Thread: NAFTA's critics plan their assault

Embassy, June 7th, 2006
NEWS STORY
By Sarah McGregor
NAFTA's Critics Plan Their Assault
Canadian, U.S. and Mexican opposition legislators introduce their cross-border strategy to dismantle the trade pact piece by piece.
An alliance of legislators and activists from Canada, the United States and Mexico who believe the North American Free Trade Agreement has been an incredible failure are determined to propose laws in their respective national legislatures to dismantle the trade pact piece by piece.

On the heels of a full-day forum on Monday in Ottawa, the North American lawmakers all representing Opposition parties called for a comprehensive review of NAFTA to include peoples' views and to curtail the expanded powers of business elites.

The politicians also demanded ruling governments suspend a plan of deeper integration known as the Security and Prosperity Partnership, or NAFTA-plus, which leaders from all three countries, including Canada's Stephen Harper, endorsed during a trilateral summit earlier this year in Cancun, Mexico. The blueprint being developed in private meetings by working groups comprised of bureaucrats and corporate actors will touch on everything from cross-border trade to immigration and security.

NDP Trade Critic Peter Julian insists that governments must halt the process and survey public and multi-partisan opinion -- not just those of corporate and governing political leaders.

On the side of strengthened integration are business coalitions that say increased border safety measures in the age of global terrorism are impeding trade and damaging the economy. Tri-national leaders say the NAFTA-plus agenda is focused on striking a balance between these rival concerns.

However, progressive legislators and social activists in Ottawa this week say they believe all countries should go back to the drawing board on the trade deal and create a "people-centred" model.

Mexican Victor Suarez, a federal representative of the Partido de la Revolucion Democratica, says at least two million Mexican farmers have been forced out of business because they are unable to compete with government-subsidized producers in the United States. Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur says the U.S. is facing a mounting trade deficit. And Mr. Julian says statistics of job creation in Canada are skewed by the fact that they are part-time and temporary positions and workers rarely enjoy health benefits.

The three countries signed NAFTA in 1994 creating the world's most expansive free trade zone. NDP Leader Jack Layton says the regional treaty and the security partnership add-on are a "new constitution for North America written by CEOs." Decision-makers promised a "better life for working people" when they signed the NAFTA document almost 13 years ago, but the situation has worsened for the poorest segments of society with growing income disparities and more pollution, he says. "We have to insist that it's going to be the people who decide," says Mr. Layton, at an evening reception on Monday attended by participants of the second North American Forum; the inaugural meeting was in Washington last year. Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe also spoke out against the agreement at the event.

The network will re-group in Mexico this summer if the left-leaning PRD, which has vowed to review the NAFTA treaty, is elected. A national Mexican vote is scheduled for July. Regardless of which party wins, another meeting will take place in Ottawa in March 2007.

It isn't clear how the network plans to make concrete steps in the near future. The idea is to raise the profile of alternatives to NAFTA through parliamentary debate, discussion at committee and private members' bills, says Jean-Yves Lefort, of Common Frontiers, a collaboration of labour unions, environmental groups and social justice advocates that oppose NAFTA and hemisphere-wide trade agreements.

Mr. Julian says he hopes to put forth a bill to eliminate a provision of NAFTA that allows companies to take legal action against governments for creating policies that cut into their profits.

Ms. Kaptur says she hopes to form a secretariat in the U.S. with like-minded Democrats to press the Republican administration to think twice about NAFTA and other regional trade treaties.

sarah@embassymag.ca
http://www.americaneconomicalert.com/ne ... ID=2093465

US textile industry opposes deal with Vietnam
Post date : 06/06/2006 17:19



Deputy US Trade Representative Karan Bhatia (left) and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu on the signing ceremony of the the US-Vietnam bilateral market access agreement. (Source: Embassy of Vietnam)






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by Eppie Lee

The US textile industry has expressed strong opposition against the US-Vietnam bilateral market access agreement, and is seizing its last chance to lobby US Congress to turn it down.

"There are no adequate safeguards in this deal. In its present form, we are left with no choice but to urge Congress to oppose this flawed agreement," Executive Director Auggie Tantillo of American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC), commented.

