Oh, Canada

White House Press Briefing 1/30/09

Question: If I could just stay on "buy American" for a second, is the President aware of some of the anger, particularly up north, that this provision is causing? And could that make for any awkward conversations in the upcoming visit?

MR. GIBBS: Oh, Canada. I didn't know if you meant, like, New York, or -- (laughter.)

Q New York is still part of America last time I checked.

MR. GIBBS: But you didn't say up north, not in America, so I was -- I was clarifying if we were, like, into southern Vermont or whatever. (Laughter.)

Look, I think, as I said the other day, I don't think there's any doubt that trade is going to be on an agenda for a bilateral meeting between the United States and Canada. I think that would have been the case regardless of who those two participants were. But again, the administration will review that particular provision, and we'll make a determination on that.

Q But Canada said it specifically violates trade laws. I mean --

MR. GIBBS: Which is precisely why the administration is going to review that, and once it makes that review --

Q Does he agree with that point of view?

MR. GIBBS: Guys -- let me -- no, no, no. Give me a second, let me -- I'm going to say this for, like, the fourth time. The administration is reviewing that provision. It understands all of the concerns that have been heard not only in this room but in newspapers produced both up north and down south. So let us undertake that review, and when we have something to announce as it relates to that review, I will be able to answer any number of your questions related to a review that has not yet currently been done.