Obama “Ragging the Puck” and avoiding giving Canada an exemption?

It's downright Canuck for Canadians to recognize when the competition is "ragging the puck" during a hockey game. And Canadians may be reminded of ragging the puck while watching the maple syrup-slow progress of negotiations between Canada and the US on removing the "Buy American" provisions currently in Obama's stimulus bill. As hockey fans well know, ragging the puck is the act of retaining the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score as a deliberate tactic intended to run the time on the clock.

---

Businesses on both sides of the 49th parallel holding on in the current recession recognize that is just what the American administration is doing in its negotiations with its largest and most secure trading partner, Canada. Having singlehandedly destabilized the world economy due to their incompetence, the Obama Administration is looking to the world to pay for America's sins. That includes assuming their debt, as is the case with China, without the privilege of selling products into American markets that Obama's union pals want to protect. The problem with that logic is rewarding inefficiency eventually leads to collapse. America, if it continues on its protectionist path, will collapse, just as it did when this was last tried during the Great Depression. While ragging the public, America whispers sweet nothings to its best friend and neighbour, Canada, hoping to stall Canada's access to American markets while Americans have unfettered access to Canadian stimulus-funded projects. Obama has the power to correct the situation with the stroke of a pen--by granting Canada an exemption to the "Buy American" provisions. This is a move that would recognize the integrated nature of the Canadian and American economies. Friends who stick together in good times, should stick together in bad. Note to file: Canada recognizes Obama's tactic of "ragging the puck", and may not be so willing to forget next time.