The End of American ass kissing sellout Brian Mulroney's NAFTA?
robert...@aol.com
Posted by Erin Weir under media, trade disputes, NAFTA.
February 28th, 2008
Several articles in today's Globe and Mail assume that the US
Democratic Party's desire to renegotiate NAFTA threatens Canada. On
the contrary, Canadians should welcome this initiative.
Senators Clinton and Obama have called for limits on the ability of
foreign investors to directly challenge public policy under NAFTA's
notorious Chapter 11. Canada has been the victim of more such
challenges, and has paid more compensation to foreign investors, than
either the US or Mexico. Removing or limiting Chapter 11 would serve
the public interest in all three countries, especially Canada.
US Democrats also want to bolster NAFTA's labour and environmental
provisions. The current side agreements in these areas are vapid and
unenforceable. Strengthening them would benefit workers in all three
countries.
Trade Minister David Emerson and columnist Lawrence Martin have
retorted that Canadian standards are already as good as, or better
than, American standards. For this reason, Canada should be
particularly supportive of measures that might help prevent "right-to-
work" States or Mexico from creating unfair competitive advantages
through lower standards.
NAFTA has served and will serve as a model for other trade deals.
Versions of Chapter 11 have been inserted into many other agreements.
Removing Chapter 11 and introducing meaningful social standards would
not only improve matters in North America. Perhaps more importantly,
it would also set a far better precedent for potential future trade
deals with the rest of the world.
I suppose the Globe's concern arises from statements by Clinton and
Obama that, if Canada and Mexico did not agree to these eminently
sensible proposals, they would withdraw the US from NAFTA. Martin
quotes free-trade negotiator Gordon Ritchie as saying, "Dismantling
NAFTA would measurably affect the competitiveness of our exports to
the United States." However, Steven Chase quotes him as saying, "We
could deal with it just fine. It wouldn't be the end of the world."
As Chase reports, without NAFTA, we would still have free trade with
the US through the CUFTA that preceded NAFTA. The main differences
would be that Chapter 11 would disappear and Canadian exporters might
face less competition from Mexican exporters in the US market.
In theory, the US could also rip-up CUFTA but almost all of the
American outcry has been about trade with Mexico and other low-wage
countries. Canada has essentially had tariff-free access to the US
market since before CUFTA. As long as such access continues, American
restrictions on imports from third countries help Canadian exporters.
American trade-remedy laws can harm Canada, as happened with softwood
lumber, but CUFTA and NAFTA have done little to constrain these laws
in any case.
The much-maligned spectre of "American protectionism" promises
significant benefits for Canada: fewer corporate challenges of our
public policies, stronger labour and environmental standards, and less
third-country competition in the US market. As an added bonus, it has
Emerson talking about alternative energy policy options.
UPDATE (Feb. 29): The following letter is printed on page A18 of
today's Globe and Mail.
NAFTA nub
Re Ottawa Plays Oil Card In NAFTA Spat (front page, Feb. 28): Your
coverage assumes that the Democratic Party's desire to renegotiate
NAFTA poses a threat to Canada. In fact, we should welcome this
initiative. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have called for limits on
the ability of foreign investors to directly challenge public policy.
So far, we've been the victim of more such challenges than either the
U.S. or Mexico. Ms. Clinton and Mr. Obama also want to strengthen
NAFTA's labour and environmental provisions, which would benefit
workers in all three countries and prevent any country from using low
standards to create an unfair competitive advantage.
Ken Neumann, national director for Canada, United Steelworkers,
Toronto
http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2008/02/28/nafta-globe-and-mail
jimjames5417
What a surprise - a union leader that want's higher labour standards
forced on Canadians - but wants his members to be able to buy more
Chinese trade goods!!
sdgreen
<robert...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:ecaa887c-ade6-4e17...@f47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> The End of NAFTA?
> Posted by Erin Weir under media, trade disputes, NAFTA.
> February 28th, 2008
>
Once again we see the lefties hiding in the bushes coz that is all they
know. They hate globalization, they hate the United States, they hate China,
they hate, low taxes, they hate the fact people will have more money in
their pockets, they hate low comodity prices.
The left wing is full of hate, full of a lack of enterprise, full of shit!
Greg Carr
<james...@usa.net> wrote:
>On Mar 6, 6:36 am, robertpeff...@aol.com wrote:
>> The End of NAFTA?
>> Posted by Erin Weir under media, trade disputes, NAFTA.
>> February 28th, 2008
>>
>> Several articles in today's Globe and Mail assume that the US
>> Democratic Party's desire to renegotiate NAFTA threatens Canada. On
>> the contrary, Canadians should welcome this initiative.
I have repeatedly seen Lou Dobbs on CNN and other complain that this
deal is great for Canada and bad for the US so why change it?
There would be barriers and tariffs galore.
>>
>> In theory, the US could also rip-up CUFTA but almost all of the
>> American outcry has been about trade with Mexico and other low-wage
>> countries. Canada has essentially had tariff-free access to the US
>> market since before CUFTA. As long as such access continues, American
>> restrictions on imports from third countries help Canadian exporters.
>> American trade-remedy laws can harm Canada, as happened with softwood
>> lumber, but CUFTA and NAFTA have done little to constrain these laws
>> in any case.
>>
>> The much-maligned spectre of "American protectionism" promises
>> significant benefits for Canada: fewer corporate challenges of our
>> public policies, stronger labour and environmental standards, and less
>> third-country competition in the US market. As an added bonus, it has
>> Emerson talking about alternative energy policy options.
In theory it could lead to a loss of around 10-20 billion a yr in
trade .
>>
>> UPDATE (Feb. 29): The following letter is printed on page A18 of
>> today's Globe and Mail.
>>
>> NAFTA nub
>>
>> Re Ottawa Plays Oil Card In NAFTA Spat (front page, Feb. 28): Your
>> coverage assumes that the Democratic Party's desire to renegotiate
>> NAFTA poses a threat to Canada. In fact, we should welcome this
>> initiative. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have called for limits on
>> the ability of foreign investors to directly challenge public policy.
>> So far, we've been the victim of more such challenges than either the
>> U.S. or Mexico. Ms. Clinton and Mr. Obama also want to strengthen
>> NAFTA's labour and environmental provisions, which would benefit
>> workers in all three countries and prevent any country from using low
>> standards to create an unfair competitive advantage.
>>
>> Ken Neumann, national director for Canada, United Steelworkers,
>> Toronto
>>
>> http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2008/02/28/nafta-globe-and-mail
>
>What a surprise - a union leader that want's higher labour standards
>forced on Canadians - but wants his members to be able to buy more
>Chinese trade goods!!
I don't think the United Steelworkers are a good source of info for
NAFTA. Too bad for Democrats in the US that they don't know if Barrack
is an anti-NAFTA person or just pandering to ppl in Ohio for short
term political gain (which didn't work out.)
We are awaiting the return of our JHVH in the flesh or his Son. His Son Yu'shua died on the cross for our sins, was resurrected and walked the earth for awhile then ascended unto Heaven. We await the Third Coming not the Second.
Scottish Quaker Robert Barclay-"The weighty Truths of God were neglected, and, as it were, went into Desuetude. ...
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Canadian troops out of Afghanistan and into Darfur.http://www.amnesty.ca/instantkarma/petition.php
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but when I called him back he denied it. JVD-968 "89 Plymouth Reliant white with red interior. Devellis in lettering on the rear trunk. Contact me by email or the GRC if you are one of those ppl.