Round and round the mulberry bush

Canadian politics has a lot in common with the Victorian nursery rhyme Here we go round the mulberry bush.

The children's game consists of holding hands and dancing around a bush while acting out the activities sung in the lyrics. A game not unlike that played in the House of Commons by members shouting at each other off-key while skipping around implementation of "forward" proposals.

The latest "forward" proposal will allow large American companies to tender contracts on infrastructure projects in Canadian provinces and cities.

Infrastructure itself means core rebuilding of Canadian roads, bridges and buildings. These internal structures are personal pieces our communities.

Infrastructure spending is supposed to mean provision of local Canadian jobs with materials purchased from local Canadian markets. The created Canadian jobs and purchases are meant to stimulate "our" economy while lowering a serious deficit.

In January 2009, Stephen Harper at the outset of his national infrastructure spending program, awarded the U.S. Navistar truck manufacturing firm a $254 million dollar contract. To build a fleet of medium-sized Canadian military trucks in Texas.

The American firm has a branch plant in Chatham, Ont. where the trucks could have been made. The federal and Ontario governments had already injected $60 million into the branch plant to keep it open.

As of July 2009, Navistar had laid off 1,000 employees at the Chatham plant. The military trucks could have also been made at a truck assembly plant in Quebec.

So why are we paying American companies big money when we could be doing the job and paying ourselves for it? Is this not how national stimulus spending works?

Financially, Canada's first foreign support is the war in Afghanistan. It would be interesting to see how much we spend on the Canadian soldier and the Afghan victim, compared to what we pay for American military trucks, cargo planes, helicopters, armour-plated all-terrain vehicles, weapons, ammunition and communication systems.

Almost all first world countries allow no more than 4% foreign investment. Canada has allowed well over 50% American investment.

We're a first world country without a developed, secondary level of international trade. We're the only G8 member still dependent on trade of its raw natural resources.

Our most lucrative resource is crude oil from the Alberta Tar Sands. Of which American corporations enjoy almost complete ownership.

To name a few: SunCor, Chevron Texaco, Conoco Phillips and Exxon Mobil. While Canadian Imperial Oil (Esso) is controlled by Exxon Mobil with 69.6 % of the shares.

U.S. pipelines from Fort McMurray will soon reach the south coast of Louisianna. Running south while spreading across America at the same time.

The long arms of the U.S. stretch throughout Canada.

Mulberries do not grow on bushes. Maybe Canada no longer dances to a Canadian tune.