Turns out the Federal Conservatives’ pro-market, low taxes, small-state ideology is under considerable strain these days. First, it is spending millions of dollars to bail out failing companies and industries. If this had been done by an NDP government, the Conservatives would no doubt have been first in line to lambast it as socialism (or worse). Second, it is racking up huge deficits and debt that the sacred ‘taxpayer’ will pay for decades. And now–horror of horrors—it is calling on unions to help build a strategy to fend off the Obama government’s protectionist “Buy American” policies, which are hurting Canadian industry.
The United Steelworkers of America have been pushing a “Buy North American” policy, an idea that the Tories appear now to be worth exploring. The principle idea is to favor North American companies in public procurement tenders, over “overseas” companies. What do you think of this strategy?