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Question 7: ProsperityHow should Canada take advantage of its location in North America to increase
prosperity while promoting our distinctive identity?
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| Contributor: | 1876 |
| Date: |
2003-05-01 11:05:12 |
| Answer: |
It is essential to maintain strong economic ties with the US, but it is also necessary to expand trade with Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Australia/New Zealand, and South America to better shield ourselves from ups and downs in the American economy and formal or informal trade retaliations and disagreements. By informal retaliations, I mean events such as the unfortunate boycott of Canadian products by Americans who disagreed with our independent foreign policy stand on Iraq. Our foreign policy must continue to be driven by our own values, perspectives and long-term vision, which means that we must strengthen our efforts to diversify our trading relationships and not be so completely reliant on one neighbouring powerful economy.
Our participation in NAFTA may make free trade agreements with other nations and trading blocks attractive to others. However, free trade must also be fair trade, and Canada must negotiate labour, health and environmental standards as a part of trade agreements, as well as the protection of our culture and social services, in order to ensure the well-being and economic prosperity for all Canadians, as well as maintain a distinct identity.
A major challenge for Canada is the pressure to harmonize our security systems with the US not only for reasons of security, but to ensure the continued flow of trade across the border. We must be vigilant to ensure that any harmonization does not result in human rights abuses. |
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