Posted on 08/21/2007 4:59:36 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
OTTAWA — It's a threat that has left-wing Canadian nationalists and right-wing U.S. congressmen in rare and dismayed agreement: a freeway, four football fields wide, stretching from Mexico to northern Manitoba.
Groups on both sides of the political spectrum say the corridor - dubbed the NAFTA superhighway - is a primary goal of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America established two years ago by the leaders of the United States, Canada and Mexico.
At separate press conferences in Ottawa yesterday, the road was held out as an example of the potentially repugnant effects of the trilateral partnership.
There's just one thing: Officials in Canada and the United States say no plans for any such freeway are in the works. The concept, they say, is part urban myth and part fear-mongering.
But the detractors of the SPP are convinced that the road's construction has already been approved. They argue that plans are being kept secret, a lament they extend to the discussions taking place behind closed doors this week in Montebello, Que., between U.S. President George W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
"The chief project thus far of the SPP is the so-called NAFTA superhighway which would connect Mexico, the United States and Canada, cutting a wide swath through the middle of Texas and up through Kansas City," warned Republican Congressman Ron Paul in a statement read at one of the morning news events in Ottawa yesterday.
"Millions would be displaced by this massive undertaking which would require the eminent domain actions [expropriations] on an unprecedented scale. ... A Spanish construction company, it is said, plans to build the highway and operate it as a toll road."
Just a few minutes earlier, a collection of antiwar activists and civil-rights spokesmen led by the Council of Canadians, a non-profit group that fights against corporate integration with the U.S., offered a similar message.
They warned that a Trans Texas Corridor being built in Mr. Bush's home state that "will be four football fields wide and include lanes for cars, trains and trucks headed from the Mexican coast" will not end in the United States.
"Through public-private consortia like the North American Super Corridor Coalition, which counts the province of Manitoba as a proud participant, plans are under way to extend the Texas pet project right up past the Canadian border to an expanded port in Churchill," warns a Council of Canadians pamphlet entitled Behind Closed Doors that features pictures of the three leaders on its cover.
The U.S. embassy in Ottawa issued a press release yesterday calling the superhighway a myth.
A spokesman from the Prime Minister's Office scoffed at the claim, saying a simple denial that plans for the project are in the works would be "an understatement."
Even the North American Super Corridor Coalition (NASCO) says the superhighway is not one of its goals.
"We are concerned with improving the efficiency and security and safety of existing transportation infrastructure," said Frank Conde, the director of communications for NASCO.
The need for those improvements was made clear with the bridge collapse in Minneapolis earlier this month, Mr. Conde said. But there is no move by NASCO to create a separate international highway, he said.
Even if there is no specific proof that the highway is going ahead, the Council of Canadians says there is a plan to fortify trade corridors through North America that transport Canadian water to the United States while damaging the environment by putting more trucks on the road.
And, said Stuart Trew, a council spokesman, "it's fortifying this kind of pattern of the economy where goods are made in areas where civil liberties and human rights are lower and where you can make them cheaper."
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What is the SPP?
The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America is a framework for a trilateral relationship by the leaders of the United States, Canada
and Mexico.
It resulted from a get-together involving U.S. President George W. Bush, Canadian prime minister Paul Martin and Mexican president Vicente Fox, when they met in March of 2005 in Waco, Tex.
It states that the three countries will establish a co-operative approach to advance their common security and prosperity.
While the partnership talks about securing North America from internal and external threats, it also promises a streamlining of legitimate, low-risk traffic across the shared borders, as well as the promotion of economic growth, competitiveness and quality of life.
Critics in both Canada and the United States argue that it will infringe on national sovereignty and promote the import of cheaper goods from such places as China, and that the agreement was reached in secret without broad consensus.
Advocates dismiss those concerns as conspiracy theories of protectionists and say that the partnership will promote cross-border trade that is vital to the economies of all three nations.
“So I appreciate that question. I’m amused by the difference between what actually takes place in the meetings and what some are trying to say takes place. It’s quite comical, actually, when you realize the difference between reality and what some people are talking on TV about.”
Oh really Jorge Bush, then why all the secrecy? Why not put your grandiose NAU plan to a vote and let the citizens decide. Truly an a**hole!
Completely and totally!! Just when I think he can’t say something more stupid than the last time... I’m unpleasantly surprised.
The EU was once just a ‘trade agreement’.
