Martin, Bush urged to discuss 'NAFTA plus' - Globe and Mail

[Screaming Lord Byron]

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040426.wxsummitm26/BNStory/Front/

Ottawa — Two major Canadian and U.S. business organizations are joining forces to press Paul Martin and George W. Bush to kick-start a ''NAFTA-plus'' agenda at their White House meeting this Friday, a step the Prime Minister is considering.

"This agenda is more important to Canada than it is to the United States, and therefore the only way it can be advanced is through fervent Canadian leadership," a senior government official said. "This is a great initiative that can strengthen Canada."

In a letter to both leaders to be released today, the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and the U.S. National Association of Manufacturers suggest that the two countries must work together to facilitate North American commerce in the face of the competitive threat posed by low-cost producers in China and other developing countries. The integration of key Canadian and U.S. industries, the letter states, means that success or failure in one country inevitably affects the other.

-I think we can confidently assume this will not happen at the meeting. Martin is in way too much trouble with the imminent election to return to 1988.

[Minstrel Boy]

1. May 1st seems the latest best guess for an election call.

Martin won't want to leave Washington appearing to be in Bush's back pocket, even though he may think it "good for business."

[Screaming Lord Byron]

2. I've given up on predicting. Here's my prediction.

I keep hearing June 14th, with the 7th on outside bet. The 7th would mean that Martin could not go to the D-Day ceremony and would cause difficulties for the G-8 meeting from June 8th-10th in Georgia. June 14th is risky, but if Martin can pull off some serious diplomacy at the G-8 and look leaderlike in Normandy, he can pull off an against-the-odds big win.

[Frederic Bastiat]

3. I'd say mid June n/t

[Screaming Lord Byron]

4. Isn't June 7th the final game of the Stanley Cup?

Quick, hockey experts!

[chenGOD]

5. Nafta plus

screwing Canadians twice as much?