New 'Block' Canada Movement May End NAFTA

So Mr. Fat Cat may not have clinched such a great deal for himself after all.

I posted last week that there was a group of American law makers who are trying to put an end to the NAFTA agreement, that has been devastating for Canadian sovereignty.

Their plan is to give us and Mexico a six month notice, that the deal would be terminated.

Dare we dream?

Apparently it has also cost jobs in the U.S., as much of the production has been outsourced to Mexico.

I don't know how Harper's Buy America/Sell Canada deal will fair, though given that he sneakily made our health services part of NAFTA, we may be saved from that.

It will still hold that provinces and municipalities must allow the Americans to bid on their projects, so I doubt they'll end that one.

That's what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket. They are scrambling like mad, looking for new trading partners, but I don't know that they will be able to make up for the lost U.S. trade. Mind you it doesn't mean that business will stop, it just means that it won't be as arbitrary.

The Canadian impact of cancelling NAFTA is likely to have little sway with the sponsors of this bill, their concern is the health of the U.S. economy. Rep. Taylor is quoted by Reuters as saying, “At a time when 10 to 12 percent of the American people are unemployed, I think Congress has an obligation to put people back to work.”While supporters have long credited NAFTA with helping boost trade and create jobs, opponents like cosponsor Bart Stupak, a Michigan Democrat, say the trade treaty has cost American jobs, “I remain opposed to NAFTA because it continues to hurt the U.S. economy and put Americans out of work. I am pleased to join my colleagues to propose a repeal of this failed trade policy. NAFTA has failed to deliver the benefits that were promised and has cost Michigan hundreds of thousands of good manufacturing jobs.”

Obama has never really like the deal anyway:

President Obama has promised to support freer trade and NAFTA in particular since coming to office, yet he was known for critiquing the pact while campaigning to be president. During a speech two years ago in Ohio, then candidate Obama was critical of rival Hillary Clinton and her support for NAFTA saying the United States can’t keep passing unfair trade deals. “One million jobs have been lost because of NAFTA" Obama told his audience, "including nearly 50,000 jobs here in Ohio. And yet, ten years after NAFTA passed, Senator Clinton said it was good for America. Well, I don't think NAFTA has been good for America - and I never have.”

What we need is some good 'Buy Canada' marketing. And we need to end these ridiculous corporate tax cuts that are sinking the rest of us. Harper said recently that he wants our corporate taxes to be lower than America's.

If I honestly believed that that would inspire companies to set up here, I might think it was wise, but the cuts come with no strings. And most companies are using research and development grants to phase out jobs. Instant tellers, self check outs, computer generated phone calls.

Enough is enough.