Now the Brits are getting a reality check.
It doesn't take much of a leap to guess that the meetings real urgent topic of discussion would be:
1)Russian incursion into the Canadian Arctic.
2) Russian future incursion into the Caribbean, via Cuba and Venezuela.
3) Chinas control of the Panama Canal and incursion into the Caribbean and South America.
4) The containment of Chavez's rapidly expanding military might.
A new cold war era is upon us, and Mexico, Canada and the US are ill prepared. Canada has no significant military in proportion to its national defense needs. The US military is spread thin overseas. And Mexico's military is very busy battling drug gangs and insurgents in Chiapas. The West is now weak, and I suspect that the Montebello secrecy was necessary to enable strategic discussions between the three heads of state on expanding and improving the hemispheres military power, in order to protect Mexican Oil feels, Canada's resource- rich north, as well as their respective homelands.
You will hear nothing of this in the news, while all the xenophobic protests are on the straw man of protecting Canada's National Sovereignty from malicious conspiracies. They construct their own windmills and quixotically tilt at them, and then pat themselves on their backs like children.
This distraction strategy of this summit meeting has worked. Watch for upcoming military equipment and ordnance lend lease agreements as well as policy changes by all three in relation to China, Russia , and Venezuela. There are much bigger fish to fry than what is being reported in the press, who have all become slavishly rooted in supporting a bunch of liberal moonbats in their delusory, sordid political meanderings. Most Canadians think the protesters are a few cards short of a deck, and the protesters do not represent Canadian main stream thinking by a long shot.
Let them protest. Soon all Canadians will be glad our prime minister has had the foresight to strengthen and overhaul Canada's military, with the help of the USA and Mexico. And the protesters? Watch them fall silent when asked if they would stand to defend their nation, under arms, rather than merely caterwauling about maintaining sovereignty without the ability to defend the large land mass that is Canada. Nincompoops! As usual all talk and bluster, but they know not the real issue and its implication for their future.
Canada will soon be forced militarily occupy the North, or give up its sovereignty over vast stretches of territory replete with natural resources, to the expansionist Russians, who mean to choke the West of oil, and cause economic and social collapse. Putin's goal is the same in the Middle East
When I see these moonbat protestors at Montebello, I believe that the Russians are already successful in that regard. They constitute terminal case of the mouse that roared, and thank goodness that the majority of Canadians do not take them seriously.
Here’s a thought:
Think of what it took for Americnas to accept a law like the Patriot Act.
Now, what will it take for us to accept the NAU?
Bump
Interesting how your post 24 answers the question in my post 25.
It’s quite comical, actually, when you realize the difference between reality and what some people are talking on TV about.
What an uneducated, pinhead idiot. What terrible grammar.
Name one good reason for building a highway -- of any size -- from Mexico to Hudson's Bay.
What are they gonna do? Ship jalapenos to Norway?
Lol!
Gonna make kipper quesadillas. LOL
Thank you, Borax Queen.
He embarrasses only himself and not the rest of us.
I never fail to be amazed by how such losers climb the ladder of success. I can't even blame this one on Affirmative Action (like I can my boss who, like Bush, should be driving a school bus or selling popcorn. Nothing against the vendors who do that work.)
Your Post 25, posted after mine, so how could I answer it,
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Heres a thought: Think of what it took for Americas to accept a law like the Patriot Act. Now, what will it take for us to accept the NAU?
*****************************
Here is my answer:
Read Canada's War Measures Act.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Measures_Act
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~sprague/wma.htm
There is no need of a Patriot Act or its equivalent in Canada for the WMA can be invoked simply by an Order in Council by the Governor General, as directed by the P.M. That which you decry ( Patriot Act which you strangely and emotionally equate with the NAU)has existed for the better part of a Century in Canada in much more comprehensive form, as aptly demonstrated by Pierre Trudeau during the LaPorte Affair.
The US and Mexico have nothing quite so comprehensive as Canada's War Measures Act when it comes to the issue you raise, of devolutionary personal freedom. You presume erroniously that it is a strictly American affectation.
Defining the real issue all depends on whether you can face the larger strategic facts or not, and those facts call for a strategic dialog between the 3 leaders, and it has happened, thank God.
Soon the protesters will have the chance to put their money where their mouth is on Sovereignty, by signing up to serve, as will many thousands of Canadian Patriots.
