OTTAWA: Prime Minister Jean Chretien has been accused of breaking his first election promise by deciding to proclaim the North American free trade deal without improvements he promised on the campaign trail.
Opponents accused him of merely rubberstamping former prime minister Bran Mulroney’s deal with the United States and Mexico.
But Chretien won praise from U.S, President Bill Clinton and Canada’s business community.
Chretien ran into the most heated criticism over provisions governing Canadian water and energy.
Ottawa issued a unilateral declaration on energy that says it will not be forced to export oil or gas to its NAFTA partners in times of shortage.
Canadian water is protected under a statement agreed to by all three countries.
Both Action Canada and the Council of Canadians well-known free trade opponents accused Chretien of surrendering to Washington.
“Its total sellout of the promised Liberal improvements,” said Tony Clarke of Action Canada.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 10, 1993
