you want to, but for me I think, I prefer to have my taxes go toward helping my economy and those who live in this great country...So go ahead US -- have your "Buy American" policy. I just wish Canada would have the fortitude to do the same!
Of course this can go a little too far, which is buying substandard products or services, just to meet a specific government requirement - which unfortunately is often the case -- but if the quality is equivalent, even if the price is a little more, I say give it to the local supplier.
In Canada we are tip-toeing around this issue and going ..."oh, well we
believe in being fair and all that...let's go out an make in an absolutely equal playing field even if our taxpayers money is helping another country's economy." Quite honestly -- Dr. Phil would be saying "How's that working for you?"The reality it is not. Hey, I know we are part of the global economy and open trade and all that jazz, but there is an old saying "Charity begins at home." And this isn't charity -- it makes long term viable economic sense!
We had an issue with the Canadian Federal Government spending not too long ago when the government awarding the provision of mid-size trucks for the Canadian military operation in Afghanistan to a US outfit, when there were two potential locations in Canada that bid and could have easily been retrofitted to provide this requirement. Moreover, these two plants were in economically depressed areas! So why didn't this factor into the decision? Because often bureaucrats can't see the forest for the trees....I mean -- for our own Canadian military -- the Canadians who are risking their lives each and every day??
The Americans and the Canadians should make it mandatory to provide information of how awarding business will assist the local economy -- what kind of off-set, job creation etc. would occur. Not rocket science is it?
And furthermore, what about foreign aid. Again I am not opposed to spending significant monies to help poorer nations and the like -- but unfortunately a lot of this aid ends up lining the pockets of corrupt government officials in these far away lands. Yet beyond that we have our own issues here -- why can't we take better care of our own -- maybe scale back a little of the foreign aid and help the First Nations, or the many abused children in our own country. Or what about the homeless etc. etc.
So call me
a heretic if you want to, but for me I think, I prefer to have my taxes go toward helping my economy and those who live in this great country...So go ahead US -- have your "Buy American" policy. I just wish Canada would have the fortitude to do the same!
1 comment:
I have a question...
How can we Buy Canadian when our own politicians sold out our country long ago by happily encouraging the sale of all of our natural resources to foreigners?
We don't manufacture anything anymore because Brian Mulroney and the Conservatives sold us out with NAFTA, causing all of our manufacturing plants, even the majority of those plants already owned by Americans and Asians, to be moved to Mexico?
I don't recall seeing much food with a Made in Canada label on it recently, except Alberta beef, which I can't afford anyway because the price has doubled or tripled for no known reason.
What exactly might I purchase that could honestly be labeled, Made in Canada? No matter how hard you look, you just can't find that label on anything anymore.
Just curious...
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