Under the agreement, signed by Deputy US Trade Representative Karan Bhatia and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu on behalf of their respective countries on May 31, the US will end import quotas on Vietnamese textiles and garments, while Vietnam will withdraw a US$4 billion government plan to help its textile and garment industry. It is subject to the final approval by Congress on the US side.

A double loser

"This agreement is bound to replicate the disastrous trade pattern the US has constructed with China. Because of China's state-sponsored advantages, their manufacturers have run roughshod over US companies in our own market. Inconceivably, we have just approved an agreement that will allow Vietnam to do the same thing," Mr Tantillo said.

"This deal is a double loser. It will further damage the hard-hit US textile industry and more than likely cause substantial job losses in Mexico and Central America. Illegal immigration is the hottest issue on Capitol Hill right now and this deal directly will exacerbate the problem."
The AMTAC, together with the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), previously proposed that Vietnam should sign a textile arrangement similar to the pre-WTO membership agreement negotiated with China, so that the US textile industry could call for necessary restrictions when imports increase dramatically.

According to statistics, Vietnam's textile and clothing exports to the US jumped from US$49 million in 2001 to US$2.9 billion last year. As of March 2006, Vietnam is the sixth largest exporter to the US.

Vietnam hopes to obtain the WTO membership by the end of this year. While the agreement it signed with the US has provided a quantum leap, it still needs to receive the PNTR (Permanent Normal Trade Relations) status from Congress and finish the 13th round of multilateral negotiations scheduled for mid-July in Switzerland.
http://www.americaneconomicalert.com/ne ... ID=2091129

Originally Posted by moosetracks

NDP Trade Critic Peter Julian insists that governments must halt the process and survey public and multi-partisan opinion -- not just those of corporate and governing political leaders.

. . . progressive legislators and social activists in Ottawa this week say they believe all countries should go back to the drawing board on the trade deal and create a "people-centred" model.

HERE, HERE!!! AMEN!!

Now this is encouraging. People getting together from all three countries and saying no, no, no.

Who are these people and where have they been?

However, progressive legislators and social activists in Ottawa this week say they believe all countries should go back to the drawing board on the trade deal and create a "people-centred" model.

Someone has their head on straight AT LAST! AMEN!

Mr. Julian says statistics of job creation in Canada are skewed by the fact that they are part-time and temporary positions and workers rarely enjoy health benefits.

I DOUBT anyone surveyed the U.S. worker ... Washington could care less! They want the "economic units" from the south!

"We have to insist that it's going to be the people who decide," says Mr. Layton,

God Bless Canada!!

Mr. Julian says he hopes to put forth a bill to eliminate a provision of NAFTA that allows companies to take legal action against governments for creating policies that cut into their profits.

JUST ELIMINATE NAFTA AND CAFTA and start over for pete sake!

Ms. Kaptur says she hopes to form a secretariat in the U.S. with like-minded Democrats to press the Republican administration to think twice about NAFTA and other regional trade treaties.

She doesn't realize how determined these fools are in Washington. What can WE do to help them?


Anyway GREAT POST THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Who are these people and where have they been?

IN Canada... do you remember Bush (in regard to the Canadian Prime Minister) "we have some problems to work out." LOL Sounds like they are big problems. Go Canada Go!!!

With regard to the VietNam trade agreement:

Illegal immigration is the hottest issue on Capitol Hill right now and this deal directly will exacerbate the problem."

KEEP up the pressure it's working!

Now this is encouraging. People getting together from all three countries and saying no, no, no.

Who are these people and where have they been?

Yesireebob! We will be watching for the information forthcoming from these groups and wanting to join in.

Thanks for the article!

You know. I really wish they would stop announcing what they're going to do for a change. This gives the opposition time to plan for and respond to. sometimes this is all they would need to disarm whatever plans are made. hitting someone by surprise is how Bush et al likes to play it, and this is how they get away with some of the idiotic things they do.

we need to be smarter about this and plan in private.

Thanks for the Article...You just made my weekend look a lot brighter...

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by dlm1968

Now this is encouraging. People getting together from all three countries and saying no, no, no.

Who are these people and where have they been?

I don't know who these people are, but I'd sure like to get together with them and form a large group!