Democrats Vow to Reopen NAFTA

[farmers_son]

What I said was "It is unquestionably in the United States’ interest to maintain very strong trade ties with Canada and Mexico, both important and even crucial suppliers of energy, to provide the U.S. with its next daily energy fix. Live cattle trade with the U.S. is important to both Canada and Mexico and live cattle trade will continue as long as we have oil and gas to lubricate the trade wheels."

The U.S. does not buy our oil and gas or live cattle and beef as a gesture of good will. They are looking after U.S. interests. When the U.S. border was closed to Canadian live cattle imports there was genuine economic hurt in regions of the U.S. that needed Canadian live cattle to maintain the viability of U.S. packing plants.

The U.S. cattle industry would be predicted to shrink just like the Canadian cattle industry is predicted to shrink due to pressures of U.S. ethanol policy. The U.S. really does need our beef and live cattle and that need will increase in the coming years. Canada is ideally positioned geographically, politically and economically to meet that need.

[per]

So I guess we just sit around and do nothing because all we have to do is wait and the Americans will solve all of our market issues right after we threaten to shut off the gas tap.

[perfecho]

Often the term is "Let's shut off the taps".....but I don't think we own the taps anymore.... or our steel mills....or our packing plants....and the list goes on.

[farmers_son]

No one is saying we should do nothing. What I am saying is the U.S. is an important market, the worlds number one importer of beef and live cattle, and we are ideally positioned to serve that market.

Certainly part of Canada's advantage selling live cattle and beef to the U.S. is the NAFTA agreement. If the U.S. decides to renegotiate the NAFTA agreement it does so in light of a much greater need for Canadian energy in 2008 than when the CUSTA agreement was negotiated in 1989.

See Impact of CUSTA/NAFTA: A Canadian Perspective – James Rude

http://www.farmfoundation.org/chicago/rude.pdf

Exports to US: Red meats - The major change in border measures was the elimination by bothcountries of their respect meat import laws on bilateral trade. It can be argued that the US meatimport law was seldom imposed and was more of a minor annoyance. Pre-CUSTA tariffs wereminor (2¢/lb. on beef with fresh and frozen pork free, with some escalation of tariffs onprocessed products). So the North American red meats market was already largely integrated prior to CUSTA. Other factors have affected the growth in Canadian exports, especially for beef. The elimination of WGTA reduced feed costs on the prairies, and since 1995 western Canadian beef slaughter has increased by 50%. As well, foreign direct investment and industry rationalization have left two large beef processors in Alberta. These companies, IBP and Cargill,have furthered North American beef integration with their investments

End of Paste.

I would add that if the U.S. renegotiates NAFTA the reason behind it will not be oil or gas or beef or jobs. It will be water.

[per]

Can't disagree with the water part farmers_son. You might note I mentioned that earlier. All I am after is a multi directional plan because so far plan A has been ineffective. That is what we are all proactively pursuing. An alternative to the status quo just in case it isn't going to work. Plan A plus plan B might even = C.

[Willowcreek]

From Rasmussen Polling:
Just 16% of Likely Democratic Primary Voters believe the North American Free Trade Agreement—NAFTA—is good for America. Fifty-five percent (55%) say the trade agreement negotiated by the Clinton Administration is bad for the nation.
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I think the last nationwide polls I saw- showed that the majority of the folks in the country (something like 53%)- both Repub and Dem- felt that NAFTA has been bad for the country and feel it should be repealed and/or renegotiated....It was written by and for the profiteering of the major multinational corporates (oil, Agrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Packing, etc., etc. )- and at the expense of US working man, small business, and economy....

Also many in Mexico feel the same, as the general populace did not gain from it as they were promised - just the rich elitist few that run that country and control all industry....

And it could happen- if like it appears now, Democrats will win the White House and control Congress- since NAFTA was never ratified as a treaty by 2/3 majority of the Senate (as required by the Constitution for treaty's)- it simply is a Presidential (Clinton) agreement that probably could be repealed by Executive Order of the President- or just a majority vote of Congress and the Presidents signature......

[WilIow-Kreek]

I have new-found respect for Senator McCain.He said he would honour the NAFTA agreement with Canada because it was a SOLEM agreement entered into with Canada;our great ally!

[Willowcreek]

He needs Canada as a place to ship more illegal Mexicans north to....

[WilIow-Kreek]

Well at least it seems the Senator and I,at least,have respect for our northern neighbors.

[Willowcreek]

Oh I have all the respect/admiration in the world for our Canadian neighbors...
What I can't stand is the rules and laws that were enacted by and for the profiteering of the Big Corporate Multinational industries (Oil, Agchemical, Pharmaceutical, Packing) at the expense of the working man, small business, and the economy of the country...
Especially since Billy Clinton/lobbyists/bought out politicians slid NAFTA thru without proper ratification as called for by the Constitution...

But if McCain gets in there, we won't have anything to worry about- he'll have us bomb, bomb, bombing Iran- Canada brought in with us in a World War, and then will be able to fast track the neocons proposed North American Union thru...He's a second George Bush-only 25 years older-with one foot in the grave and the second on a banana peel- just craving to get his finger on the nuclear button....God help us if he slips....