I think what you speak to was something special that happened in the context of this unique situation, and I think it was the threat by America and the precipitous risk of loss of jobs and economic activity that helped bring an impetus to the efforts of my predecessor, Stockwell Day, to get the provinces around the table working together on this in a trade context that's unprecedented. It's a very positive thing, for which I think Minister Day deserves a lot of credit.
I think that was the key to our success here. As I said, this was an agreement largely of provincial and territorial obligations, and the consequences--the obligations they were assuming--were by and large theirs, as well as industry's, obviously. The opportunities were there, and we were very fortunate to have the support of the key industry associations, and their advice and their lobbying, I might add. The efforts of the provinces and the industries in lobbying the Americans on the importance of arriving at an agreement like this and educating the Americans on it was critically important.
By and large, Canada does enjoy a very positive, beneficial relationship with the Americans on trade issues, and I know when I was in the United States before I was trade minister and doing my job as public safety minister--of course, we wouldn't miss an opportunity to advance this agenda--the response you would always get was that this wasn't directed at Canada. Then you would have to say that although it might not be directed at Canada, they were catching Canada.
That attitude is what made it possible for the Obama administration to work its way rather than give Canada an agreement that no other country has, a waiver from Buy American provisions. That speaks to the special relationship we have with the Americans, with the Obama administration, on trade issues.
I think we should pay tribute to the provinces for having come together, across the political spectrum--even a couple of NDP governments were there--putting their oars in the water and pulling together to make sure this agreement came to pass.