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Canada is a great country.. we should be coming into our own...
our economy should not be tied to the US... and for those of you who think so ... wait until Hilary or Obama are in the white house...
We can be masters of our own house..

   

In all fairness to our young anti-yank Regina, the Pacific/Atlantic Ocean hasn't been a barrier to goods from/to Japan and/or Europe, so why would it be from China? If it was too big an expense, Wal-Mart wouldn't spend $20 billion dollars a year there on goods and ship them here to us to buy. If we were to compare our laws with the USA, there could be a case that they have human rights violations too (the death penalty is the first that comes to mind). Of course, China is in a league all its own in that regard, seeing as its been decades since the Army was used to control civilians in the States.

I don't like the idea of trading with China, but it's either that or become a third world country in 100 years. The USA won't be the top dog forever and someday it will be eclipsed by China, Europe and maybe even India. Mr. C makes a good point that we need to diversify our trade. Of course, if Mr. C knew his history, he'd know that Trudeau tired that in the 70s with Europe and it backfired miserably.

Canada doesn't need to turn its back on the USA as Rationalist proposes, but it never hurts to have several big trading partners, so that when one goes through a recession, they don't drag you down with them. The saying that comes to mind is "Don't keep all you eggs in one basket", which is what Canada does by maintaining such reliance on the USA.

Of course, this isn't something that will happen overnight, but will take decades of serious effort on the part of business, government and Canadians themselves. The real question is whether or not we are willing to try.

   

China will only buy what it needs to get a jump start on industrialization. After it has established it's own industrial base it will lower it's dependency on imports of foreign goods and push "made in China" products with in it's own boarders and through out the world. China is one the most protectionist states in the world in regards to trade. Any company that goes into China is usually slapped with one over riding trade restriction and that is if you want to do business in China you must eventually train Chinese workers and move part if not all your manufacturing there over a given time frame. While this is extremely beneficial for China and very smart on their part the affects that you will eventually see is that the jobs created here through trade with China will eventually evaporate and move to China. This is a win win for North American business owners as most material costs and labour costs are much lower there. As far as creating jobs back here at home, trust me, so long as the CEO's and share holders of these companies are doing well they won't give a rats ass about how many jobs are moved over seas so long as they can increase profits.

Add to that the fact that he Chinese government doesn't see any point in enforcing trade mark or patent laws unless it affects them negatively. The technology that companies bring with them when they begin trading with China that took us decades if not centuries to develop is theirs to exploit once it enters their boarders.

Yes I know that sounds like a quote taken right out of one of Bill O’Reilly's news casts but there is a lot of truth to it. I don't think cutting off trade to China is the answer though nor am I advocating that. I do believe though that we should maybe take a step back and really examine this issue. Maybe we should be putting some of our own restrictions on trade with them and looking at ways that will help protect jobs here in North America for the future. The rate at which trade has increased with China over the past decade is alarming at best and I haven't seen much if any discussion on how it will affect us in the long run.

On the issue of human rights, why is it not a good time now to maybe start using some leverage to ply the Chinese government into addressing these issues. Would we be better waiting until China is the worlds leading economic power house 15 years from now to try to get them to change their ways?

Oh, and on the issue of distancing ourselves from the US so far as trade is concerned that is entirely the wrong way to go. With the formation of the European union and countries like China and Japan coming to the forefront as leaders in exports we need to join forces with the US now more than ever. No individual country standing on their own will be successful in challenging the strength of these new bodies.

   

The U.S. is Canada's largest agricultural export market, taking well over half of all Canadian food exports. Similarly, Canada is the largest market for U.S. agricultural goods with nearly 20% of American food exports going to its Northern neighbor[citation needed]. Nearly two-thirds of Canada's forest products, including pulp and paper, are exported to the United States; 72% of Canada's total newsprint production also is exported to the U.S.

At $73.6 billion in 2004, U.S.-Canada trade in energy is the largest U.S. energy trading relationship, with the overwhelming majority ($66.7 billion) being exports from Canada. The primary components of U.S. energy trade with Canada are petroleum, natural gas, and electricity. Canada is the United States' largest oil supplier and the fifth-largest energy producing country in the world. Canada provides about 16% of U.S. oil imports and 14% of total U.S. consumption of natural gas. The United States and Canada's national electricity grids are linked and both countries share hydro power facilities on the Western borders.

While 95% of U.S.-Canada trade flows smoothly, there are occasionally bilateral trade disputes over the remaining 5%, particularly in the agricultural and cultural fields. Usually, however, these issues are resolved through bilateral consultative forums or referral to World Trade Organization (WTO) or NAFTA dispute resolution. In May 1999, the U.S. and Canadian Governments negotiated an agreement on magazines that provides increased access for the U.S. publishing industry to the Canadian market. The United States and Canada also have resolved several major issues involving fisheries. By common agreement, the two countries submitted a Gulf of Maine boundary dispute to the International Court of Justice in 1981; both accepted the Court's 12 October 1984 ruling which demarcated the territorial sea boundary. A current issue between the United States and Canada is the ongoing softwood lumber dispute, as the U.S. alleges that Canada unfairly subsidizes its forestry industry.

