Posted on 01/13/2003 6:21:44 PM PST by Clive
OTTAWA - The Canadian Council of Chief Executives wants to dramatically remake Canada-U.S. relations, calling for the creation of a jointly managed North American perimeter with a common approach to borders, trade, immigration, security and defence.
''What we are really talking about is totally reinventing the border. The border should no longer be seen as a demarcation line between Canada and the United States. It should simply be an internal checkpoint,'' said Tom D'Aquino, president of the CCE, which represents Canada's 150 largest corporations.
''The whole focus on our strategy is homeland security and economic security. The two things are really inseparable.''
He is expected to tomorrow propose jointly managed North American entry points to combat terrorism, drug smuggling and illegal immigration, while opening up most border crossings to the relatively free passage of goods and citizens.
Dismantling the borders would require increased co-operation with law enforcement in both countries and similar policies on travel visas, immigration and refugees.
Mr. D'Aquino, who will unveil the group's blueprint tomorrow, said there is a ''virtual certainty of further terrorist strikes on the North America homeland'' making it imperative for Canada to develop a new security and economic coalition with the U.S or risk a loss of Canadian sovereignty.
''We are not talking about doing it the American way. What we are talking about in some instances are joint institutions, shared responsibility,'' he said.
The CEOs' council is holding a conference in Toronto today and tomorrow featuring keynote speakers Paul Martin, the former finance minister and Liberal leadership front-runner, and Paul Cellucci, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada.
Mr. D'Aquino would not reveal specific proposals until tomorrow, but said it is also time to move beyond the North American Free Trade Agreement to form a sort of customs union with the United States and Mexico to accelerate trade and address continental security.
This would require common regulatory and administrative solutions that might be unpalatable to Congress. But Mr. D'Aquino said it need not be presented as a treaty but rather a series of initiatives that would not require congressional approval. The CCE has discussed the strategy with its U.S. and Mexican counterparts.
Mr. D'Aquino, who will unveil the group's blueprint tomorrow, said there is a ''virtual certainty of further terrorist strikes on the North America homeland'' making it imperative for Canada to develop a new security and economic coalition with the United States or risk a loss of sovereignty.
''We are not talking about doing it the American way," he said. "What we are talking about some instances are joint institutions, shared responsibility."
The CEOs' council is holding a major conference in Toronto today and tomorrow featuring keynote speakers Paul Martin, the former finance minister and Liberal leadership front-runer, and Paul Cellucci, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada.
Mr. D'Aquino would not reveal specific proposals until tomorrow, but said it is also time to move beyond the North American Free Trade Agreement to form a sort of customs union with the United States and Mexico to accelerate trade and address continental security.
This would require common regulatory and administrative solutions that might be unpalatable to Congress. But Mr. D'Aquino said it need not be presented as a treaty but rather a series of initiatives that would not require congressional approval. The CCE has discussed the strategy with its U.S. and Mexican counterparts.
Mr. D'Aquino said it is up to Canada to take a lead role in selling Washington on a new continental relationship, because the United States is too preoccupied with the Korean nuclear threat, the prospect of war in Iraq and global terrorism.
''We can't look to the Americans to come forward with a plan. It is our responsibility to do that just exactly what we did in the 1980s with free trade,'' he said. ''If we can do all of that, we'll end up with something that will [be] good for Canada, good for the United States and good for North America.''
Jean Chrétien, the Prime Minister, has been leery about the creation of a common perimeter, fearing a loss of Canadian sovereignty because security and economic decisions would, in some instances, be made jointly with a partner 10 times larger.
But the federal Cabinet is divided on the idea, with many ministers arguing Canada already has a perimeter with the United States in several areas, such as joint responsibility of North American defence through NORAD. Both also share the perimeter concept in pre-clearances at airports and container ships headed to North America.
Bill Graham, the Foreign Affairs Minister, has even mused about expanding North American integration beyond trade and tariffs into social policy.
A recent poll by Michael Marzolini, the Liberal party's pollster, found 66% of Canadians want even closer economic ties to the United States, with only 5% adamantly opposed.
Which is why it will take more than a bunch of Corporacrats to bring such a "union" about. I'm willing to bet that if you took a poll of the CEOs of most countries in the Western Hemisphere, the vast majority would favor such an arrangement.
And to add to that point- they actually turned down a clear invitation to join the Early United States.
Article XI of the Articles of Confederation- Canada acceding to this confederation, and adjoining in the measures of the United States, shall be admitted into, and entitled to all the advantages of this Union; but no other colony shall be admitted into the same, unless such admission be agreed to by nine States.
They passed up a golden opportunity.
Yeah, what you said!
Yup, there almost broke.
To keep slaves?
To get snuffed out in a civil war?
To freely enjoy the pleasures of public lynchings, or perhaps not?
I don't know man, perhaps being invaded numerous times by the Americans and later watching them kill themselves by the hundreds of thousands didn't encourage Canadians enough to realize that the glorious United States would one day be putting a man on the moon.
I don't effing think so.
Love,
Everyone south of the porous Canadian border.
What! We want a union with Rome?
Must be a secret..
To Canadian provinces : petition for statehood.
Yeah you're right. There are at least a gazillion countries that are better than the USA. Silly me. What was I ever thinking? We in the 50 States can only hope that one day we will be worthy to pick the lint out of a Canadian's belly button. We aren't fit to empty Chretien's chamber pot.
So that's American history for you? Civil War, Slavery, Murder? The Civil War and Articles of Confederation had nothing to do with one another. Completely different time frames. When we adopted the Constitution, that invitation became null and void and the Civil War hadn't even been thought of yet.
Hey, whatever man. You're right. After two centuries Canada is less significant than New Zealand and the USA is the most powerful country in the entire known universe. I guess I'm just totally f--ked up in thinking about that in a positive way when as every modern liberal knows America's history is one long war crime and atrocity. But I'll take my country on its worst day anyday than Canada on its best. And you can stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
Could you wait till I'm done shovelling my driveway..er.. better yet I may save you the trouble and freeze to death first. A foot of snow yesterday and 30 below this morning.. Definitely not sweater weather. :)
I'm curious. If, as so many are quick to suggest , Canada were to become part of the US, what happens to the border then? No longer needed ? Or an internal check point? Against both there seems to be some resistance .
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