Canadians were recently polled and it was found they overwhelmingly favour the Democrats over the Republicans. Yesterday’s comments by both Clinton and Obama should have those same Canadians rethinking their preference:,
During a nationally televised debate in Cleveland, the two Democratic presidential candidates suggested Canada and Mexico would be given just six months to make compromises on the deal in order to satisfy the U.S. government.
“I will say we will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate,” Mrs. Clinton said. “I have said we will renegotiate NAFTA (and) you would have to say to Canada and Mexico, ‘That’s what we are going to do’.”
Said Mr. Obama: “We should use the hammer of a potential opt-out” to force Canada and Mexico to reopen trade talks.
James wrote:
This is just one more aspect of the democrats that the majority of Canadians just do not GET. The democrats are economic protectionists, especially when it comes to countries they don’t mind messing with.
They would treat China with more respect than Canada. If the democrats tried something similar to China, the Chinese would threaten the American economy somehow and reverse progress on North Korean disarmament negotiations. The democrats would quickly come to a “compromise” which would mean a return to the status quo.
Canada, since we are friends of the Americans, would get the shaft because Canada (traditionally) would bend over to these tactics, and we would all lose. I am undecided as to how Harper would respond to this potential situation however, my gut says he would rigidly stand up for Canadian interests while avoiding larger threats.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 10:52 am | Permalink
Charles Anthony wrote:
My gut says that both Clinton and Obama are just shooting off hot air to fool people and win votes for the nomination. If either of them became Commander-In-Chief, the political and economic reality would probably hit them like a ton of bricks in a single day.
For their sake, I just hope the two of them are deliberately being dishonest because the alternative would suggest that they are completely stupid. Ultimately, being protectionist in North America is a lose-lose situation and unsustainable.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 11:19 am | Permalink
Sick of Tory Ranting wrote:
I agree with Charles on this — this is nomination contest stuff. To win the Democratic nomination, you have to appeal to the Democratic base and anti-NAFTA rhetoric does well. Once in power, the reality is very different. Furthermore, the fact that Obama and Clinton are both focused on environmental and labour standards suggests to me that their focus is Mexico, not Canada.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 12:42 pm | Permalink
Sick of Tory Ranting wrote:
??? Where do you guys get your info? Myself, and everyone I know on the left end of the spectrum, would gladly see NAFTA renegotiated. I’m afraid you guys are out to lunch on this one.
I’m not at all averse to exploring mixed protectionist/free systems. That’s essentially what we have now anyways.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 1:37 pm | Permalink
anon wrote:
By the way, the above was me - I don’t know why it used the last name entered, but it should have been from ‘anon’, not ‘Sick of Tory Ranting’
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 1:38 pm | Permalink
Scott from Winnipeg wrote:
Does NAFTA have an opt-out clause? I was under the impression it didn’t.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 2:05 pm | Permalink
Lord Kitchener's Own wrote:
Of course, it’s not inconsistent to root for the Dems if you’re a Canadian who ALSO wants to get rid of NAFTA. America isn’t the only place with protectionists after all. Plenty of Canadians (I wouldn’t say a majority, but a healthy minority) would LOVE to scrap NAFTA. Plenty of people in Canada would look at a Clinton or Obama threat that we re-negotiate or lose NAFTA and say “Fine. We hate NAFTA as much as you. Let it die.”
That’s not my stance, and I think we should renegotiate (I think most Canadians would like some of the changes the Dems want, such as increased environmental protection) so while it’s true that this could certainly be trouble for us, it doesn’t mean most Canadians really fear it. Especially since many would welcome it!
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
wilson wrote:
Come what may, how many Canadians would prefer ‘roll-over Dion’ to ‘hardass Harper’ at the negotiating table?.
How many Ontarians want to see NAFTA renegotiated?
Libs are scared poopless to take the reins of Canada facing an economic downturn, no way they want to deal with a NAFTA renegotiation.
Do Americans want to renegotiate Canadian resources exported to the US, and finished goods exported to Canada?
That would be stupid, but they are dems.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 2:36 pm | Permalink
Greg Farries wrote:
Yes - any member country can leave NAFTA after giving 6 months notice.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 3:05 pm | Permalink
Lord Kitchener's Own wrote:
I also wouldn’t say that this is entirely a left-right, liberal-conservative issue either, not here, nor in the States.
Particularly in the U.S., there are plenty of economic populists who’d love to see NAFTA gone on both sides of the political spectrum. I’d say the head cheerleader of the “Kill NAFTA” movement in the U.S. isn’t Clinton, or Obama, but Lou Dobbs. Lou’s hardly a “lefty”, but I’m certain if you asked him that he would say he’d like to see NAFTA dead, dead, dead.
I know McCain is a free-trader and I’m pretty sure Huckabee supports NAFTA too, but there’s definitely an economic populist wing of the Republican party, and plenty of Republicans (some of whom could be categorized as “right wing” in a general sense) who’d love to see NAFTA scrapped.
Personally, I’d love to see the Harper government get tough with the U.S. on economic policy, and also get aggressive on trying to diversify Canada’s international trade to make us less dependent on the U.S. (and we can certainly see today why that would be a good thing for Canada). Of course, there’s only so much a government can do, but I’d love to see the Tories get creative and aggressive. It’s kind of a “Nixon going to China” thing, where the Tories can afford to tow a hard line without coming off anti-American (it’s one of those weird scenarios where the Tories might be able to go farther, and do more than the Liberals, just because of the optics). I’m not certain it’ll happen, but I’d love to see it!
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 3:48 pm | Permalink
anonymous wrote:
Canadians overwhelmingly support Democrats over Republicans? You don’t seriously believe a word of any Dewey Decima poll do you? Every “poll” they’ve ever done has had a favourably liberal outcome. There so-called polls aren’t worth the powder to blow them to hell?
As to the question from one of the above posters, I want hardass Harper bargaining for my country! Step-on Dion would be crushed like a flower in any renegotiation of NAFTA or in bargaining down to a quarter at a garage sale for that matter.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 4:11 pm | Permalink
Scott from Winnipeg wrote:
“Come what may, how many Canadians would prefer ‘roll-over Dion’ to ‘hardass Harper’ at the negotiating table?.”
Like at the softwood table, for example.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 8:30 pm | Permalink
Grog wrote:
Not all Canadians are exactly in love with NAFTA to begin with…much less with how the Americans have conducted themselves - regardless of whether it’s Democrats or Republicans in control.
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 8:35 pm | Permalink
anonymous wrote:
Give yourselves a shake. Would you trust Dion with running a one-car funeral? Puhleeeze!
Posted on 27-Feb-08 at 10:05 pm | Permalink
Abattoir wrote:
Obama and Clinton are using NAFTA as a simple proxy for the larger issue of globalization. Obama made some weird comment about NAFTA encouraging companies to move to China - it got great applause, but that doesn’t mean it makes much sense.
I was in Texas earlier this month, and the general sense I got about NAFTA is concern about illegal immigration and the loss of jobs to Mexico. The people don’t realize that ‘reopening NAFTA’ means they will have to renegotiate their priority access to our oil.
I’m sure they will change their tune if they realize they are risking their supply of their #1 drug.
Posted on 03-Mar-08 at 10:12 am | Permalink