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Joe Biden’s state of the union speech ‘bad news,’ Canadian manufacturers say

Biden promised to double down on 'Buy America' and require all materials used in federal infrastructure projects to be made in the U.S.

President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., listen.
President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., listen. Photo by Jacquelyn Martin /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Canadian manufacturers are concerned about a promise made by U.S. president Joe Biden in his state of the union speech Tuesday evening, pledging to use only American materials in infrastructure projects.

Biden’s “doubling down on ‘Buy America’” in the speech is “bad news” for Canadian manufacturing and integrated North American supply chains, the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters said on Twitter Wednesday morning.

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“A strong response is needed to push back and protect Canadian access to the U.S. procurement market,” the trade association said.

In the speech, Biden promised “new standards to require all construction materials used in federal infrastructure projects to be made in America.” He said that includes lumber, glass, drywall and fibreoptic cables.

“And on my watch, American roads, bridges and American highways are going to be made with American products.”

He said Buy American has been law since 1933. “But for too long, past administrations, Democrat and Republican, have fought to get around it. Not anymore.”

Biden also added a line not included in the text of the speech: “I get criticized for this, but I make no excuses for it: We’re going to buy American… And it’s totally consistent with international trade rules.”

More to come