The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), also known as NAFTA Plus, is a secretive deal between President Bush (US), Prime Minister Harper (Canada), and President Calderón (Mexico). What is this agreement? What do Greens have to say about it, and why should it concern Americans, Canadians, and Mexicans?
The SPP ties together economics, security, and regulations of these nations. The SPP would loosen or eliminate restrictions on trade and immigration (employment), between these three nations. It would allow law enforcement agencies to conduct operations across national borders. It would blur the lines on environmental regulations, workers rights and protections, food and drug regulations and even national sovereignty.
The only true "winner" is the Corporate Elite.
Corporations have always looked for cheap, non-unionized workers to fill unskilled or semi-skilled jobs. The Mexican economy would continue to lag far behind Canada and the United States. Many of Mexico´s "best and brightest" may also emigrate in this Brave New World. This would result in a brain drain that would be difficult to fix. It is not impossible to see the Mexican government becoming little more than a puppet for the Corporate Elite.
If Mexico is seen as the answer to US labor "problems", then Canada is the cherry on top of the sundae. Water and lumber are among their natural resources, but oil is the number one resource we want. When unconventional oil production is considered, Canada ranks among the world leaders. In Alberta, the Canadians have the oil reserves to supply America for decades. This oil is not in the form of "liquid", as is found in conventional production, but rather in "oil sands", or "tar sands". Currently Canada supplies a large part of American imported oil from these reserves.
The only true "losers" are the people and the earth we live on. Big Business and Big Government will bargain down to the lowest common denominator.
The primary environmental issue in SPP is the oil reserves in Canada. These types of reserves are found in clay like soil and are strip mined. It is then processed to remove the crude oil.
The environmental impact on this type of oil production is threefold:
1. The strip mining operations have done a lot of damage to the boreal forest, where the oil sands are located.
2. The initial processing of the oil sands to workable crude takes a lot of energy.
3. As long as there is a relatively cheap source of oil there will be a dragging of feet by our politicians to push for alternative energy.
In the end I see SPP (or NAFTA Plus) as America and our neighbors, walking blind folded in a snake pit. The Corporate Elite gain more power. The people who are least able to afford it will pay. While Big Oil continues to play Americans and our government like a cheap honky tonk piano, our environment will pay. While G.W. Bush and others like him, both Democrat and Republican, seek to expand the American "Empire" by placing Mexico and Canada under our "protection" , we all, Americans, Mexicans and Canadians, will pay...
Full article: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/63307
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