Posted on 02/09/2012 1:02:22 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Last month we discussed the rather alarming news that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was planning a trip to China to discuss possible natural resources deals with the economic superpower. It seemed no coincidence that the trip was announced close on the heels of Barack Obama's decision to kick the can down the road on the Keystone XL pipeline yet again. But at that time, I retained some hope that perhaps this was just a warning siren to Obama which would remind him that Canada had plenty of other options should we decide not to do business with them.
Apparently Harper hasn't cared much for what he's been hearing out of Washington and found a very willing ear across the Pacific because it seems that some deals have been struck already.
China and Canada declared Thursday that bilateral relations have reached “a new level” following a series of multibillion-dollar trade and business agreements to ship additional Canadian petroleum, uranium and other products to the Asian superpower.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Chinese leadership said Thursday the economic co-operation agreements — and billions of dollars in new private-sector deals — signed by the two countries over the past few days are unprecedented and will open the door to additional trade and investment.
Harper announced Thursday, following meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Vice-Premier Li Keqiang, that the countries have struck an agreement that will allow Canadian uranium companies to “substantially increase exports to China.”
“We expect to see similar success stories in Canadian energy exports to China, once infrastructure is in place.”
Harper has said building pipelines to the West Coast — such as the proposed Northern Gateway oilsands pipeline and a separate one for liquefied natural gas — is a national priority as Canada looks to ship its vast resources to Asia.
This just gets better and better, doesn’t it? Not only do we have to keep an eye on the Canadians building a shorter pipeline to their western coast to ship all of their oil overseas, but now they’re going to aggressively up the ante on delivering uranium to the Chinese. Oh, I know… you probably think I’m being an old worry wort, right? I mean, China would only use the fuel for peaceful, energy production purposes and would never “lose track” of any of it, right?
Yet again we see that elections matter, and decisions coming from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. can have both immediate and long term effects not only here at home, but across the oceans as well. Harper’s deals wont be finalized until the Canadian legislature approves them, but they would be foolish indeed to turn it down with no assurances of a market in the U.S. There was never any doubt that Canada would pursue their own best economic and national interests and find a buyer for their resources. It was only a question of who would strike the right deal. And – again – I do not place any blame on Harper for this. He has to look out for Canada’s interests first, not ours. The fault here lies with the White House for playing politics with such a critical issue.
OBAMA IS ONE DUMB_ASS
NUFF SAID
To the victor go the spoils.
“OBAMA IS ONE DUMB_ASS
NUFF SAID”
He is a dumb ass but, in this case, I think this is exactly the result he was looking for. Everything he does is directed at things that will result in destruction or degradation of our country.
No surprise. The US government has proven itself to be an unreliable trade partner, besotted with political risk, fiscally reckless, and contemptuous of property rights and the rule of law. Communist China looks like a good trade partner when compared with banana republics.
Harper sold his soul to the ChiComs. When he was in opposition he opposed trade relations with China, but now he is their bitch.
Harper sold his soul to the ChiComs. When he was in opposition he opposed trade relations with China, but now he is their bitch.
Harper made the right choice. Nations like America or Canada shouldn’t be bitching to countries like China about human rights when leaders like Obama are at home taking away those same rights every day.
China will be brought down from within by the growing middle class that will demand the same things we enjoy. They won’t be able to give it to them and the communist regime will crumble.
President Obama's Secretary of Energy, former Berkeley physics professor Steven Chu, quoted in 2008.
Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.
Barack Obama-2008
Maybe in fifty years. By then the U S will be a cinder in history. Thank jerk face for that.
What are we to do, wait for Obozo to be re-elected to be turned down a second time?
He will destroy you mark my word. We Cannuks need to make deals with others.
Amazing, your Prez forced Conservative Harper to cut a deal with the Chinese Commies. Keep Obozo south of the 48th...please
I never thought I would see the day Canada has better conservative governance than the US. But that is where we have been for at least the past 3 years.
Nonesense. It's Harpers' job to look after Canadian interests not the US.
The Canadians tried to get us to buy the oil and that Fumb Duck in the White House turned them down. One more reason to throw him out in November.
Hardly. The Harper government has increased spending by over 6% per year.
And Canadian soldiers were killed and imprisoned by the heathen Japs just a few years before Korea. Still, we buy their cars and radios.
Canada would dearly love to sell the tar sands oil to the US, and a Canadian company is willing to build a pipeline all the way to Texas to deliver energy to the US from a trusted friend, ally, and primary trading partner. Not to mention a fellow member of the anglosphere.
Apparently your president's new foreign policy involves chasing old and trusted allies into the arms of your enemies. And, since the US has refused to buy Canadian oil, it is going to the Chinese. Is anyone surprised by this?
The only surprise would be if the American people are stupid enough to re-elect this guy.
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