JUST INCLUDING THE NAME CHINA IN A HEADLINE ENSURES THAT THAT COUNTRY BECOMES A MAJOR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FOR MY BLOG'S READERSHIP.
IT IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR MY NUMBERS WHICH RECENTLY SURPASSED 120,000.
NOW BACK TO TODAY'S TOPIC.
No Group of Seven Nation has entered into a Free Trade Agreement with China though our country's Leader, Young Justin Trudeau made an unsuccessful attempt to do so this past week.
In fact, YT was sent home packing by Chinese President Xi King-pin with his proverbial tail between his legs.
What did the Young-un do to attract such a negative reaction from Xi...why he insisted that if a Free Trade Agreement was to be agreed upon between Canada and China, a host of Human Rights Provisions would have to be included.
Trudeau was right to have tried to obtain an Agreement with China or with any other country for that matter since it leads to better products at cheaper prices and a general rise in employment in the Exporter and Importer Country alike. This is especially vital to us since 85 % of our Export Trade is with the United States and that country, under The Donald, is retreating into isolation.
So we here in Canada desperately need to branch out and seek other world markets.
So it defies logic that Trudeau would attempt to add matters related to Human Rights when he knew or ought to have known that his demands would doom any such Free Trade Agreement with China to failure. YT did the same thing earlier this year at the launch of Free Trade Renewal between Canada, the United States and Mexico and not surprisingly, those talks are going very poorly.
This Fall, he inexplicably snubbed the Trans Pacific Free Trade Negotiations. He is making Trump look like a piker when it comes to seeking isolation for his country.
Maybe this is because Trudeau, like his father before him, has not one tittle of business acumen flowing through his progressive veins.
You and I know, as the world grows smaller, freer trade has been instrumental in raising millions out of poverty. I will not though belabour explaining further why Free Trade is so advantageous to exporter and importer alike. Nor will I get into stating again what true Free Trade consists of, rather, I wish to focus the balance of this Blog on why it is wrong to burden Free Trade Talks with Human Rights Issues and the like.
Admittedly, there is no doubt that China is one of the most evil nations when it comes to abusing its citizenry rights and Trudeau received much criticism at home here for even trying to negotiate with such an evil entity.
But, if Canada and the other Group of Seven Members were to only trade with fellow Democratic Countries that honour the Rule of Law, they would be limited to a number less than 30 bearing in mind there are nearly 200 member countries in the United Nations.
The West has to keep in mind that when people are starving, the last thing they worry about are their Human Rights... Trade though provides the way and means to raise those peoples out of poverty. Then and only then can they concern themselves with the Rights and Freedoms we here in the West take for granted.
And it is certainly working for China...
It is the world's number one exporter and in but a few years, their economy will be number one too, surpassing that of America's.
And estimates state that its Middle Class now exceeds the entire population of the United States and as it continues to grow, China will be forced to jettison its totalitarian ways.
So for the benefit of all, more Trade... not less is the answer to greater Prosperity and for greater Protection of Rights and Freedoms. That is not to say, that we in the West need twiddle our thumbs awaiting Free Trade to work its magic. Indeed, it is being complimented by a host of other means to get recalcitrant bad actors to give up their evil ways.
For instance, although the United Nations has taken much criticism in recent years for being ineffective, it is making progress in the promotion of Human Rights. And there are many other other World Forums dedicated to this as well including such NGOs as Amnesty International.
So back to our two Isolationists ...Trudeau and Trump and their race to the bottom. Trump has an edge over us...the USA has the biggest domestic economy in the world. Canada is tiny in comparison. We'll hit bottom long before they do.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
