Snow Expects U.S. To Allow Canadian Beef

Canadians need to start demanding Canadian producers and suppliers start to look after Canada's own domestic markets as well as processing its own raw materials instead of sending it to the United States of America only to have it shipped back to Canada at 3 times the cost as a finished product.

I personally do not care if the U.S. border opens to Canadian Beef. I am hopping that it stays closed so Canadian producers and suppliers start processing our own Beef for our own needs and only send to the United States process Beef alone.

It is now becoming clear that looking after our own domestic markets first as well as having a diversified foreign trade with other countries other then the United States of America, will Canada be able to enforce a level playing field with outside markets and free trade agreements with the United States.

The world is now changing from a multi-national attitude to a uni-lateral attitude. It is time that Canada change as well in its domestic and international thinking. This nation, the United States of America, which had encouraged Canada to come to depend on them, is now less eager to be there for us unless it requires Canada to accommodate to a nationally detrimental point of undermining Canadian sovereignty and independence.

It is now the time to make a stand as a nation by looking out for our own interests first, foremost and alone.


---
Perception is two thirds of what we perceive reality to be.

Difficult decisions are a privilege of rank.

I feel so much safer about our food.............

You are right J. Keep the Canadian beef in Canada for processing and ultimate sale to consumers. It would be better for all concerned, really. In the first instance, the local products available to me here are much better on the whole and especially the beer. Cheers!

And when the border re-opens...are we supposed to fall onto our knees, kiss the American ground and say "thank you" a thousand times?
It is high time for Canada to wean away from the American tits.

---
Vera Gottlieb

As a small scale beef producer I've been badly hit, not by the border closing, but because it was used by the corporate feedlots and supermarkets to chisel the farmers out of their lands and animals and the public for more profits. They must have made 1000% profit on some of my animals alone and thousands have lost their lands, picked up by major agribiz operators on their way to control the world's food supply, with the blessings of our governments, as "welcome foreign investment".

What most people don't realize is that during all this time the border was open for the importation of US, NZ and Australian beef and it was going on every day, unabated. No politician I know of has ever said a word about this, because it would have been against NAFTA and WTO rules to deny the right of American owned supermarket chains to import meat from their own home producers, excused by "contractual obligations".

I've heard just recently, although I can not confirm it, that Canada imports about 35% of its meat supplies, including chicken, sheep, etc. from abroad, because "not enough is produced here". Does this make any sense to anybody, if true ?

Although I remember one case already about 25 years ago, when my daughter found lumps in her breasts and went to the doctor. He asked her, if she ate a lot of chicken lately, which she did. Apparently a large percentage of women in Vancouver had the same symptoms on account of hormone overloaded chicken imported from Puerto Rico. Today, people have no idea what they're eating, or where it comes from, because there are no controls, no safeguards and to raise a voice would hurt "wealth creating globalization"

So, where is the public outcry against this crime wave ?
Ed Deak, Big Lake, BC.

Well I only buy locally produced chicken, beef and pork that are also locally processed. I have stopped buying or doing business with stores that sell American beef, chicken and pork instead of supporting local Canadian suppliers.

---
Perception is two thirds of what we perceive reality to be.

Difficult decisions are a privilege of rank.

Be you Canadian or American it is surely safer to buy from local farmers whose practices and responsibility to the community can be fairly easily verified. Cheaper is not always better with these things. Personally, I buy mainly from Amish, Mennonite or Pennsylvania Dutch farmers because they consistently produce some of the best produce, poutlry and meat I've tasted anywhere on the four continents in which I've lived.

That's great. Nothing wrong with supporting local Businesses when they are providing you a good competitive product even if it is a bit more expensive, if you can afford it.

I still buy American for the same reasons. Just not when they are destroying Canadian industries. I am quite aware of the back ground on the Canada U.S. cattle industry in North America so I have no problem with doing this.

I believe in free enterprise market, free trade and a level playing field but that is not what we have between Canada and the United States of America.

It seems to me that we have an on growing base of disrespect of each other personally, nationally and internationally. I will also venture to say that it is a fact and it will be decades to correct if ever.


---
Perception is two thirds of what we perceive reality to be.

Difficult decisions are a privilege of rank.

I'd agree especially as to your two last sentences. In the minds of alot of my countrymen, it will be decades to be sure. It's regretable and quite sad.