I voted Conservative this year. I thought that Canada's new Prime Minister would stand tall and protect Canadian interests around the globe. I voted for him in spite of warnings that he'd sell out Canadian interests to the USA. Now, I see, sadly - that is exactly what he's done.
He lets the USA keep 1 BILLION dollars in illegally gathered trade sanctions (illegal according to EVERY bi-partisan NAAFTA panel that has looked at it) and in spite of EVERY single appeal ruling in Canada's favour though the years. Haper's logic? Well, we are told - we'll get four billion dollars of the illegally taken monies back again! Wow! We only give up ONE BILLION to the country that broke the signed NAAFTA trade agreement! Gee whiz that's pretty great isn't it? NOT!
Every single time Canada appealed the US tariffs to the Noth American Free Trade Agreement court - we won. In every appeal that we filed to the World Trade Organization - we won. With both international trade bodies dispute settlement mechanisims ruling agains the US - they did exactly as you'd expect them to do when they don't like the decision. They refused to abide by the rulings - because they didn't agree with them. Even though, they agreed ahead of time, to the dispute mechanism - and to abide by it's rulings when they signed the GATT and NAFFTA agreements.
Oh, one more thing - Canada will AGREE (of all things!) to limit our sales to the American market to 34% - at the behest of the American lumber lobby. Wow! Isn't that great - that's why they call it FREE TRADE - it's free alright - as long as you don't get too much market penetration!
WWII should have taught us that when you try to appease rulers that flaunt international agreements - all you ever do is embolden them to break even more agreements. Will we never learn?
This is a black day for Canada, folks. Harper sold us out to American business interests - just like his critics warned us he'd do all along.
I'm ashamed now to say I voted for the man.
