Nothing ‘Free’ About Trade with U.S.

(Frances Russell — Winnipeg Free Press)

Canadians will import another big dose of American social and economic inequality with yet another bad trade deal made in our endless -- and endlessly futile -- pursuit of the Holy Grail of “guaranteed access” to the U.S. market.

Canada’s so-called “exemption” from the about-to-expire Buy America stimulus package will be minimal and, as usual, subject to cancellation at American whim.

Also as usual, Boy Scout Canada has put almost all it has to give on the American table. U.S. business will gain nearly unfettered access to the multibillion-dollar public purchasing of all provinces, territories, cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants and public entities including Crown corporations, universities, school boards and health-care institutions.

And what do Canadians get? Liberal international trade critic Scott Brison says more than 75 per cent of the U.S. stimulus package has already been spent “so the best we can get is just the crumbs.”

“Canada didn’t obtain any guarantees on future American spending programs... Only 37 of the American states have signed on and of those they have carved out huge items including construction in some cases and public transit in others,” he continued in an interview. “The government is grossly overselling a questionable, underwhelming and late deal... It’s going to open us up to more American competition but it’s not clear to me how much access we’re going to gain in return. The government was desperate for a symbolic victory... a photo op.” Read more here.