NAFTA BLUE RIBBON REVIEW -- CON/COM/NET D&D

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Subject: NAFTA BLUE RIBBON REVIEW

Author:
Thomas Baxter

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Date Posted: 21:30:16 02/20/03 Thu
Author Host/IP: Sprint5105.tbaytel.net/206.186.189.152

In the Daily Digest Bill McCullough suggested that David Orchard's call for a blue-ribbon review of NAFTA was being fulfilled through Senate hearings on integration. In fact, that claim is doubtful, because the committee calls who it will, and may tend to favour the majority opinion among its members, namely that free trade has been a good thing.

On Wednesday, February 12th, 2003, Tom d'Aquino, appeared before the committee, boldly promoting, quite blatantly and unapologetically, the four-pronged initiative of the Council of Chief Executives:
1. re-inventing borders: zone of co-operation; envelop the continent
regulating approvals at the perimeter to reduce border activities
build on the process of 2001
2. maximising economic efficiency
creating regulatory groups to examin standards to:
a) bring end to trade remedies;
b) reduce restrictions on access and ownership
c) reduce impedance of mobility of labour.
3. ensure resource stability:
a) coal, gas, oil, minerals, water, electricity, forests
b) settle "resource pricing"
4. develop and enhance the North American Defence Alliance
a) build up NORAD; missile attack defences; protocols for protecting roads, bridges, pipelines, rails
b) develop a Canadian "homeland security policy
"5. no need for national interests
-build joint commissions in each of the four above.

d'Aquino admitted that the Sept. 11th scare gave a good basis for accelerating the process started in FTA/NAFTA.

Only a few counter voices have been heard: Murray Dobbin in B.C., and Mel Hurtig in Calgary. It remains to be seen if the committee will entertain and seek opinions from a wider portion of the electorate.

Tom Baxter
Thunder Bay - Superior North

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