Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - April 2009
Economic experts in Canada are speaking out against the latest trend in American policy toward border protection, which could cost billions of dollars to the Canadian economy.
Since its inauguration, the new U.S. administration, under President Barak Obama, has been moving aggressively toward protecting the country�s borders. The policy shift away from free trade and the NAFTA accord is causing concern among Canadian businesses that rely heavily on trade.
An estimated $1.7 billion in commodities move across the U.S.-Canadian border every day. Economic experts say that the U.S. and Canada should be working to open the border to even more fluidity, not increasing protection.
However, concern in the U.S. over illegal immigration from Mexico, is driving the administration in the other direction. Last month, Obama�s government abandoned a multi-million dollar cross-border program with Mexico.
Top U.S. officials are taking the issue of illegal immigration very seriously and will likely not bend on their stance, despite the fact that the trade relationship with Mexico is not the same as with Canada. Yet, different policies on different borders do not seem to be a feasible solution at this time.
Ontario�s Economic Development Minister Michael Bryant has said as such, referring to the politics of Janet Napolitano, Obama�s U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.
�She [Napolitano] has made it very clear that all of her Southern U.S. neighbours were of the view that what is right for the Mexican border is right for the Canadian border,� said Bryant.
For now, the Canadians have no choice but to wait and see, hoping that increasing public pressure, combined with some old-fashioned diplomatic persuasion by the Canadian government, will go a long way to improving an already strained business relationship.
Source: Financial Post
