XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   XPost: van.general   
   From: puela@nyet.ca   
      
   I do believe than the only country that now considers Canada 'a friend' is   
   Israel.  And that's no compliment to us.   
   ____________________________________   
   Mon Jan 19, 2015 - ca.reuters.com   
      
      
   Ottawa bars use of 'Buy America' rules at ferry project in Canada   
      
      
   VANCOUVER (Reuters) - The Canadian government signed an order on Monday   
   blocking the United States from applying controversial "Buy America" purchasing   
   rules on the demolition and reconstruction of a ferry terminal that is located   
   on Canada's Pacific Coast but operated by Alaska's Department of   
   Transportation.   
      
   The U.S. federal rules are designed to protect U.S. companies from foreign   
   competition in transportation infrastructure projects.  The state of Alaska has   
   refused to waive the provisions for the $15 million rebuild of the Prince   
   Rupert, British Columbia, ferry terminal although the project is solidly in   
   Canadian territory.   
      
   Canada is fighting back by invoking rarely used anti-sanction laws to prevent   
   bidders on the project from agreeing to use only U.S.-made iron and steel.   
      
   "We have been clear: the application of protectionist Buy America provisions on   
   Canadian soil is unacceptable and an affront to Canadian sovereignty,"   
   International Trade Minister Ed Fast said in a statement.   
      
   "Therefore, an order has been signed under the Foreign Extraterritorial   
   Measures Act securing Canada's right to prevent compliance with the Buy America   
   provisions for this project."   
      
   The Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act allows the government to ensure   
   foreign laws that adversely affect its interests are not applied on Canadian   
   soil.   
      
   An undated call for bids posted on an Alaska government website clearly states   
   that the Prince Rupert ferry terminal project falls under Buy America   
   provisions, as it is partially funded by the U.S. Federal Highway   
   Administration.   
      
   Fast said he was "disappointed" that Alaska had not sought a waiver from the   
   U.S. government for the construction of the new terminal, which is part of a   
   long-term lease between the Prince Rupert Port Authority and the Alaska Marine   
   Highway System.   
      
   A spokesman for the Alaska Marine Highway System, the state agency that   
   operates the ferries between Alaska and Prince Rupert, was not immediately   
   available for comment.   
      
   The fresh scuffle over the terminal project came just days after Canada   
   postponed the so-called Three Amigos summit with the leaders of the United   
   States and Mexico amid tensions over   
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   numerous issues, including construction of TransCanada Corp's TRP.TO Keystone   
   XL oil pipeline from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast.   
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         Loyalty to the country always.   Loyalty to the government when it   
   deserves it.        ~   Mark Twain   
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)