Thread: Advancing Continental, Regional, and Global Trade

Advancing Continental, Regional, and Global Trade

By Dana Gabriel

Just ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, it was announced that Canada and Columbia had signed a trade agreement. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who was attending the meetings as an observer, took the opportunity to call upon the U.S. Congress to ratify the U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The agreement remains in limbo, with the Democrats still delaying a vote on the accord, citing human rights violations stemming from violence perpetrated against labour activist. Hundreds of trade unionists have been murdered in Colombia since Uribe became president. It is unlikely that a vote will take place before Barack Obama takes office. Along with the deal with Colombia, Canada also needs to ratify trade agreements with Peru and Jordan. Harper has vowed to pursue new trade initiatives with Asia and the Americas, as well as deeper economic integration with the European Union (EU).


Canada and Colombia also reached agreements on labour and environmental protections, although it remains unclear on just exactly how they will be enforced. Harper believes that cutting trade barriers is now even more important than ever in light of the current economic uncertainty. Proponents of the deal say that it will facilitate bilateral trade between the two countries, giving greater access to Canadian exports. In March, the Canadian Labour Congress released a report that stated that Canada, pursuing a trade agreement with Colombia, was a gift to President George Bush. At the time, it was hoped that this move would help in getting the stalled U.S.-Colombia FTA passed through Congress. It is expected that Harper will speed the trade agreement through Parliament. In the end, most trade deals have failed to live up to the hype and all the promised benefits at the expense of labour, safety, health, and environmental rights. Such an agreement could also be used to expand NAFTA and the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) to the region.



In the past, Canada has been criticized by some of its own business leaders for not more aggressively pursuing bilateral liberalization initiatives. There is a sense among such circles that this might have hurt Canadian global competitiveness and its overall economy. Under Harper, bilateral trade initiatives have accelerated, and this is also partly due to the failure of the WTO negotiations. Harper has promised to place more focus on the Americas, and has created a new junior cabinet position dedicated to carrying out his strategy of further strengthening bilateral cooperation in the hemisphere. Some argue that bilateral trade deals create obstacles to regional integration. In reality, if you have enough bilateral and regional deals, it could serve to facilitate multilateral agreements. Costa Rica recently ended a four year battle and approved CAFTA. In September, Bush, along with the leaders of 11 Western Hemispheric countries, met and launched the ‘Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas’ initiative. Some have suggested that this might have signaled the rebirth of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).



Before the SPP Leader Summit in New Orleans, it was reported that there might be a move to push Mexico out of the process. Former Canadian ambassador to the U.S., Derek Burney, said, “Attempts to ‘triangulate’ in recent years, by bringing in Mexico, have little substance and allowed attention to be diverted from more pressing bilateral concerns.â€

This is exactly why they are not enforcing our immigration laws.....to further integrate the America's as they put it.

Let everyone just walk on in as you please and do what ever they want, in our country all for big businesses.

How can these people be so stupid to think you can open your borders to these 3rd world country's and not turn into the same corruption and crime that is occuring in their country's...