Canada signs free-trade agreement with Colombia

[jdobbin]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe signed a free trade agreement between the two countries while at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Lima Friday.

The move was first announced in June, after less than a year of negotiations. The accord will make access to markets easier for the $1.14 billion in annual bilateral trade between the two countries.

It isn't a huge deal and it will be one where Columbia's security and human rights aspects can't be overlooked. Canada will still have to watchful that this doesn't turn out to be one where exports of cocaine becomes easier.

[blueblood]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

It isn't a huge deal and it will be one where Columbia's security and human rights aspects can't be overlooked. Canada will still have to watchful that this doesn't turn out to be one where exports of cocaine becomes easier.

Is every thing Harper does wrong?

[jdobbin]

Is every thing Harper does wrong?

Where did I say it is wrong? Harper himself said it is a small deal and that security would be an issue. Or do you disagree?

Obama was opposed to the deal specifically because of human rights but it appears the Canadian team responsible for negotiations was able to get that on the table. That is a good thing.

I have spoken in favour trade agreements. This is a small agreement with some key areas of interest for Canada to be careful about. One of them is to avoid being a conduit for easier drug trafficking.

[noahbody]

Harper himself said it is a small deal

Cite?

[Oleg Bach]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

It isn't a huge deal and it will be one where Columbia's security and human rights aspects can't be overlooked. Canada will still have to watchful that this doesn't turn out to be one where exports of cocaine becomes easier.

Exactly as Mexico suffers the embarassment of being revealed as a total crimminal enterprise with the highest of the high taking bribes....and we except them as legit as they also murder Canadian tourists - NOW we have a sweet arrangement with the cocaine traders - at least now we can cut out the middleman Mexico. Cocaine abuse is on the rise as is it's more poisionous and less satisfying crack derivative. YET law enforcement does not seemed to concerned as temporarily high production hyper types work all week for a sniff - and the money does eventually go into the banking system...and all are happy - now cocaine use will continue to climb and who knows the money can be used to bail out some rich parasite somewhere.

[blueblood]

Exactly as Mexico suffers the embarassment of being revealed as a total crimminal enterprise with the highest of the high taking bribes....and we except them as legit as they also murder Canadian tourists - NOW we have a sweet arrangement with the cocaine traders - at least now we can cut out the middleman Mexico. Cocaine abuse is on the rise as is it's more poisionous and less satisfying crack derivative. YET law enforcement does not seemed to concerned as temporarily high production hyper types work all week for a sniff - and the money does eventually go into the banking system...and all are happy - now cocaine use will continue to climb and who knows the money can be used to bail out some rich parasite somewhere.

Expect the cocaine to be legal schtick to come around in twenty years or so...

With free trade, we're making it possible to make it easier to set up legitimate industries in columbia as well taking workers off the cocoa fields

[Sir Bandelot]

With free trade, we're making it possible to make it easier to set up legitimate industries in columbia as well taking workers off the cocoa fields

You mean they get to shop at Walmart just like us?

[jdobbin]

Cite?

Harper just finished speaking on CBC tonight saying the trade deal is the smallest of the trade deals Canada has signed. You disagree and think it is bigger than the one signed with Peru and Chile?

[Kenny]

This is a game changer!

[blueblood]

You mean they get to shop at Walmart just like us?

No, when they export bananas here, they won't have to pay tariffs on them which results in their banana farmers getting a better return for their product. Same goes for other industries.

This is how people make money.

[Topaz]

When Obama met with Bush, and they talked about the Big 3 and the workers that were going to lose their jobs if Bush didn't help the situation, it was reported on US news that Bush was more concerned about a trade agreement with Columbia than his own people being with out jobs. Of course, everything Bush does/did helps out his dad's Carlyle Group invests more and make Bush richer.

[noahbody]

Harper just finished speaking on CBC tonight saying the trade deal is the smallest of the trade deals Canada has signed. You disagree and think it is bigger than the one signed with Peru and Chile?

"Smallest" doesn't necessarily mean small or insignificant does it? There are some positives in this deal for both business and human rights.

Under the labour agreement, Colombia has agreed to enforce the elimination of child labour, forced labour and workplace discrimination.

[capricorn]

"Smallest" doesn't necessarily mean small or insignificant does it? There are some positives in this deal for both business and human rights.

I agree. Canada cannot be a player in spreading human rights globally if we don't open up trade with those nations where there are violations, such as in Columbia. The following New York Times editorial makes a good case for the US passing the Columbia trade pact and some of the reasoning supporting the pact applies to Canada.