In 1990, the United States and Canada signed a bilateral Fisheries Enforcement Agreement, which has served to deter illegal fishing activity and reduce the risk of injury during fisheries enforcement incidents. The U.S. and Canada signed a Pacific Salmon Agreement in June 1999 that settled differences over implementation of the 1985 Pacific Salmon Treaty for the next decade.

Canada and the United States signed an aviation agreement during Bill Clinton's visit to Canada in February 1995, and air traffic between the two countries has increased dramatically as a result. The two countries also share in operation of the St. Lawrence Seaway, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

The U.S. is Canada's largest foreign investor; at the end of 1999, the stock of U.S. direct investment was estimated at $116.7 billion, or about 72% of total foreign direct investment in Canada. U.S. investment is primarily in Canada's mining and smelting industries, petroleum, chemicals, the manufacture of machinery and transportation equipment, and finance.
Canada is the third-largest foreign investor in the United States. At the end of 1999, the stock of Canadian direct investment in the United States was estimated at $90.4 billion. Canadian investment in the United States is concentrated in manufacturing, wholesale trade, real estate, petroleum, finance, and insurance and other services.

SO WHAT MANY OF YOU ARE SAYING IS LET ME CUT OFF MY NOSE TO SPITE MY FACE!

   

Except that the only thing Canada has that China wants is oil or coal.

So if you'd like to end Canada's membership in NORAD and NATO and you'd like to close and militarize our common border after you align with China, then go get yourself elected PM and do so.

We can end all of our mutual aid treaties, we can end all of the trade agreements, and when the Chinese start posting troops in your country (and don't fool yourself into thinking the Chinese will be your friends) then the USA will quite seriously consider a war to preclude a Chinese military presence on our northern border.

In short, you're choosing to have Canada go from being one of the USA's closest friends to being (literally) our closest enemy.

I hope you have plans to drastically increase Canada's military spending because under your plan Canada will have the full and undivided attention of the United States military. And if you're thinking the cowards from the EU will back you up you're sadly deluding yourself. Past a nasty rebuke to the USA in the UN General ASSembly the EU won't do sh*t because they're composed principally of idiots like yourself.

Really, you and your "Hate America" campaign are terribly pitiful.

   

I find it odd how you talk about broadening the market yet you almost seem in favour of posing restrictions on private enterprises to do business in other markets? If the government ended its restrictions on foreign trade and stopped subsidising private enterprises then our trade would naturally diversify on its own. But it should be a two way street and if we end our government interference the other markets should do the same. I do not believe businesses have a god given right to be in business and if they cannot compete in the free market then they should move aside. If this means Canada will lose some sectors then good riddance. I shouldn't have to fork out my tax dollars to some general manger of Toyota so he can make cars in Ontario or so someone can grow wheat or drill for oil.

   

I ahte how no one ever mentions India...

India is growing and advancing almost as fast as China, but is the world's largest democracy and does NOT kill its own citizens for speaking out against government policy...

Oh, and did I mention that they have over 1 billion people there?


India is a potential goldmine that would NOT be a controversial choice...

   

And natural gas, and water, and money...

   

   

The suicidal liberals champion China because of their psychopathic desires to see their own country obliterated. See, India would actually be your friend so it's not as preferable to these idiots as is China whom they understand will seek to dominate and eventually conquer Canada.

Take Panama as a "for instance".

The anti-US faction in Panama wasn't happy enough to be anti-US, they went out of their way to virtually sell the Panama Canal to Hutchison-Whampoa which is almost wholly owned by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Naturally, the security guards that HW stationed in the Canal Zone are uniformed PLA soldiers.

HW a few years ago bought a terminal at Long Beach, California and caused a stink among a number of Californians by having uniformed PLA soldiers carrying full-automatic AK-47s provide security. After State Senator HL Richardson got the issue in front of the full Senate (after being opposed in committee by Democrats who favour China) the matter became public. China removed their soldiers and replaced them with standard private security guards.

Who in Canada would have the steel to oppose the Chinese occupation of a port facility?

   

It's time to distance ourselves from the US.

I will rearrange that sentence to read...

It's time to shorten the distance between ourselves and the US.


There..now thats better.

   

Um...No.

   

China? Please. So many better trading options out there. I heard Vietnam is a real up and coming market.

   

Indeed.

   

We've been trying to open other markets for years and absolutely nothing of significance has come from it. Our closest European partners haven't stepped it up either so why should we have these delusions of grandeur that another country is just waiting for us to sell them something. Natural recourses is all any new partner would want so why keep fooling ourselves.

   

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