Premier must act to save Ontario exporters: MPP Arnott

The McGuinty government was unprepared for trade troubles stemming from U.S. “Buy American” policies, says Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott.

In Question Period June 2, Mr. Arnott asked Premier McGuinty if he agrees with the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters that Ontario must take immediate action. Mr. Arnott read that organization’s recommendations from a letter signed by 28 business leaders.

Premier McGuinty seemed unaware of the letter.

“I didn’t find his response satisfactory and I didn’t sense he had even been briefed on the issue,” observed Mr. Arnott. “Now he knows about it, and it’s up to him to do something about it.”

Mr. Arnott raised the case of Hayward Gordon, Ltd.—a Halton Hills manufacturer Mr. Arnott visited last week. The company has already been shut out of U.S. contracts due to the “Buy American” provisions of the U.S. stimulus package.

“The need to take action to protect these jobs has been covered extensively in major Canadian news media, and even the Washington Post,” Mr. Arnott informed the Premier.

After Question Period, Mr. Arnott reiterated his concerns to the Premier and discussed the letter from the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

In addition to speaking in the Legislature, Mr. Arnott raised the issue nearly three months ago with the former Minister of Economic Development and the Minister of International Trade. He also wrote to a U.S. Congressman he met last year in Washington.

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