Canada needs to catch up with U.S. on job protection, minister says, in response to Chinese ferry deal

Gregor Robertson, the minister responsible for the federal agency that helped fund a B.C. Ferries' contract to buy ships from China, says Canada needs to "catch up" with the United States when it comes to protecting domestic jobs and the economy.

Robertson says Ottawa is looking at a "buy Canada" policy, a strategy he says historically hasn't been as strong as the "buy American" approach across the border.

The minister is responsible for the Canada Infrastructure Bank, which is helping finance the purchase of four new electric-diesel ships from China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards with a $1-billion loan to B.C. Ferries.

But Robertson told media in response to a question about the decision to buy ships from the Chinese state-owned firm that it's "not directly related to the federal