No one uses the “L” word up here in Canada .. liars.
We may make bad talk about our politicians being greedy and corrupt, but we are light years behind the US at labeling our government as crook$ and LIAR$.
The spectre of the Security and Prosperity Agreement summit to come to Montebello, Quebec (1/2 way between Ottawa and Quebec City) may change all that. From the mass deception about what is going on with the SPP, we may find our Leader, Stephen Harper, a member of the Three Amigos, in office for a brief 18 months, may have to tell some pretty tall ones very soon as the summit is booked for 19-20 August.
Sometimes it is good to learn from our mistakes. Start with avoiding the alphabet soup proposed by the neocons and their academic apologists and business allies.
A classic example would be to learn from North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that some things do not work. However, this doesn’t seem to be part of the process going on today in Canada – and it isn’t going to benefit the citizens of the world, that is for sure.
It’s right hard to stay a GLOBALIST, that is care deeply about the entire planet, when digging into the backwaters of Ruling Class strategy without reverting to arguments pro the Constitution or in Canada’s case, pro Confederation. This must be done however IF we are to get a sane world.
Nationalism has proven, largely, to be a disaster as dispensed by “planners” at the CIA in the past few decades .. a major thrust of US policy has been to push for Arab nationalism, African nationalism, and any nationalism at all that would keep people divided, their people “conquered” and their resources ripe for picking. This new North American regionalISM is another type of nationalISM, devised and advocated by a smug few.
Any discussion on the Strategic Protection and Prosperity Agreement means we must take a real hard look before plunging into a quarmire progressives might fall into. This complete disregard is based on one simple premise:
Security and Prosperity for WHO ....?
Whether this coup goes through in a neocon-generated business paradise for the rich becomes a new way of life or even if it falters, an understanding of North American integration is due right away.
Our problem begins with the duet sung by Reagan and Mulroney signing the NAFTA. Mulroney attempted to provide the motivation for signing by citing that protectionism and starvation would be waiting in the wings if Canada did not meekly agree to the US terms. Little bit players, entering the stage, suggested that Canadian pride and manhood (!) were on the line if Canada did not enter the glorious struggle in the global marketplace.
So the rich get richer, the poor remain poor, maybe poorer .. if a person could find three jobs (and many did) a middle class person could stay afloat.
Suddenly Canadian steel companies were sold .. Dofasco, Algoma Steel and Stelco (back in the news this week!) are no longer Canadian .. but not to worry.
Under NAFTA, the US has secured their oil industry by a GUARANTEED share of Canada’s oil resources. Canada becomes the major supplier to the US (gas guzzling) war machine. In 2007, 65% of Canadian oil and gas are now shipped to the US, but Canada has no reserves. Funny, the Mexicans don’t sign away their oil. Maybe they know something about the gringos we don’t.
The Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) is put on the table, but due to the mass of non-ignorant FRENCH people and their government, this is avoided. My, my, the rich are finding out that perhaps they cannot find a good way to protect the “international” investors.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was exposed in Seattle when a mass protest of citizens, many of them union members, filled the streets .. the WTO meeting was shut down and future meetings were held FAR from the very angry MAD crowds. The
