Brampton: International finance definitely the way of the future. It appears that with the European Common Market coming together as a strong trading force to be reckoned with, the North American Free Trade Deal is inevitable. I have my doubts that this deal will truly benefit Canadians, other than the people with money to invest in Mexico, but the trend has been set and perhaps we opponents of this economic philosophy have to accept the fact that capitalism has infiltrated every aspect of world politics today. It was not a strong army which brought down the Soviet Union and it is certainly not a common philosophical approach which brings the governments of North America to the trading table. It is big investors.
lam not opposed to capitalism in general, The problem arises when a country gives up nationalism as the final price to be paid for are capitalism, Nationality, encompasses a nations values for social programs, the environment, freedoms, rights and responsibilities. This is the part that really concems me about the North American Free Trade Deal. The Conservatives are the only ones who are prepared to sign this deal. The U.S. and Mexico both want a better deal for their own countries, so why is the Mulroney team so anxious to sell Canadians on the plan, with such haste. Under The Free Trade Agreement signed in 1989 Canada did not get protection for energy resources under the NAFTA and yet under NAFTA Mexico will get a protection for its energy resources that Canada itself does not have. NAFTA docs not contain a labor code. Does the Mulroney gang think that Canadians can compete with a labor force who earns $1.50 a day. Do they think that Canadians will be able to survive on those kinds of wages?
In Canada we protect our people from exploitation in terms of gender and age. Mexico does not have a system where women and children are protected from abusive employers. If these are values in which we have strong beliefs, then should we not be prepared to demand the same from our trading partners?
Where are the environmental standards which we demand of our own industries for the protection of all?) What dispute mechanisms will be in place for speedy settlements and what deterrents will be in place to discourage frivolous disputes which can bankrupt an industry. Will our national health care plan have to be abandoned, either because our competitors consider it to be a subsidy or big business considers it an added expense which hinders our ability to compete in the North American Market.
There are too many shortfalls in this deal which threaten our national values. Money has no nationality and it has no conscience.
NAFTA is in your hands. We already know the Conservative’s attitude towards this deal and towards Canadian values. The Liberal Party is deeply concerned by the development of regional trading blocs. If a North American trading bloc is emerging, the Liberal Party recognizes that Canada must play an active and Independent role in defining that bloc. We will seek changes to both the Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement. We need: a subsidies code; an antidumping code; a more effective dispute resolution mechanism; agreed upon labor standards; environmental’ Standards; and the same energy protection as Mexico.
In addition, the Mulroney government has yet to introduce any adjustment assistance programs to help Canadian workers and firms adapt to greater trade liberalization.
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