Showing posts with label Free Trade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Free Trade. Show all posts
Just wait until we get a majority! (Part 7)
I am sick of this minority parliament. I'm sure it is the opposition coalition of the Liberals, socialists and separatists are forcing Harper to make decisions like this: Minister of Agriculture defends protectionist policies in the poultry and milk industries. We need a stable majority government so that we can start standing up for free trade.
Giving up agriculture supply management to join free trade group
So let me get this straight. In order to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade group Canada will have to agree to stop a policy that makes common foods more expensive. I think this has to be the very definition of win-win.
Of course the caveat is that Canada won't have to eliminate supply management immediately. It seems likely that they will be on a "liberalization schedule." Which is diplomatic speech for you don't ever have to really do that. But still it will at least create one pressure to encourage liberalization that will counter the special interest groups that try to stop it.
Of course the caveat is that Canada won't have to eliminate supply management immediately. It seems likely that they will be on a "liberalization schedule." Which is diplomatic speech for you don't ever have to really do that. But still it will at least create one pressure to encourage liberalization that will counter the special interest groups that try to stop it.
Obama's buy America plan not Harper's fault
It is part of the job of the opposition parties in Parliament to criticize the government. To do so effectively they need credibility and you don’t help your credibility when you blame the government for something that is clearly not its fault. A good example of this has come up recently with the Obama administration’s plan to introduce a “buy American” provision with its “jobs” plan. The Liberals and NDP seem to be blaming the Conservatives for this protectionist move.
The claim is that if the Conservative government had a stronger and better relationship with the US government then Canada would automatically be exempted.
The problem is that no matter how friendly Mr. Harper is to Mr. Obama, domestic politics will trump foreign relations every single time. This is an almost universal truth. It is most certainly true in Canada. Domestic politics kept Canada out of the joining the US in a joint anti-ballistic defense system even though it made sense from a foreign affairs perspective.
If the domestic mood in America is in support of a policy, there isn’t much that Canada can do to prevent it.
Basically the “buy America” provisions don’t mean that Stephen Harper sucks at managing Canada’s relationship with the United States. It means that the United States has a protectionist President that is damaging to Canadian trade.
The Liberals and NDP should reserve all their ire on this issue for Barrack Obama.
The claim is that if the Conservative government had a stronger and better relationship with the US government then Canada would automatically be exempted.
The problem is that no matter how friendly Mr. Harper is to Mr. Obama, domestic politics will trump foreign relations every single time. This is an almost universal truth. It is most certainly true in Canada. Domestic politics kept Canada out of the joining the US in a joint anti-ballistic defense system even though it made sense from a foreign affairs perspective.
If the domestic mood in America is in support of a policy, there isn’t much that Canada can do to prevent it.
Basically the “buy America” provisions don’t mean that Stephen Harper sucks at managing Canada’s relationship with the United States. It means that the United States has a protectionist President that is damaging to Canadian trade.
The Liberals and NDP should reserve all their ire on this issue for Barrack Obama.
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