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.
If true, just one more reason why Bush et.al. should't have stopped at cleansing the left-leaning, socialist/moderate wussies from his proxcimity like Trent **IDIOT** Lott.
"The administration wants a continental security zone which would provide increased security?? because continental screening standards would be set. That would allow the continuance of the easy movement of people and goods across the border.
The terms you used that I emphasized in bold contridict each other. You can't have both. Thank you NAFTA. You only have to look at our southern boarder for a glairing example of the contridiction of your statement. And "continental screening standards"??? What kind of "fool the dummie" phrase is that? Many socialist leaning Canadians like our money. How about reciprocating just a tad with revision of your insaine immagration policy. Canada practically rolls out the red carpet for terrorists. I know even our INS sucks and blows but how about bringing Canada up to their pathetic standards for starters.
But let's leave out of the discussion these nebulious, globalist terms like "continental screening standards" as it is far simpler for 2 or more soverign nations, sharing the same interior boarders to accept the same immigration "manual" related to their perimiter, thus not having to monkey around fiddleing with common boarders, while at the same time enhancing their security and permiting no watering down of soverignty.
The only reason I can think of why WE would have to come up with the hairbrained idea is because of what they know to exist politically in Canada. We cannot count on the policy makers in Canada to do anything tangible concerning our security at this time.
"It is the Canadian Left that is resisting this idea because it percieves it to be detrimental to Canadian sovereignty."
I may not precieve accuratly the term "Left" as it applies to Canada. I don't see how a socialist/globalist/leftist would give a rats butt about soverignty. Here in the US we have a interesting example of "strange bed fellows", but only to the unlearned.
The Socialist/Globalist/Marxist left protestors are in "agreement" with the Conservative/Anti-Globalist/Constitutional right, fighting economic Globalization. But not because of it's delitirious affect on soverignty. It is entirely because they are Anti-Capitolist, and those they oppose are the current "Capitolist" controllers. They prefer THEM to be at the helm of Globalization and Global Socialism. They are all for disolusionment of soverignty and national boarders.
Here in the US we have our own problem with ignorant, moderate, left-leaning Republicans that are selling us out because of their stupidity. All they are doing is mucking up the works with their lame ideas. They are doing more to damage our relationship with our northern neighbors, than fixing anything.
We might have to wait to attack until we finish our war in Iraq.
Yeah! And Canada has problems like that too.
Oh, I thought you meant the US....
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