The National recently had a feature (link provided) which addresses border security issues along the Canada/U.S. border. With the Obama Presidency, Brian Stewart investigated the situation at hand, analyzing what this means for the relationship between us and our neighbour.
"There may be legitimate security concerns, but some fear the U.S. Congress will tighten border security as a form of economic protectionism, and slow imports from Canada."
http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/special_feature/the_obama_visit/bogged_down_at_the_border.html
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I saw the piece on The National as well and was quite disappointed with it. All it seemed to do after raising alarm was build consensus that something needed to be done, but placed the onus to act on Obama and the Americans as summed up in Brian Stewart’s closing line:
ReplyDelete“Diplomats worry kind words alone from Obama won’t help much – Canada needs the President’s active support in Congress to avoid border disruption at a time when he’s preoccupied with a daunting number of other priority problems. It’s a lot to expect, but the minimum Canada dare ask for.”
John Ibbitson, a Washington correspondent for Globe and Mail, spoke a couple weeks back (link to view at the bottom) about how Ottawa since the 90’s has been in a mindset of figuring out the least amount of effort needed to maintain the status quo in border movement without thinking into the future. He suggests Canada needs to reverse this attitude and take a ‘big idea’ initiative to Washington and be willing to negotiate with Congress and the Senate to secure a freer border. It was the first concise and comprehensive solution I’ve heard in some time. It’s important to remember that the Auto Pact, St. Lawrence Seaway and Free-trade Agreement were all Canadian initiatives.
Speaking on the border in general, I don’t believe the Canada-USA boundary will ever disappear but progression in security and trade cooperation will benefit us all.
John Ibbitson talk: http://www.cpac.ca/forms/index.asp?dsp=template&act=view3&pagetype=vod&lang=e&clipID=2345
Well in that case maybe we should stop selling the US our oil. That'll teach em!
ReplyDeleteBut in all seriousness, closing down/slowing the trade is only going to be a drop in the bucket, so why bother burning bridges with Canada.
I think that what you just said is the point that Canadian citizens need to consider. We are at the mercy of the United Stated on a wide range of issues. The National summed it up well when they concluded in reference to the Harper Obama meeting, the United States will always win; Canada can only make effort to strategically place themselves within the relationship.
ReplyDeleteAn overwhelming amount of our resources are exported to the United States, and it is not just a matter of being able to stop supplying them. In order for the industry to remain profitable and keep people employed, the buyer would have to be replaced. This will mean greater transport costs and tariffs that would have to be considered. (And this is just barely scratching the surface!)
The point is, no matter what the States decide to do in the manner on border security, Canada has rendered itself 'stuck between a rock and a hard place' so to speak. What are the alternatives?