Ottawa plays oil card in NAFTA spat

[maddezmom]

Source: Globe and Mail

With both Clinton and Obama campaigning on the future of free trade deal, Emerson reminds U.S. of its easy access to energy
STEVEN CHASE

February 28, 2008 at 4:23 AM EST

OTTAWA — Americans' privileged access to Canada's massive oil and gas reserves could be disrupted if Washington cancels the NAFTA accord as Democratic presidential candidates threaten, Canadian Trade Minister David Emerson warned yesterday.

"There's no doubt if NAFTA were to be reopened we would want to have our list of priorities," he said.

"Knowledgeable observers would have to take note of the fact that we are the largest supplier of energy to the United States, and NAFTA has been kind of a foundation of integrating the North American energy market," Mr. Emerson said.

"When people get below the rhetoric and start picking away at the details, you are going to find that it's not such a slam-dunk proposition to go from the rhetoric to a meaningful improvement," he said.



Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080228.wnaftaottawasb28/BNStory/National/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080228.wnaftaottawasb28

[cyclezealot]

1. Canadian sensitivity

They have a multi billion dollar trade surplus with the US. Not that , that is the crucial issue with the US in regards to Nafta. It it Mexico and cheap , non unionized labor that is being exploited. Not Canada. Besides, don't give us that line of crap. All Canada needs is a real enegy shortage affecting Canadian Consumers. Think they won't cancel Nafta before we see Chicago warm and Ottawa cold. Give us a break. Slightest inconvenience, and Canada would be out, like anyone else.

[denverbill]

2. I don't think most people who are against NAFTA are particularly against NAFTA with Canada.

Canada isn't a third world nation. They have a minimum wage, national health care, strong environmental laws, etc.

Mexico is a different story.

[nvme]

3. they also sell us oil

[denverbill]

6. Why do I care about that?

Canada is threatening American oil companies, not our oil supply. AFAIK, Mexico doesn't even allow American oil companies access, since PEMEX is their national oil company. But even if American oil companies do have 'privileged access' to Mexican oil fields, and they take it away, why would I care? Mexico will still sell us oil. It might hurt American oil company profits, but it won't impact me, at least not much.

My point is that I don't understand why Canada thinks people who are opposed to NAFTA are opposed to it because of Canada. That's ridiculous.

[bemildred]

4. I wonder who prompted this weasel to make threats. nt

[AlertLurker]

5. Even the USA isn't stupid enough to attempt this.

Just the rumour of a renegotiation would send oil and gas prices through the roof. Any renegotiation, from Canada's perspective, would have to take the proportionality clause out, renegotiate Softwood Lumber, protected fisheries, like BC coastal salmon, wheat and corn subsudies, tha AutoPact, etc.

If Canada opts out of the Proportionality Clause, we could finally sell our oil and gas to other nations - perhaps even join OPEC!!!

[brentspeak]

7. This Emerson guy is a total idiot

No one has a problem trading with Canada; they're one of our few trading partners who we can actually trust. If NAFTA is rewritten, either Obama or Clinton will make certain our trading status with Canada remains secure. The problem with NAFTA is Mexico, and how U.S. corporations are exploiting Mexico's refusal to erect proper labor and safety regulations to ship manufacturing down there.

[L0oniX]

8. I call BS. Canada has already contracted out the oil to ..guess who ...China.

http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/chinainstitute/nav03.cfm?nav03=43114&nav02=43096&nav01=42792

Lots to read there.

[damntexdem]

9. NAFTA needs reopening, or elimination.

And if reopened, then it would be natural for the signatories to express their concerns.

[CHIMO]

10. He Doesn't Know

What he is talking about.
Of course it needs to be reopened and renegotiated. The last NAFTA agreement left out the most important commodity. Water.