The Canadian Federation of Municipalities passed a resolution at its meeting in Whistler, BC to shut out US firms from their municipal contracts in response to the Americans doing the same. The resolution is not binding on all municipalities and I personally would have preferred to see a “Buy Canadian” resolution.

The resolution is a response to US municipalities taking on a Buy American approach to their local acquisitions. The Americans do so largely because they have enough confidence in their own abilities and independence to believe they can look inward and thrive. They likely can in reality look inward and manage to survive but not necessarily thrive.

In order for Americans to learn that lesson, other municipalities, especially where their policies have killed jobs and businesses, need to return the favour and refuse to allow American firms to tender on local projects.

Canada needs to have enough guts and confidence in our own business people to support them when they are being denied access to foreign markets.