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North American Union (pg. 5)
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| rabbitjoker |
| quote: | Originally posted by infinity HiGH
can you please elaborate how this benefits Canadians in the long-term? |
Certainly.
For those of us old enough to remember [and interested at the time] (not many on TOTA) the EXACT same things were said about NAFTA in the late 80s/early 90s (Canada would bare the brunt end of the agreement, lose sovereignty/culture, jobs would be lost, industries would die, Canada would be the lackey of the US economic machine, etc, etc, etc).
Nearly 50% of the jobs in Canada today are a direct result of NAFTA. Without NAFTA Canada would be stuck in an isolationist position - unable to compete on the global level. Every single industry in Canada has benefited GREATLY from free trade amongst the NAFTA members.
20 years ago (when the global economy was just an idea) NAFTA laid the groundwork enabling Canada to prosper.
Today - the global economy is a fact, a reality. EU is established and will only continue to increase in economic strength and power. Asian countries are forming economic partnerships to increase their competitiveness (and that all while excluding China - which frankly is it's own economic "union" in itself).
Canada and all other economically independent states [less China and perhaps India] will not be able to prosper as they have (in the last 20 years) unless they continue to evolve themselves from a policy and economic standpoint.
Specific to the NAU: Having key trading partners with different systems, standards and policies does nothing to increase prosperity nor improve economic stability amongst themselves (and thus the rest of the world).
The only way we (and I say "we" being the non-[pseudo]3rd world Western hemisphere countries) are going to be able to compete with foreign markets (read: economic unions) is if we harmonize the way we work together, remain competitive and collaborate to ensure viability from a fiscal and economic perspective.
Much like the European Union has established fiscal and economic criteria for membership and participation - North America must do the same thing (MUST!). To do so we must co-operate on many levels and ensure each other's economic viability.
Fear mongers and alarmists will forever preach about manifest destiny, globalization (one world gov'ts/banks) and other nonsense... The way the global system of doing business is evolving results in an increased need for co-operative and harmonized partners. The more they fulfill that ideal the more prosperous they all will be. |
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| ChemEnhanced |
| quote: | Originally posted by jennypie
I never really noticed before how much the great lakes look like a and balls. |
all I ever hear come out of your mouth is and balls :D |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Endlesswave
True enough but we still have some say in what's going on no? If this "union" comes to power wtf is going to happen to our way of life up here? I do NOT want things like healthcare to become privatized, I like it the way it is thank you. If things decline, it I'm moving to Europe. (Hell I'm already thinking of doing that.) |
So you are going to Europe for their semi private/public health care system?
Nice! Enjoy a better quality of care! |
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| Dr. DAS |
| quote: | Originally posted by rabbitjoker
Much like the European Union has established fiscal and economic criteria for membership and participation - North America must do the same thing (MUST!). To do so we must co-operate on many levels and ensure each other's economic viability.
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What possible harm could come from the formation of two vast, opposing superpowers? Ask the league of nations...:eyespop: |
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| rabbitjoker |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dr. DAS
opposing |
Not the best word choice.
Global economic prosperity depends as much on interdependence as it does independence. |
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| monishb |
| quote: | Originally posted by jennypie
God, didn't any of you watch Zeitgeist?? |
my thoughts exactly |
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| Endlesswave |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jayx1
So you are going to Europe for their semi private/public health care system?
Nice! Enjoy a better quality of care! |
If I go, I'll be going for a bunch of reasons.
We also have a choice of private healthcare as well I think, it's just not a huge amount of choice from what I've seen. |
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| EvilTree |
| quote: | Originally posted by rabbitjoker
Certainly.
For those of us old enough to remember [and interested at the time] (not many on TOTA) the EXACT same things were said about NAFTA in the late 80s/early 90s (Canada would bare the brunt end of the agreement, lose sovereignty/culture, jobs would be lost, industries would die, Canada would be the lackey of the US economic machine, etc, etc, etc).
Nearly 50% of the jobs in Canada today are a direct result of NAFTA. Without NAFTA Canada would be stuck in an isolationist position - unable to compete on the global level. Every single industry in Canada has benefited GREATLY from free trade amongst the NAFTA members.
20 years ago (when the global economy was just an idea) NAFTA laid the groundwork enabling Canada to prosper.
Today - the global economy is a fact, a reality. EU is established and will only continue to increase in economic strength and power. Asian countries are forming economic partnerships to increase their competitiveness (and that all while excluding China - which frankly is it's own economic "union" in itself).
Canada and all other economically independent states [less China and perhaps India] will not be able to prosper as they have (in the last 20 years) unless they continue to evolve themselves from a policy and economic standpoint.
Specific to the NAU: Having key trading partners with different systems, standards and policies does nothing to increase prosperity nor improve economic stability amongst themselves (and thus the rest of the world).
The only way we (and I say "we" being the non-[pseudo]3rd world Western hemisphere countries) are going to be able to compete with foreign markets (read: economic unions) is if we harmonize the way we work together, remain competitive and collaborate to ensure viability from a fiscal and economic perspective.
Much like the European Union has established fiscal and economic criteria for membership and participation - North America must do the same thing (MUST!). To do so we must co-operate on many levels and ensure each other's economic viability.
Fear mongers and alarmists will forever preach about manifest destiny, globalization (one world gov'ts/banks) and other nonsense... The way the global system of doing business is evolving results in an increased need for co-operative and harmonized partners. The more they fulfill that ideal the more prosperous they all will be. |
Best post in this thread yet.
NAU is just another one of continued trend of economic mutual dependence with United States, ever since the birth of Canada. |
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| DigiNut |
| quote: | Originally posted by Endlesswave
We also have a choice of private healthcare as well I think, it's just not a huge amount of choice from what I've seen. |
You mean dentistry, chiropractics, that sort of thing? The things that people without private insurance can't afford here any more easily than Americans can in the U.S.? Or are you talking about the spurt of private care centres in Quebec that sprouted up in protest to the national ban? Or did you just mean that we have the choice to go across the border if we want to pay for better health care - or in many cases, if we want care period?
There are a lot of great things about Canada, and perhaps we're better off in a few ways than Americans, but I really wish that people would stop suggesting that our Soviet-style health care system is one of them. Any health care system that denies emergency treatment under any circumstances is ipso facto far worse than the American and European two-tiered systems. Or maybe the tens of thousands of Canadians who flee to the U.S. every year for surgery and MRIs simply took a wrong turn on their way to the mythical Canadian health care garden of Eden.
It's a basic, fundamental fact of economics that state-run economies (including economies of scale) are not sustainable and lead to supply shortages. This communist illusion of perfect public health care needs to die - and it is dying, gradually. Canada is, at present, one of the better countries in which to live in spite of the bloated government, not because of it.
I sincerely hope that this union does force privatisation or tiers on certain industries. We need it, badly. The only thing that would piss me off is hearing that we're going to have to start using Imperial units. :p |
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| beefy k |
| Thanks for the great response guys. I, and I think we all, have to learn and discuss this and how it will effect us in the coming years and decades. |
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| dEsidEL |
| quote: | Originally posted by DigiNut
Who knows, it might even override the CRTC's overbearing protectionism and get us some cheap mobile plans. |
sold!
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| hardcore trancer |
| if only Canada could join the european union. :( |
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