August 23, 2005
TIME TO DISENGAGE FROM THE U.S. ECONOMYThe time has come to disengage the Canadian economy from that of the United States of America. At the risk of attracting the attention of Pat Robertson, it seems prudent for Canada to begin to disengage our economy from that of the United States before the debt-burdened U.S. economy hits the debt wall, starts to go down the tube, and takes Canada on the same ride.
Softwood lumber is not the only problem that Canada has with our ”Free” trade partner. The U.S. is consuming our mineral, fuel and water resources at an ever increasing rate. The U.S. has demonstrated a sense of ownership of our petroleum resources that is scary to me.
During the past decade Canada has brought its debt under control, has had a budgetary surplus for a number of years, and has cut government spending considerably. Not so our neighbour to the south. George Bush and company have created a budgetary and trade deficit the likes of which the world has never seen.
So what options does Canada have in dealing with George Bush’s American Empire? China and India have growing economic potential for trade. Both will have need for increased amounts of our natural resources, including softwood lumber. Increase our sales to Asia and decrease our dependence on the U.S. market place.
Tourism across the Canada-U.S. border has been on the decline in recent times.
Promote Canada more in Asian and European markets, and less in the U.S. Canadians can winter in Spain and Portugal for the same or less money than in Florida. Who needs to go to Vegas when you can go to Paris?
The more we trade with nations other than the United States the less our currency is tied to the U.S. dollar. The Euro and the Pound are much more stable than the greenback.
The time has come to “chuck” NAFTA and return to true global trade. NAFTA has proven to be a one-sided deal with all the options on the U.S. side and none on our side. This is an area where we as individuals can exercise our personal economic choices and influence our foreign trade. What we buy, and where we buy it from, and where we spend our tourist dollars is up to us as individuals. Think about it the next time you book a holiday.
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