We don’t say it all that often, but President Bush is right: Congress should pass the Colombian free-trade agreement now.

Mr. Bush signed the deal two years ago. The Democratic majority in Congress has refused to approve it out of a legitimate concern over the state of human rights in Colombia and less legitimate desires to pander to organized labor or deny Mr. Bush a foreign policy win.

---

We, too, have strong concerns about human-rights violations committed by the government of President Álvaro Uribe. But Democrats opposing the trade pact on these grounds are ignoring undeniable improvements. Violence has abated considerably during the Uribe administration as it has taken on the left-wing guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and right-wing paramilitaries. The number of trade unionists killed, a major Democratic concern, is still too high but has dropped sharply.

Washington must keep pressing Bogotá to reduce abuses by Colombia’s Army, ensure the prosecution of paramilitary thugs and further rein in violence against union members. It has a powerful tool to do that: $600 million a year in mostly military and anti-narcotics aid.

Failing to approve this trade agreement would do nothing to improve Colombia’s human-rights record. Walking away from it now would alienate many people in Colombia and undermine Washington’s credibility.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/opinion/...tml?ref=opinion

Canada should not avoid trade pacts with nations solely on the basis of their human rights records. These pacts, regardless of their size, are one way we could perhaps have a positive impact on human rights in those countries and helping to lift their workers out of poverty. If we shun them, we have zero impact on human rights and we fail in opening up markets for our industries.

Edit: forgot link

Edited November 22, 2008 by capricorn

[madmax]

Expect the cocaine to be legal schtick to come around in twenty years or so...

With free trade, we're making it possible to make it easier to set up legitimate industries in columbia as well taking workers off the cocoa fields

I just fell off my chair.

Blueblood, you have too much time on your hands for such a naive comment. I don't know when the Imagine song will start playing or SuperTramps Dreamer.

I can only think of Cocaine becoming legal in 20 years....or so.

Nope I can't see it happening..... At least you think outside the box.

[jdobbin]

"Smallest" doesn't necessarily mean small or insignificant does it?

No, small means it is the smallest free trade agreement negotiated to date as I said earlier and as was reported on the news.

Many analysts said the agreement would have been a bigger deal if it had included things covered by marketing boards in Canada. However, that wouldn't have flown in Quebec.

There are some positives in this deal for both business and human rights.

Think I mentioned that too.

[Smallc]

This may also have something to do with Russia's attempts to make inroads in South America.

[Mr.Canada]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

It isn't a huge deal and it will be one where Columbia's security and human rights aspects can't be overlooked. Canada will still have to watchful that this doesn't turn out to be one where exports of cocaine becomes easier.

The have a conservative gov't in that region so they get rewarded.

[Oleg Bach]

This may also have something to do with Russia's attempts to make inroads in South America.

I remember a political cartoon years ago..It was Kruschief..he was dashing across a field to stop the launching of a bunch of very expensive nukes towards the west. He was carrying a newspaper and yelling to the guys about to push the button - "Stop - stop!" _ Then he showed him the head line in an attempt to convince the general not to waste money on nuking America - The head line read "20 million Americans on dope".

[Mr.Canada]

Putin has nostalgia for the USSR days and he is moving Russia towards that. I don't think they'll call it the USSR or openly embrace a dictatorship but he has already done just that and is now looking for allies before he closes the curtain all the way closed.

[Oleg Bach]

Putin has nostalgia for the USSR days and he is moving Russia towards that. I don't think they'll call it the USSR or openly embrace a dictatorship but he has already done just that and is now looking for allies before he closes the curtain all the way closed.

It's to be expected from a former KGB officer who longs for the glory days when he could command a hit on anyone that stood in his way. As far as a trade deal with Peru - what the hell do they have that we really need?

[noahbody]

Think I mentioned that too.

Where?

[jdobbin]

Where?

Right here:

http://www.mapleleafweb.com/forums//index....st&p=361949

Obama was opposed to the deal specifically because of human rights but it appears the Canadian team responsible for negotiations was able to get that on the table. That is a good thing.

I have also spoken in favour of free trade in many places in these forums including this thread.

I'm not sure exactly what issue you are having. First you are upset that it is a small deal and that Harper described it as the smallest free trade agreement to date. Now you are asking where I mentioned the issue of human rights and how Canada got it on the table when it is right here in this thread.

[Oleg Bach]

We should adopt the term Fair Free Trade - free trade does not benefit anyone other than the ones who trade us like slaves - If the demise of GM is a direct result of free trade...It was far from fair to the million workers who are about to enter poverty and dispair.