The Big Trade Deal

The announcement about the huge trade deal with the dozen countries coming together to forge some rules about trading in a more open manner is a giant first step. Trade pacts like this will take years to actually become law as every separate country must get the legislation passed through their parliament . This will be a huge problem in places like the USA because of the lobbying directed at the house will cause at least years of work.

There will be some discussion in Canada's parliament as well if the Liberals win the election but with the secrecy shown so far by the Tories we will have to see. The trade accord is just that up to now and with so many different interests a good public debate should bring about a good democratic result.

Over the past ten years we as a country has shown a negative trade balance and this new trade deal could bring us to a positive black line if our industry can manage to out perform the other members of the deal. We as a country have been at a disadvantage because of our high dollar but now with our dollar at the 70 plus level we should do better.

Being a resource trader we always shadow the productive countries because they buy our raw materials. When they slow down so do we and that has to change. We must have an added value to our raw materials and become producers of product instead of just providing product to the productive countries.

Canada has lost over 400,000 jobs in Ontario alone in the manufacturing sector as company after company left to resettle in Mexico or some place where labor is cheap and human rights are ignored. This too has to change as we can no longer put dollars ahead of our moral obligation to trade with countries who are trying to promote human rights for their workers and protection of the environment.

In the years to come this trade deal could be a great boon for Canada but do not look for the benefit in the near future.