Thread: Deeper North American Integration Still in the Cards

Deeper North American Integration Still in the Cards

By Dana Gabriel

Many Canadians view a Barack Obama presidency as an opportunity to further renew Canada-U.S. relations. This includes a more North American approach in dealing with challenges that face not only the continent, but the world as well. The Security and Prosperity and Partnership (SPP), a trilateral initiative between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, has stalled and in some cases, Canada-U.S. bilateralism has also been hampered. Many policy papers and reports are still calling for deeper North American integration.

The policy paper entitled “From Correct to Inspired: A Blueprint for Canada-U.S. Engagementâ€

Continued

In advance of Obama’s visit to Canada, a coalition of organizations was stressing the importance of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to commit to a transparent and thorough renegotiation of NAFTA. The Canadian coalition included the Council of Canadians, the Sierra Club of Canada, the Canadian Auto Workers and the Canadian Federation of Students, as well as other organizations. In the letter addressed to Harper, they call for the elimination of the energy clause in NAFTA, which requires Canada to export oil and gas to the U.S., even in time of shortages. They also recommend that the prime minister place a moratorium on the negotiation and ratification of all Canadian bilateral free trade agreements, as well as an end to the SPP. There are other concerns in regards to NAFTA as many Canadians would like to see water excluded from the agreement. This includes a ban on bulk water transfers, along with safeguards against NAFTA Chapter 11 challenges.

There are fears that under an Obama presidency that many on the left will go to sleep, now that Bush is out of office. This includes in Canada, where the left have been instrumental in exposing the SPP and fighting deeper integration into a North American Union. In most instances, North American integration is still very unpopular, but this is a very deep-rooted agenda. Even with a new president, it will likely carry on in some form or another. It is imperative that concerned citizens in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico continue to resist any move towards a North American Union.

Dana Gabriel writes about trade, globalization, sovereignty, and other issues.
Contact: newworldordermustbestopped@hotmail.com

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