Not that the WMA would be invoked anytime soon, but Canada has had legislation in place since 1914, which pales the Patriot Act, as we speak! *******************************************
Canada: War Measures Act:
War Measures Act, 1914
An Act to confer certain powers upon the Governor in Council in the event of War, Invasion, or Insurrection
Statutes of Canada (1914) Chapter 2.
SHORT TITLE.
1. This Act may be cited as the War Measures Act.
EVIDENCE OF WAR.
2. The issue of a proclamation by His Majesty, or under the authority of the Governor in Council shall be conclusive evidence that war, invasion, or insurrection, real or apprehended, exists and has existed for any period of time therein stated, and of its continuance, until by the issue of a further proclamation it is declared that the war, invasion or insurrection no longer exists.
POWERS OF THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL.
3. The Governor in Council may do and authorize such acts and things, and make from time to time such orders and regulations, as he may by reason of the existence of real or apprehended war, invasion or insurrection deem necessary or advisable for the security, defence, peace, order and welfare of Canada; and for greater certainty, but not so as to restrict the generality of the foregoing terms, it is hereby declared that the powers of the Governor in Council shall extend to all matters coming within the classes of subjects hereinafter enumerated, that is to say:-
(a) Censorship and the control and suppression of publications, writings, maps, plans, photographs, communications and means of communication;
(b) Arrest,, detention,, exclusion and deportation;
(c) Control of the harbours, ports and territorial waters of Canada and the movements of vessels;
(d) Transportation by land, air, or Water and the control of the transport of persons and things;
(e) Trading, exportation, importation, production and manufacture;
(f) Appropriation, control, forfeiture and disposition of property and of the use thereof.
2. All orders and regulations made under this section shall have the force of law, and shall be enforced in such manner and by such courts, officers and authorities as the Governor in Council may prescribe, and may be varied, extended or revoked by any subsequent order or regulation; but if any order or regulation is varied, extended or revoked, neither the previous operation thereof nor anything duly done thereunder, shall be affected thereby, nor shall any right, privilege, obligation or liability acquired, accrued, accruing or incurred thereunder be affected by such variation, extension or revocation.
4. The Governor in Council may prescribe the penalties that may be imposed for violations of orders and regulations made under this Act, and may also prescribe whether such penalties shall be imposed upon summary conviction or upon indictment, but no such penalty shall exceed a fine of five thousand dollars or imprisonment for any term not exceeding five years, or both fine and imprisonment.
5. No person who is held for deportation under this Act or under any regulation made thereunder, or is under arrest or detention as an alien enemy, or upon suspicion that he is an alien enemy, or to prevent his departure from Canada, shall be released upon bail or otherwise discharged or tried, without the consent of the Minister of Justice.
6. The provisions of the three sections last preceding shall only be in force during war, invasion, or insurrection, real or apprehended.
PROCEDURE.
7. Whenever any property or the use, thereof has been appropriated by His Majesty under the provisions of this Act, or any order in council, order or regulation made thereunder, and compensation is to be made therefor and has not been agreed upon, the claim shall be referred by the Minister of Justice to the Exchequer Court, or to a superior or county court of the province within which the claim arises, or to a judge of any such court.
8. Any ship or vessel used or moved, or any goods,: wares or merchandise dealt with, contrary to any order or regulation made under this Act, may be seized and detained and shall be liable to forfeiture, at the instance of the Minister of Justice, upon proceedings in the Exchequer Court of Canada or in any superior court.
9. Every court mentioned in the two sections last preceding may make rules governing the procedure upon any reference made to, or proceedings taken before, such court or a judge thereof under the said sections.
never mind.
How was your summer, and how is the pooch?
Conspiracy or not, why did 25 members of the House send a letter to the President asking for more “Transparency” regarding the SPP and NAFTA?
You know, I’m no Bush fan, but I’m absolutely sick of newspapers calling him Mr. Bush instead of President Bush, especially foreign papers.
Sometimes I think that there is somekind of Moonbat virus tha sweeps the national media.Or is it indelible liberalism which sees a nasty American capitalist pig behind every bush ( no pun intended) on the lawn?
Today I heard many Canadians on AM 800 out of Montreal complaining on a talk show about the trite news coverage out of Montebello. Thank goodness the majority of Canadians are thinkers rather than the 30 or so tinkers who had their self aggrandizing moments on center stage.
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