Re: Payback for Canada's stance?
Assuming that the Canadian company really is better (and I can't prove that it is) wouldn't bypassing thme be sort of like the US cutting off it's nose to spite it's face?
However I do note that several BC (Canada) companies have contracts with the US military for such things as high performance night vision cameras and satellite communications gear. Maybe there were no US companies that could provide competitive products, or that needed a payback.