Canada is balking at President Obama’s jobs bill, saying it hurts both nations. The President’s jobs bill provides over $100 billion for infrastructure like schools and roads. It also requires that all the steel, iron and manufactured goods used come from American firms.

“It seems to be a reflexive protectionism. We understand the impulses,” said Roy Norton, Canada’s consul general for Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky.

Canada fought against buy-American language in the 2009 stimulus bill and ultimately won an exemption. Now Canada’s leaders are urging Washington not to make the same mistake in this bill.

“We were surprised to see it all over again,” Norton said.

He said it hurts the Midwest too. He points to U.S. firms that could not bid on projects in 2009 because they sourced components from Canada.