It's a matter of law," said Matthew Zolnowski, a portfolio manager for the Defense Production Act program, speaking to a gathering of the Canada-United States Law Institute in Washington, D.C…"We are actively engaging those firms," he said, describing a flurry of recent activity by quoting an old movie line: "It's a duck on a pond. It looks quiet on the surface, but there's a lot happening. "…Both countries describe this as a generational initiative still in its early stages: Canada, for now, is still a bit player in producing these minerals, which include lithium, cobalt and manganese…But one Canadian official said this can change. The final component involves working with allies…Zolnowski noted that back in 1984, Robert Gates, at the time a U.S. intelligence official who went on to become secretary of defence to two presidents, articulated his fear in a speech that foreign government-funded companies would come to dominate the industry…This worries the Pentagon for security reasons, both economic and military. Zolnowski called these minerals the building blocks of a thriving economy…He said civilian goods will dominate the market, as well as receiving the lion's share of Pentagon funding.

Source: CBC News November 14, 2022 17:48 UTC