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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:43 am Post subject: Ontario threatens trade barriers for South Korean vehicles |
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While I am typically in favour of free trade and tend to agree with the theory of comparative advantage, it is quite obvious that some nations are behaving very unfairly. Korea is among the worst. Of course, the West could do much better, especially regarding imports from the third world.
I agree with this:
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TORONTO � Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is threatening to impose trade barriers on automobiles imported to the province from South Korea unless that country opens up its market to cars and trucks made here.
Mr. McGuinty said he is prepared to take the unprecedented step of instituting a provincial surcharge or other barrier if the Harper government fails to negotiate a new free trade agreement with South Korea that gives Canada the same access to its market that the Asian country enjoys here.
As things now stand, South Korea says Canada cannot sell autos in its market unless the cars and trucks are manufactured in that country. Mr. McGuinty said this is unfair because South Korea exports cars to Canada even though it doesn't make them here.
�We're saying what's good for the goose is good for the gander,� he said this morning on a call-in program on Toronto's CFRB radio. �If you want to send your cars over here, we need to send our cars over there.�
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says the province could consider trade barriers against the South Korean auto industry if that country doesn't open up its market to vehicles made in the province.
The Premier made the startling comments in response to a caller who asked what the province planned to do about the spectre of cars made in China one day entering the Canadian market.
�I think they're going to wipe out Chrysler and I think we're in a heap of trouble,� said the caller, identified as Charles from Orangeville, Ont.
Mr. McGuinty responded that he urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper at a dinner meeting among all the premiers this month not to sign the accord with South Korea unless Canada gets the same access to its market.
�In the event that the federal government unwisely enters into a free trade agreement that does not protect the interests of the auto sector here in Ontario and in Canada, we will have an obligation to look at what we can do from a provincial perspective to protect our industry,� he said.
To illustrate the unfairness of the current agreement, he said, South Korea shipped 114,000 autos to Canada in 2006 but Ontario exported only 100 to that country.
Mr. McGuinty also hinted that any provincial barrier could set a precedent for Ontario's dealings with other countries, including China and India, that might one day look at selling cars here. While he said his first preference is to continue to embrace the global economy as a free trader, he said he is going to do what it takes to protect jobs in Ontario's battered manufacturing sector.
�What we're saying is, �let's be fair about it.' Failing that, I think I've got a responsibility to find new and creative ways to protect our workers and our jobs.�
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Korean mercantilism drove me up the wall. I'm willing to make an exception in my free-trading dogma for them. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Can the different provinces have their own foreign trade policies? |
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mike123_ca
Joined: 12 Mar 2003
Location: wandering between Chonan and Asan
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree that the market should be opened up. Will the Koreans buy imported cars or will they be loyal to buying cars that are made in Korea. |
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just another day
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
Location: Living with the Alaskan Inuits!!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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| canada should give korea access to mine canada's alberta oil sands. |
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crusher_of_heads
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| Can the different provinces have their own foreign trade policies? |
If quebec picks up the baton from Ontario, yes.
Mcguinty is merely making noise in order to get Harper to act-and I'm with the OP-I favour free trade.
I'm a strong believer n reciprocity-and tightening barriers might help some Koreann not be ignorant xenophobes in a tough love kind of way. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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| just another day wrote: |
| canada should give korea access to mine canada's alberta oil sands. |
Why is that?
If Korea wants to bid on development projects, there's nothign stopping them (China is).
Why should Canada give Korea free ride? If they want to bid, they can compete with everyone else. |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
| just another day wrote: |
| canada should give korea access to mine canada's alberta oil sands. |
Why is that?
If Korea wants to bid on development projects, there's nothign stopping them (China is).
Why should Canada give Korea free ride? If they want to bid, they can compete with everyone else. |
justanotherday is a Korean-nazi. Ignore him. I handed him his arse on a big silver platter a few months ago when he claimed to be working in finance in LA. He is an englishy techea in Seoul.
But, Korea does have access to the oil sands. They can bid. They can also buy the raw/finished product for the same price that Canadians pay. We're cool like that. |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| Can the different provinces have their own foreign trade policies? |
The provinces don't even have full free trade with each other. |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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Apparently the dude is serious. Good for him.
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TORONTO -- Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said he has asked his officials to explore what kind of punitive measures his government could impose if South Korea doesn't open its markets to cars and trucks made in Ontario.
Mr. McGuinty said he would consider his options if the federal government "unwisely" enters a new free-trade agreement with South Korea that doesn't give Ontario the ability to sell vehicles to the Asian country.
Mr. McGuinty made the comments Tuesday morning in response to a question about foreign imported cars during a call-in show on a Toronto radio station.
"What is good for the goose is good for the gander," Mr. McGuinty said. "If you want to send your cars over here, we need to send our cars over there."
The premier said he asked Prime Minister Stephen Harper to ensure any agreement would put the province on a level playing field, but failing that he would have an "obligation" to protect the auto-manufacturing sector with provincial measures.
"We're all for embracing the global economy," Mr. McGuinty said, following the CFRB broadcast. "We can compete with the best and win. Just don't put us in a position where the rules are unfair." |
http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=255950
A Democrat prez is likely to do the same, I reckon. Koreans are going to get a taste of their own medicine. Time to act like an adult country. |
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Temporary
Joined: 13 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| I think Korean goods should be slapped with the same 40-75% tarif that they slap on everything here. |
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ernie
Joined: 05 Aug 2006
Location: asdfghjk
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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| i'm not 100% for or against free trade, but clearly trade has to be reciprocal! i agree with temporary's idea: every other country should slap the same tariffs on imports from korea and see how fast the koreans change their tune! |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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The Koreans would benefit from this. The chaebol and government collude to keep a financial boot on the neck of consumers. Most Koreans have no idea what quality ingredients or the proper cost of food is. They wear low-quality clothing and all drive the same 3-4 cars. All major decisions are made by businessmen in hooker-bars, and when they get caught they just throw on a wheel chair and "han" lets them off. This system can be broken by actual free trade.
If they don't, they have the stagnation decline of Japan in their future (or present, for that matter). |
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4 months left
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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| mike123_ca wrote: |
| I agree that the market should be opened up. Will the Koreans buy imported cars or will they be loyal to buying cars that are made in Korea. |
My students are pretty pissed off about the overpricing in Korea and high tax of imported cars, so I think many would.
It's about time countries are doing something about it. Hillary wants cars and beef changed in the FTA, the EU won't give in on cars. Hopefully Harper has the balls to do the same along with beef. |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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| just another day wrote: |
| canada should give korea access to mine canada's alberta oil sands. |
clueless! |
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stevemcgarrett
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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Asian business has no concept of fairness in negotiation. They milk Western naivete and goodwill for all its worth. The Koreans are the most egregious at playing this game. At least in China I never had trouble finding American and Australian beef, and at competitive prices.
It's time to hold Korean officials' feet to the fire; it's all they will respond to. Let them whine as they dine with their hookers in the karaoke lounges. Tough shi-t.
As I predicted, the influx of American beef following the recent deal has reach a trickle. In HomePlus they sell the worst cuts at prices only a little less expensive than most Korean cuts. It's disgusting. I've gotten the worst bacon, sirloin, ground beef, and steak from the U.S. at this Korean/British outlet. Even the local Lotte in the big metro where I live hasn't had prime USDA beef in over a month, despite my requests in writing in formal Korean written by one of my students.
Whoever is the next American president has got to clamp down on these blatantly unfair trade policies. |
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