TPT November 2009

Ap_260x87_AXXAIR_GB.eps 10/04/09 9:10:07

Mountain Pass, California, where production was suspended by then-owner Unocal in 2002 because of weak demand and a delay in an environmental review. Mountain Pass in fact holds interest for the Chinese. The state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) would have acquired the mine if its 2005 bid for Unocal had succeeded. The property went instead to Chevron, also of the US, which in 2007 declined an offer from Chinese buyers and sold it instead to Molycorp Minerals. Summitry ‘Los Tres Amigos’ came away from their meeting in Mexico still friends – but there are issues

A step ahead technology

At the closing event of the North American Leaders’ Summit, hosted in Guadalajara by Mexican President Felipe Calderón, US President Barack Obama struck a defensive note. With regard to the so-called Buy American campaign that has roiled relations with Canada, Mr Obama acknowledged the complaint of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper that it has cost jobs north of the border. He himself, said the C M J CM MJ

V A L C O M . f r -photoDanielLattard

ORBITAL BEVELLING ORBITAL CUTTING

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Mexican president Felipe Calderón

president, accepted the Buy American policy only reluctantly. The problematic item – mandating American-made products and services from American-owned companies – was installed by Congress in his $787bn economic stimulus, Mr Obama told reporters. “It was not something that I thought was necessary,” he said. “But it was introduced at a time when we had a very severe economic situation, and it was important for us to act quickly and not get bogged down in debates around this particular provision.” As noted by Les Whittington of the Toronto Star ’s Ottawa Bureau, the political-expedience explanation probably does not resonate in Canada. He wrote, “The Buy American provisions are being applied at the state and local level in the US on new, federally funded municipal works projects, a trend that Canadian companies say hurts their chances of landing contracts” south of the border. The American president both acknowledged and soft-pedalled the Canadian concern, calling for “perspective” on US trade policies which, he said, hardly constitute “some sweeping step toward protectionism.” He also suggested that there may be “mechanisms” that would enable his administration and Mr Harper’s government to work together to help Canadian companies avoid Buy American discrimination. (“Obama Downplays Trade Rift,” 11 August) Canadian government ministers and senior American officials have been discussing such a solution. But now, for the first time, the US president had said a deal is possible, and Mr Harper evidently intends to hold his counterpart to account. In a TV interview following the summit meeting, the Canadian premier said: “We’re very anxious to find a way that we can maybe make some progress on this, as the president indicated.” › For his part, President Calderón took the occasion of the meeting in Guadalajara to air a grievance, not with the US but with Canada. The Mexican leader did not conceal his resentment of CJ CMJ N

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