President Fox Praises Canada In NAFTA Tussle

Fox is in a dilemma. Without the US, Mexico will have major problems in a free trade agreement with Canada. Mexico, like Canada, is also learning the percussions of dealing with the United States. The US also knows that any deal Mexico is to make with Canada will be under their control. Mexico and Canada have to make a sleezy deal with the Americans before a pact can be made. Who's going to win on this one?

> Who's going to win on this one?

Americans, of course.

There is a vast difference between abstract theory (Canadians self-identify themselves as Not-Americans), and applied human geography (90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the border, 85% of Canadian exports go to the USA).

The real question is: When will Canada give up this fantasy of a separate economy?

In that respect, NAFTA, or the death of NAFTA, wouldn't change a thing.

Canada is dependent on the good graces of the USA.

Bitter pill, isn't it?

"Canada is dependent on the good graces of the USA." Hopefully not. Canada deserves and can get better then the downfall of a deep outdoor toilet.

"Canada is dependent on the good graces of the USA". In other words, a potentially healthy, but mislead, misdirected and sold out economy is dependent on a bankrupt ideological and monetary system on its way to crash the whole world.

Is there any chance of our politicians to wake up and realize how incredibly stupid they are? On the other hand, if they weren't stupid, we wouldn't have NAFTA, or the WTO and they wouldn't be politicians. Fox has already led Mexico into dismal poverty and hopelessness and is trying hard to have Canada follow his lead. He'll probably succeed too.

When will politicians realize that any economy built on exports is an economy on its way to suicide, because all systems built on competition, which includes war, will burn out and crash. There's no way out.

Of course, there are only about 10,000 historical examples of this sordid fact, but they still are dreaming of overruling simple physical laws through "faith".
Ed Deak, Big Lake, BC.

"Canada is dependent on the good graces of the USA."

I guess what we should do is through in the towel, admit that we are 'americans.' Plant the flag in the ground and collectively yell, "We Want Our Money Back!"

That pretty much sums up Brand US, and Canadian continentalists! More More More.

- Ted

Can anyone confirm or refute that there are U.S states that would be in chaos without having Canada as a market. I remember reading somewhere one day that said something like 31 or 32 states who depended the majority of their trade with Canada. Maybe I have that number a little too high, so please correct me.

Either way I don't believe Canada has to be destined to become the United States of America, however, I do feel sometimes we will loose the little independence we have. Maybe I'm a pessimist. I just don't see how we could survive their economic power.

If one day we Canadians have to vote as Americans, I'm sure millions of Canadians will be trying to influence allot of changes in the U.S. If you consider the amount of votes that go to Liberal Party, Green Party, NDP, Bloc which out numbers the votes to the New Conservative Party. One could only assume that many Canadians would not be voting Republican. Only problem is Democrats would probably be not much better. So the influence Canadians can make is voting reform in the U.S. Just join organizations that already exist there.

Before those minority ANON's feel like responding with the idea that they don't want Canadians blah blah blah, where afraid of you Canadians, blah blah blah, we hate you Canadians, blah blah blah. Please wake up and face the reality that your country per capita has more organizations fighting for gay marriage, legalization of marijuana, abortion and gun control, as there are in Canada.

The only difference really is how much media attention these issues get in the U.S and Canada. Canadian media gave it attention to these minority issues. The U.S media well, they would rather minorities stay in the closet or have no human rights to choose.

Kevin

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Acoustic Guitar: This machine will kill facist.- Woody Guthrie

"When will politicians realize that any economy built on exports is an economy on its way to suicide, because all systems built on competition, which includes war, will burn out and crash." I would suggest most countries DO rely on exports but not on exports of raw materials. Japan who has no raw materials has a good ecconomy exporting manufactured goods. Cheap labour in Mexico and China will not be a given when these countries sell their OWN manufactured goods. Japan did not rely on American interests to prosper and created their own niche in the world market.

<p>Kevin,</p> <p>according to an Industry Canada document titled <i>The Trade Dependency of the U.S.A. on Canada</i> (<a href="http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inibi-iai.nsf/en/bi18598e.html">in English</a> and <a href="http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inibi-iai.nsf/fr/bi18598f.html">en français</a>), in 2000 there were 37 states which had Canada as their largest export market (these included every state on the eastern seaboard), 11 states with Canada as second largest, and the remaining two with Canada as third largest (surprisingly, Washington was one of these two). However, the highest percentages of exports to Canada in relation to GSP (gross state product) were that of Vermont, at 8.9%, and of Michigan, at 6.8%. The next six states ranked less than 4% and greater than 2%; the remaining 42 states ranked 2% or less. My guess is that only Vermont might be subject to some level of chaos if trade with Canada were abruptly halted, given our small population (roughly 600,000 people) and the percentage of our exports that go to Canada (82.8% in 2000).</p><p>---<br>Shatter your ideals upon the rock of Truth.<br />
<br />
— The Divine Symphony, by Inayat Khan<br />

Thanks Brother

Kevin