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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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 Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 9:24 am Post subject: Stop, border ahead:Canada's relations with the United States |
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Canada's relations with the United States
Stop, border ahead
WHENEVER Canadians grow anxious about heightened security at the United States border�as they are now because of America�s new requirement, from June 1st, for passports or other approved identification to be shown at entry points�their news media invariably invoke the twin towns of Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont. In these towns, the line that looks so neat on maps is a messy business, running through a factory, a combined library and opera house, and a number of homes. In some cases it lies between the bedroom and a morning cup of tea.
To Canadians, this pleasing informality underscores their special relationship with Americans, with whom they share the world�s closest country-to-country trade ties as well as bonds of kinship. Until September 11th 2001 Americans and Canadians crossing the border often only needed to state their nationality. Even after the attacks a wide range of informal identification documents was accepted.
Such laxity is an anomaly to Janet Napolitano, President Barack Obama�s homeland-security secretary, who wants controls along the United States� northern border to be brought closer in line with those on the frontier with Mexico. Speaking to reporters before a two-day visit to Canada, on May 26th and 27th, Ms Napolitano said she wanted to �change the culture� along the 8,900km (5,500-mile) line to make it clear that �this is a real border.�
Her words are a clear sign that the Obama administration will not only uphold but enhance measures introduced since 2001, despite complaints from both sides of the border that they impede movements of all sorts, particularly trade in goods that was worth $1.6 billion a day in 2008. Ms Napolitano tried to assuage Canadian concerns during her visit, talking of the need to help trade, jobs and growth.
Some Canadians understand that their southern neighbour has real concerns about security, given the relative openness of its northern border. �We�re not going to go back, no matter how much we want to, to the situation before 9/11,� says Shirley-Ann George, head of policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. �But we can make it better.� The chamber has been working with its American counterpart to propose ways of reducing border delays while maintaining adequate security. These include clearing shipments and people before they get to crossing-points.
Canadians are already worried at signs of rising protectionism in their neighbour�s Democrat-led Congress, in the form of Buy American provisions in the economic-stimulus package and proposals in a new environmental bill to impose trade sanctions on countries with high levels of greenhouse-gas emissions. Their indignation has been heightened by two unfortunate incidents. A contractor at the Camp Pendleton Marine base in California ripped out a section of sewerage pipe because it was Canadian-made; and a Canadian salesman travelling to an equestrian-products trade show was turned back at the Washington state border on the ground that he was �stealing� American jobs.
Tony Clement, Canada�s industry minister, says all this risks provoking a backlash among his countrymen. It has already begun. The industry group representing Canadian manufacturers has identified seven bills with protectionist provisions making their way through Capitol Hill and is calling for Canada to threaten retaliatory action. On May 25th a member of Canada�s left-leaning New Democratic Party introduced a private member�s bill that would require the government to give Canadian companies priority when buying goods or services.
Like many others, Canadians had unrealistic expectations of how much things would change when Barack Obama replaced George Bush. Ms Napolitano�s words both before and during her visit to Canada have put an end to such optimism. For the new occupant of the White House, as for his predecessor, the noisy demands of Capitol Hill will always drown out any whimpers from across the border. |
Canada must greatly diversity her trading patterns (the FTA with the EU, for example) to protect herself from behavioral swings and economic insecurities in the United States. We should also behave with caution and deep concern regarding immigration. The hundreds of thousands of muslims imported into Canada in recent years do pose a point of concern for the US, despite our hope otherwise. If we behave irresponsibly, the US must take more action on the border. |
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Pluto
Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I always thought Canada and the US should have similar policies w/r/t immigration and trade. That would clear a lot of the headaches. But that is nothing more than a pipe dream. I remember after the millennium bomber episode, the Clinton Admin. asked the Canadian government to think over its philosophy on immigration, but nothing changed. This recent push for protectionism by the US is not good, but it seems the Obama Administration will do anything for the unions. Also, I don't like Napolitano or the DHS more generally. Their push for a national ID card really worries me. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Pluto wrote: |
| I always thought Canada and the US should have similar policies w/r/t immigration and trade. That would clear a lot of the headaches. |
I agree. The problem is that Canadian immigration policy is rooted in naive idealism (building a society that resembles "the world") and the Americans simply don't enforce their immigration laws. The only real answer is a stronger border, from both sides.
Did you know the largest asylum group in Canada are Mexicans, and of them the most common reason is that they're homosexual (will face violence at home). Obviously, fraud is thick in that category. That's irritating many people from across the political spectrum (aside from the nutty left) in a big way, and I suppose eventually Canada will reciprocate by tightening our "southern" border.
It will all be so much easier if both sides had sensible immigration policies that were humane, economically feasible, easily enforced (and accessed) and reflected certain national security, ahem, realities. |
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Pluto
Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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| mises wrote: |
I agree. The problem is that Canadian immigration policy is rooted in naive idealism (building a society that resembles "the world") and the Americans simply don't enforce their immigration laws. The only real answer is a stronger border, from both sides.
Did you know the largest asylum group in Canada are Mexicans, and of them the most common reason is that they're homosexual (will face violence at home). Obviously, fraud is thick in that category. That's irritating many people from across the political spectrum (aside from the nutty left) in a big way, and I suppose eventually Canada will reciprocate by tightening our "southern" border.
It will all be so much easier if both sides had sensible immigration policies that were humane, economically feasible, easily enforced (and accessed) and reflected certain national security, ahem, realities. |
Well, in the US between the nutty multicult left, the protectionist unions and on the right we've got the reactionist xenophobes. This has all led to an immigration & trade policy that is confusing, convoluted and makes absolutely no sense. Consider the bureaucratic morass that a willing visitor from Eastern Europe, Thailand, China or even S. Korea has to go through just to visit, let alone go to work or school.
I like Jason Riley's ideas. Jason Riley's a writer for the Wall Street Journal, I know but just hear him out. He gave a speech to the reason foundation about his book, Let Them In. I like the punch line towards the end too. With regards to the multicult:
| Jason Riley wrote: |
| Keep the Mexicans, Deport the Columbia Faculty |
Video, a little more than a half hour |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| I like Jason Riley's ideas. |
Yeah, I do too. I think I watched that a few months ago but will give it a go again. [/quote] |
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