OTTAWA — Donald Trump announced new Buy American policies Tuesday that experts say could hurt Canadian businesses — and he took an opportunity to take a public dig at Canada’s dairy sector in the process. Although the “Buy American and Hire American” executive order Trump signed appears to contain more rhetoric than immediate action, there are fears American suppliers and distributors who now rely on Canadian input may turn inwards in anticipation of stricter policies down the road. Agencies and departments will be “cracking down” on weak compliance and anti-dumping, and “rooting out every single Buy American loophole,” the official said. Specifically, finance officials told Canadian reporters Tuesday, it is believed the “Buy American and Hire American” executive order will run counter to protections Canada has secured through NAFTA. “The state of New York has said, ‘Buy American is a nice guideline, but we’ll go our own way.’ There are states like California, Texas, where we’re their largest trading partner,” he said.

Source: National Post April 18, 2017 22:18 UTC