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Great White North
Obama wants to reopen NAFTA but keep trade flowing
2009-02-18
OTTAWA (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he still wants to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement, despite a warning from Canada that this would be a mistake, but he said he did not want to end up curbing trade.
Isn't it great how Bambi is winning friends all around the world for us?
In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, shortly before his visit to Ottawa on Thursday, Obama also declined to characterize oil from Canada's vast oil sands region as "dirty oil" which should somehow be curtailed.

Obama had alarmed Canada during the Democratic primaries last year when he advocated renegotiating NAFTA, and he reiterated this goal on Tuesday while recognizing these were sensitive economic times.

"As I've said before, NAFTA, the basic framework of the agreement, has environmental and labor protections as side agreements. My argument has always been that we might as well incorporate them into the full agreement so that they're fully enforceable," he said in the interview with CBC television.

However, he also said: "I think there are a lot of sensitivities right now because of the huge decline in world trade."

Obama noted there was $1.5 billion in trade between Canada and the United States every day, adding: "It is not in anybody's interest to see that trade diminish."
Gee, no kidding. Not to mention that the Canadians sell us a whole of oil that they could sell to someone else ...
Posted by:Steve White

#6  If NAFTA is such a good trade deal then why does Canada warn that it would be a mistake to reopen NAFTA.

Because renegotiation would mean every special interest trying to get (more) special provisions and exemptions. And that's doubly true in a recession.

There are enough stupid provisions in the current agreement. Renegotiation would add yet more.

Obama could well trigger rounds of retaliatory protectionist measures, just like in the Great Depression.
Posted by: phil_b   2009-02-18 19:27  

#5  He knows better...

Just like the scorpion who still stabs the frog in the middle of the crossing, because it's the scorpion's nature.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-02-18 12:44  

#4  He badly needs Japanese and Chinese Kissenger and Associates coordinated bond dollars in order to finance his bailout schemes. If they think for a moment he's going to shut down their offshore Walmart operations, he's doomed. No tickie, no ride. Their unemployed people come first. His "Made in America" slogans are only a ruse for the little people. He knows better, so does Rahm, Manderin speaking Giethner, Paulson and the other scoundrels.
Posted by: Besoeker   2009-02-18 09:14  

#3  President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he still wants to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement, despite a warning from Canada that this would be a mistake

If NAFTA is such a good trade deal then why does Canada warn that it would be a mistake to reopen NAFTA. I have never thought these trade agreements were good--just Clintonian politics that gave away jobs. NAFTA is not free trade.
Posted by: JohnQC   2009-02-18 09:08  

#2  Isn't it great how Bambi is winning friends all around the world for us?

Soon the whole world will love him just like less than half of us already do.
Posted by: SteveS   2009-02-18 09:02  

#1  A bigger worry is Canadian natural gas, which can't be replaced from other sources.
Posted by: phil_b   2009-02-18 00:50  

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