U.S. criticizes Canada and 61 other countries over trade pol

Written By: FootPrints
Date: 2006-04-03 09:31:00
<a href="/article/173144814-us-criticizes-canada-and-61-other-countries-over-trade-policies">Article Link</a>

"In the meantime, the litigation will continue and the U.S. will vigorously enforce its trade and remedy laws to ensure a level playing field for the U.S. industry."

The report noted the two countries ended tariffs in 1998 under free trade but said Canada maintains non-tariff barriers that impede access for American producers.

Other areas of U.S. concern about Canada:

-Package restrictions affecting U.S. exports of fresh fruit, vegetables and baby food.

-Quebec's requirement that margarine not be coloured to resemble butter.

-Quotas on dairy products, eggs and poultry.

-Marketing practices of the Canadian Wheat Board.

-Barriers to wine and spirits.

-Costly requirements for labelling foods fortified with vitamins and minerals.

<a href="http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/headline_news/article.jsp?content=b033147A">http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/headline_news/article.jsp?content=b033147A</a>

[Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on April 3, 2006]

The United States, the world's biggest resource hog, a nation where truth comes in second to jingoism, a nation where money is more important than freedom, is criticizing 61 nations because they don't play exclusively by US rules.

Cry me a river.

That's like a schoolyard bully complaining that people outside his little domain don't do what he wants them too.

---
"and the knowledge they fear is a weapon to be used against them"

"The Weapon" - Rush

The basic problem is that the US has only one definition for the word "fair", and that is: "done our way", as well as only one definition for the word "unfair", and that is: "done your way".

This philosophical mindset shows arrogance and a lack of understanding that many things can indeed be done differently. (Was it Desiderius Erasmus who wrote a book 500 years ago, in which he said the same thing in many different ways?)

The way things are done in the US may be appropriate for local conditions, but may not be the best or most fair to those in other places who do the very same thing in a different way (which is appropriate for their local conditions).

This arrogance negates the principle of fairness itself, and recognition that in different parts of the world, over the centuries, different legal systems have developed and under different cultures, things like "trade" are done differently.

And then we have trade between countries, and the matter becomes complicated. Which country's rules are to be abided? The US now says 62 countries do things differently. So what? Did we not know this all along - with softwood lumber for instance?

In the past, the US could impose its will on the rest of the world. But as it is so deep in debt today, I guess the rest of the world will shrug off this complaint, and so should Canada. There may be a better way, eh?

The US is just interfering into the affairs of other sovereign countries. Now we know they have always done that, but it is surely a tough act to follow when they do it to 62 countries at the same time.

And by the way, they are not even metric - they use a system that they cannnot call the Imperial or English system any more, because the British Empire went metric. They now call it the "US Customary System."

Q: Guess in which company they are? A: Myanmar and Liberia.

I always get a kick out of telling Americans the fact that there are only three countries in the world who are not on the metric system.

The Americans have to rethink their own policy. Complain about softwood imports and then about their exports being restricted by Canada. Mass production of American automobiles in Canada require a percentage to be sold in Canada and the US labels the rest as imported, when sent to the south. They included more products on the softwood list and yet say the dispute will be settled by year end. One should question why now they expand the list if it is to be settled. They and Canada are realizing that free-trade is not working for either country and yet Bush & Harper are attempting to expand the agreement with even more countries.

It's almost as if politcans are calling the shots!

---
Expect little from life and get more from it.

Very true. When I do visit the US, it is always strange to me to see "Speed Limit: 25". Even though I know it is in miles, it still looks wrong. Personally, the US and the two other countries you mentioned Jacob should go Metric. It is a better system and simplier to figure out. Plus, they are behind the rest of the world.

---
"A person who walks in someone elses footprints leaves no footprints." Chinese Proverb

Harper wants to change the constitution....so likely we will be heading back to inches and feet and pounds.......just like we are following the US with their silly daylight saving time tinkering......

---
RickW

Anything the U.S. government says you take with a grain of salt.

"Anything the U.S. government says you take with a grain of salt."

All the salt in Siberia wouldn't be enough to make anything to do with those guys anywhere even remotely approaching palatable.

---
"and the knowledge they fear is a weapon to be used against them"

"The Weapon" - Rush

Since when do we restrict foreign investments?

Just because most of the corporations and businesses in Canada are already owned by a USAMerican do they think we're restricting them from buying Canadian? Snort.

---
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." Friedrich Nietzsche

Foreign investment is the inflation of a country's money supply from abroad. In the case of the US takeover of Canada under FTA and NAFTA rules, much of it has been facilitated by the deregulation of the banks.

In short: Foreign investment is outright fraud and con game.

Now Canadian banks can create unlimited amounts of capital for so called "foreign investors" to take over the country and remove the benefits of resource conversion from the owners of the resources. Many of the the foreign takeovers have been paid for with freshly created Canadian funds for the purpose.

Like our economists say and teach: "It makes no difference who owns the country, as long capital can move freely."

Long live economic protectionism and tariff walls !!!!!!!!

Ed Deak, Big Lake, BC.

And who owns the bank of Canada...?

<a href="http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/faq/faq_bank_roles.html#3">http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/faq/faq_bank_roles.html#3</a> 
 
"Who owns the Bank of Canada? 
 
The Bank was founded in 1934 as a privately owned corporation. In 1938, the Bank became a Crown corporation belonging to the federal government. Since that time, the Minister of Finance has held the entire share capital issued by the Bank."--- "I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

Certain things are restricted when it comes to forgien investment.

Telecommunications infrastructure cannot be more than 46% forgien owned. Telus for example. Bell, Rogers as well. CTV and Global I think fall into that category.

I also think I remember that a company worth more than $250 million cannot be outright sold, but can indirectly be acquired through the sale of a parent company.

---
"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden