The flags of Canada, the USA, and Mexico. The leaders of the three countries meet today in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, to discuss a wide range of issues including such things as trade and climate change.

The flags of Canada, the USA, and Mexico. The leaders of the three countries meet today in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, to discuss a wide range of issues including such things as trade and climate change.
Photo Credit: iStock via Radio-Canada

International trade at “3 Amigos” summit- yes, maybe, and maybe not

The leaders of Canada, the US, and Mexico meet in the Canadian capital tomorrow, June 29.  It’s colloquially known as the “3 Amigos” summit, seemingly and somewhat strangely named after a 1986 American comedy film about three bumbling Hollywood actors accidentally fighting bandits in Mexico,

It will be the first trilateral meeting in Canada since 2007 and international trade issues will be high on the agenda.

US President Obama only has seven more months in office, and his potential replacement Donald Trump has slammed the trilateral trade deal known as NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), saying it’s a disaster needing to be renegotiated or scrapped outright.  The other US presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton, seems lukewarm on the deal and has opposed a similar deal with Central America (CAFTA) on grounds that as a result of NAFTA, “what we have learned is that we have to drive a tougher bargain.“

 That comes on the heels of a new survey in Canada showing only 25 percent of Canadians think NAFTA is a good deal, and three times more Canadians want it renegotiated than do those who say it should be left as is.

L-R, Mexico’s president Enrique Pena Nieto; U.S. President Barack Obama, and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The leaders have said they want to strengthen trade ties, although there is still great opposition in Canada to major free trade deals claiming they benefit only corporations and not citizens
L-R, Mexico’s president Enrique Pena Nieto; U.S. President Barack Obama, and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The leaders have said they want to strengthen trade ties, although there is still great opposition in Canada to major free trade deals claiming they benefit only corporations and not citizens © Susan Walsh

Both Trump and Clinton, have also come out against the 12-nation Trans-Pacific- Partnership (TPP) deal.

On the eve of the summit, a recently formed advocacy group in Canada has begun an advertising campaign against the TPP.

Canadians United for Change says the deal will cost Canada tens of thousands of jobs. They say the deal with “multiple secret side-agreements” can’t be amended by Parliament, and will allow foreign companies to bid on major procurement contracts and bring in their own workforce, excluding potentially better-qualified Canadians.

Labour unions and other groups have been calling on the Canadian Liberal Party government to reject the deal  which involves 12 countries including the US and Mexico.

Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. Said in a statement, “Since NAFTA was signed, we’ve seen the loss of well over half a million manufacturing jobs in Canada, the net loss of 1 million jobs in the United States, and the displacement of millions of Mexican farmers. Employment trends suggest part-time precarious jobs with fewer benefits, while the income disparity in all three countries continues to grow,”  Barlow adds,  “It’s no wonder that Canadians, like Americans, are unconvinced by claims about the benefits of free trade deals like NAFTA and the TPP.”

Maude Barlow National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, a social advocacy NGO, is among those against huge free trade deals like MAFTA, TPP, CETA, saying they enrich multinational corporations at the expense of citizens.
Maude Barlow National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, a social advocacy NGO, is among those against huge free trade deals like MAFTA, TPP, CETA, saying they enrich multinational corporations at the expense of citizens. © Council of Canadians

In March, Nobel-prize winning  American economist Joseph Stiglitz called the TPP the worst trade deal ever. Speaking on a CBC programme he said, “I think what Canada should do is use its influence to begin a renegotiation of TPP to make it an agreement that advances the interests of Canadian citizens and not just the large corporations”

The meeting coming on the heels of the shock of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union.  Also of concern to many is how that might affect Canada’s huge trade deal with the EU known as CETA- the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

Most of the opposition arguments to CETA are similar to those against the TPP, in that the deals favour multi-national corporate interests over national and citizens interests.

RCI- opposition to CETA

However, the Liberal government seems eager to push forward with the deal.  Canada’s International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said this week, that with Britain’s vote to leave, the EU is more eager than ever to sign CETA.

Speaking on a CBC programme she said, “”I spent the weekend and Friday, a lot of time on the phone. CETA is more than alive, CETA is absolutely moving forward,” she said. “My European counterparts obviously, were very surprised, very concerned about the British vote. But if anything it has strengthened their resolve about going forward with CETA.”

She added that in for political appearances it is now more important than ever for the EU to show it can proceed with a major international agreement.

However,  many analysts have expressed doubt about the certainty of  CETA proceeding given the confusion caused by “Brexit”.

Other sticking points among the three have included an ongoing Canada-US disagreements over softwood lumber. Prior to the summit, officials of Mexico and Canada today signed deals to end other long-standing dispupes between the countries over Mexico’s ban on Canadian cattle, and Canadian imposition of visas for Mexicans to stem the tide of asylum seekers

additional information-sources

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