INTERAGENCY DEFENSE OFFSETS TEAM INVITATION TO

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002364 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ECON MASS CA SUBJECT: INTERAGENCY DEFENSE OFFSETS TEAM INVITATION TO SELECTED FOREIGN EMBASSIES REF: SECSTATE 143566 (NOTAL) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) Political section passed reftel to DAO and FCS offices in the Mission. ¶2. (SBU) Though post has no feedback to offer on the discussion questions at this time, we note that "Industrial Regional Benefits (IRBs)" (Canadian equivalent of "offsets") figure prominently in federal government procurement decisions across the board, and especially in defense procurement. IRBs give the federal governing party leverage vis-a-vis the provincial governments and among the electorate. Mission is working on a report on Canadian defense procurement practices. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS