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Thank you for participating in the Dialogue on Foreign Policy. The interactive web site is now closed. The Minister's report will appear on this web site once it is released.

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Canada and NAFTA

Participant: clinton_84

Date: 2003-01-23 19:33:09


We got the short end of the stick when it comes to Free Trade with the U.S. plain and simple, it has always favoured the U.S. if things keep going the way they are in 4-5 years time we will have no choice but to adopt the U.S. dollar, NAFTA gives american companies control over our natural resources such as oil,lumber and our water,most of our major corporations are U.S. owned.NAFTA is a blow to our sovereignity, it allows the U.S. to dictate policy to our government and we have no choice but to fall in line with U.S. demands. 85% of our exports/trade is with the U.S. compared to 25% of U.S. trade with canada. our dollar will never be worth 70 cents US it will continue to decline, as long as we rely solely on free trade with the U.S. the government needs to do more to promote more trade with the EU, japan, china, and decrease our dependancy on the U.S. and live up to its 1993 campaign promise to end NAFTA. we are in no position to tell the U.S. what to do when it comes to issues such as IRAQ, all they have to do is shut down the border for a day to deliver a serious blow to our economy and we'll fall in line. I am not anti-american, im pro canadian, i believe in good relations with the americans,and as equal partners Canada and the U.S. should work out a new trade deal that is fair, equal and benefits both sides. Integration with the U.S. is not the answer, if we do that we cease to be and independant sovereign nation

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Canada and NAFTA

Participant: rmk

Date: 2003-01-24 08:36:34


The fact that 25% of U.S. exports go to Canada is a function of population. That is a very high number when you consider we are a nation of 31 million. I do agree that our resources are being plundered but it is not only the U.S. that are using them. We are the highest, per capita, user of natural resources in the world. Our governments are not protecting Canadian resources the way they should but, what are they to do. I have worked in the oil industry for enough years to know that it is the life blood of the world's economy, without it what would happen. Complete chaos. Just take a look at what happened in France a couple of years ago when gas went up to $5/litre. Stores were ransacked. What would happen here? Scary to think. There are a lot of things our government needs to do better and the first one is to stop stealing their own people's money.

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Canada and NAFTA

Participant: OJ

Date: 2003-01-25 19:17:41


I have to disagree with you, clinton. You say that "it has always favoured the U.S." yet if one looks at the rulings of the many NAFTA dispute panels since the agreement came into effect, one sees that in fact the rulings have been quite evenly mixed in favour of our two countries. You also claim that NAFTA gives American corporations control over our natural resources. If you would read the agreement, you will find that this also is untrue. For example, NAFTA guarantees a certain PERCENTAGE of oil output in Canada for export to the United States, yet the actual amount of oil produced is entirely up to Canadian oil producers, not Americans. In response to your assertion that NAFTA has undermined Canadian sovereignty, again I beg to differ. NAFTA has created a legal framework that PROTECTS Canadian sovereignty by disallowing a very protectionist US Congress from arbitrarily imposing duties and tariffs on Canadian exports. For example, since softwood lumber and cultural industries are not included in the agreement, they are among the greatest sources of tension between Canada and the US right now, since there is no framework that prevents the Americans from arbitrarily calling something an "unfair subsidy", prompting a countervailing duty. So in this sense, NOT including these issues in the framework has decreased our sovereignty, as Canadian policymakers must walk on eggshells while they strive to avoid any perception of unfair subsidization south of the border. On the issue of a declining dollar, it has nothing to do with NAFTA. Canadian financial regulations (i.e. investments must contain at least 70% "Canadian content") have meant that our country is awash in excess capital. By loosening these restrictions and allowing Canadian investors to invest in more lucrative foreign markets, they will gain far greater returns on those investments while reducing capital stocks enough to raise the value of the loonie versus the greenback. In any case, I believe that the Canadian government should continue to support NAFTA, and indeed strengthen it by broadening the scope of its coverage. Doing so promotes greater Canada-US cooperation in a range of other foreign and economic policy initiatives, allows Canadian consumers to enjoy lower prices through competitive markets, and investors to benefit from lucrative opportunities outside our borders.

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Canada and NAFTA

Participant: sara

Date: 2003-02-15 15:45:58


If you think Canada got the short end of the stick in the NAFTA, what about Mexico????? It's time to increase our bilateral relationship with Mexico to counterbalance the United States's domination of North America.

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Canada and NAFTA

Participant: puconjones

Date: 2003-04-26 13:33:37


Good point Sara. You have obviously lived beyond the borders of Canada and the United States.

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