<b>High Praise As NAFTA Turns 20
66% of Canadians favour stronger ties to U.S.: poll</b>
Craig Offman, National Post, Monday, October 01, 2007
Canadians and Americans are overwhelmingly pleased with the free trade agreement, according to a poll that comes amid new concerns about protectionism and isolationism from U.S. lawmakers.
Twenty years old this week, the once-controversial pact is perceived as crucial to the future prosperity of both countries, the survey finds.
Citizens from both sides of the border unanimously would also like to see trade relations enhanced.
"In retrospect, it was like Buckley's cough syrup. It was hard going down, but it worked," said Nik Nanos, the president of SES Research.
The poll was conducted for the magazine Policy Options, which is devoting a special issue to the sometimes prickly pact.
"It's a heart-versus-mind dilemma with Canadians. The heart tells us to be careful when dealing with the U.S. because we might lose our identity and control over our own destiny, but the mind tells us we need the Americans in order to compete."
Around 66% of Canadians favour a stronger economic relationship with its southern neighbours, 75% of whom favour stronger ties with Canada, the poll reported.
Around 72% of Canadians and more than 66% of Americans would like to see improved transportation ties, which would involve more integrated railways, highways and air transportation. "It shows Americans see us as a partner in security, not a security threat," Mr. Nanos said. "What really jumped out the most though was that both sides of the border wanted to see a greater freedom of movement."
While the two governments grapple with what kind of identification Canadians must present at U.S. border crossings, 58% of Americans surveyed supported the free movement of U.S. citizens into their country.
Last week, Stephen Harper voiced concern in a New York address that the Bush administration is taking the United States toward an unhealthy form of protectionism and nationalism. The Prime Minister insisted that Canada's border with the United States is safer that its own coastal borders.
Two days later, the two long-standing allies were sniping at each other after U.S. investigators smuggled simulated radio-active materials across the border into its own country.
The new survey, which also took regional support into account, indicated that support for the agreement was relatively less ardent in Quebec.
Mr. Nanos suggested the French-speaking province would rather have stronger economic allegiances abroad than with its own continent.
Two decades ago, the prospect of free trade sparked a political firestorm, which reached its most intense moments during the 1988 federal election.
Led by former prime minister Brian Mulroney, conservative proponents predicted it would usher in a new epoch of prosperity; detractors on the left, led by Liberal leader John Turner, warned the country would sign away its cultural and economic sovereignty. Mr. Mulroney's party prevailed in the election, though with a slimmer majority.
The trade partnership turned out to be an economic bonanza, growing from US$192-billion in 1989 to US$441-billion in 2003. The SES survey reported that 57% of Canadians --and almost the same amount of Americans --feel their countries would be worse off without the pact.
The survey was conducted online on Sept. 17 and 18, using a random sample of approximately 1,000 citizens from each country. It is considered accurate to within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
66% of Canadians favour stronger ties to U.S.: poll</b>
Craig Offman, National Post, Monday, October 01, 2007
Canadians and Americans are overwhelmingly pleased with the free trade agreement, according to a poll that comes amid new concerns about protectionism and isolationism from U.S. lawmakers.
Twenty years old this week, the once-controversial pact is perceived as crucial to the future prosperity of both countries, the survey finds.
Citizens from both sides of the border unanimously would also like to see trade relations enhanced.
"In retrospect, it was like Buckley's cough syrup. It was hard going down, but it worked," said Nik Nanos, the president of SES Research.
The poll was conducted for the magazine Policy Options, which is devoting a special issue to the sometimes prickly pact.
"It's a heart-versus-mind dilemma with Canadians. The heart tells us to be careful when dealing with the U.S. because we might lose our identity and control over our own destiny, but the mind tells us we need the Americans in order to compete."
Around 66% of Canadians favour a stronger economic relationship with its southern neighbours, 75% of whom favour stronger ties with Canada, the poll reported.
Around 72% of Canadians and more than 66% of Americans would like to see improved transportation ties, which would involve more integrated railways, highways and air transportation. "It shows Americans see us as a partner in security, not a security threat," Mr. Nanos said. "What really jumped out the most though was that both sides of the border wanted to see a greater freedom of movement."
While the two governments grapple with what kind of identification Canadians must present at U.S. border crossings, 58% of Americans surveyed supported the free movement of U.S. citizens into their country.
Last week, Stephen Harper voiced concern in a New York address that the Bush administration is taking the United States toward an unhealthy form of protectionism and nationalism. The Prime Minister insisted that Canada's border with the United States is safer that its own coastal borders.
Two days later, the two long-standing allies were sniping at each other after U.S. investigators smuggled simulated radio-active materials across the border into its own country.
The new survey, which also took regional support into account, indicated that support for the agreement was relatively less ardent in Quebec.
Mr. Nanos suggested the French-speaking province would rather have stronger economic allegiances abroad than with its own continent.
Two decades ago, the prospect of free trade sparked a political firestorm, which reached its most intense moments during the 1988 federal election.
Led by former prime minister Brian Mulroney, conservative proponents predicted it would usher in a new epoch of prosperity; detractors on the left, led by Liberal leader John Turner, warned the country would sign away its cultural and economic sovereignty. Mr. Mulroney's party prevailed in the election, though with a slimmer majority.
The trade partnership turned out to be an economic bonanza, growing from US$192-billion in 1989 to US$441-billion in 2003. The SES survey reported that 57% of Canadians --and almost the same amount of Americans --feel their countries would be worse off without the pact.
The survey was conducted online on Sept. 17 and 18, using a random sample of approximately 1,000 citizens from each country. It is considered accurate to within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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