Trudeau’s Failed International Negotiations are Pushing Canadian Jobs Out | May 11, 2021
Today I joined the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology in their study of “Economic Recovery from COVID-19.” Discussion included Line 5 and Biden’s Buy American Plan.
Right now, Trudeau’s failed international negotiations are jacking up the prices of Canadian products and pushing jobs out. One of the witnesses, Robert Lyman, Principal and owner of ENTRANS Policy Research Group, said: “the shutdown of line 5 would remove something in the order of 60% of the refined product supply for Ontario and therefore significantly increase prices.”
There has been almost no action from the Trudeau Government on the pending closure of Line 5, or on securing an exemption for Canada on Biden’s Buy American plan which was also a subject I raised at the Hearing.
I asked Veso Sabot, a veteran of international business, how former Prime Minister Harper secured a Canadian exemption to Obama’s Buy American plan in 2010. Veso answered: “Last time Canada was very aggressive in selling their story in the United States.”
Mr. Sabot added, “There’s always opportunities that can be leveraged when negotiating with Americans. We should and could use that as leverage in order to exact the Canadian exemption to Buy America.”
Prime Minister Trudeau is not leveraging these opportunities. In fact, there is little evidence that he is doing anything to safeguard Line 5 or secure an exemption.
Today’s Committee was full of discussion on how to secure a green future. I don’t see how we’re going to have any impact on the future if we keep bankrupting our citizens and pushing substantial business south of the border.
Watch the clip for more details on Harper’s negotiations in 2010 and on the expected impact of Line 5’s closure.