—MAIWL Box

flaved immigration po

Undate immigration

Dear Editor:

Thank you for the (Oct.
12) column by Timothy
Renshaw, re: “our badly
licy.”

Has anyone actually seen a
copy of our immigration poli-
cy? Does such a thing exist?
Immigration Minister
Lucienne Robillard apparent-
ly follows her own philosophy
— whatever that is. It’s cer-
tainly nor the same as mine
and many others thar I know.

Maybe I have missed it but

what has happened to Tong
Sang Lai, the triad boss from
Macau who somehow slipped
into Canada via Los Angeles?
Has he been deported? I bet
not.

Possibly, Mr. Renshaw can
get some information and
report to us.

Unfortunately, the press
usually loses interest after a
few days at most, so nothing,
much gets done.

DJ. Lovegrove
North Vancouver

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Wednesday, October 29, 1997 — North Shore News — 9

THE MAI

Over the fast few months, the same
groups which in the past opposed Free
Trade have actively lined themselves up
in opposition to the proposed
Multilateral Agreement on
investment (MA!). Maude Bariow and
The Council of Canadians, for example,
appear to have been targeting a mailing
tist of seniors with doom and gloom let-
ters about the MAI, along with invita-
tions to attend public meetings on the
subject. The Council of Canadians has
also run full page newspaper advertise-
ments claiming, arnongst other things, that
the MAI “would free corporations of
any obligation to you, other
Canadian workers and consumers,
or the environment.” Similar informa-
tion on the MAI is being produced by the
Canadian Labour Congress, the Polaris
Institute, and the Sierra Club.

WHAT IS IT?

In 1995, Canada, along with 28 other
countries of the OECD (Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development)
agreed to negotiate a LEVEL PLAYING
FIELD with respect to the rules regarding
foreign investment, so that all countries,
and their business communities, could par-
ticipate on an equal footing in the interna-
tional marketplace. In other words, the

‘main aim of the MAI! is to ensure that,

whether it is a !arge Canadian company
like McCains, or a five person firm in North
Vancouver, the exact same investment and
business development rules apply for doing
business in each and every signatory coun-
try to the agreement. Establishing a stan-
dard set of rules for opening foreign offices,
employing sales people, and securing dis-

J tribution channels is plain good common
i sense in the reality of our global market-

place, and has nothing to do with selling
out our sovereignty or allowing foreign
companies to break our environmental
laws, as the opponents to the MAI would
have you believe.

The present target date for completion
of MAI negotiations is May of 1998, but this
already represents an extension of one
year on the original timetable, so further
delays are quite possible. Once completed
though, the MAI will come before
Parliament for debate and there is
absolutely no doubt that it will be subjected

to very close analysis and scrutiny. What
.we have to recognize, like it or not, is that

times have changed since a few decades
ago when foreign investment was actively
discouraged. These days it is simply
impossible to ignore the fact that even

{ small companies and individuals are doing

business internationally, that this activity
creates new jobs and economic growth,
and that governments must put the rules in
place to facilitate increasing amounts of
international trade.
THE CRITICS SAY

Most of the altacks on the MAI seem to

be linked in some way to Canadian “sover-

| eignty’, and predictions that our govern-

ments will lose their ability to legislate and
regulate business activities by foreign com-
panies. For exampie:

Claini: Foreign corporations would not
have to abide by Canadian labour, environ-
mental, and consumer protection laws.
Fact: Tne same Canadian laws would
apply to ALL corporations, whether foreign
or domestic. It is true that an arbitration
system will exist which would allow
investors to apply for an exemption if they
feel that a signatory country's laws are
unfair, but the existence of such a process
does not guarantee an exemption. The
same provisions exist within NAFTA but

there has NEVER been an exemption
granted under those provisions despite the
predictions of the opponents of Free Trade.
Claim: The MA! will undermine our culture.

Fact: Signatory countries are allowed to |

register exceptions to the MAI! and, just as
it did under NAFTA, Canada is negotiating
an exception for cultural industries. So is
France and several other couniries. Once
an exception is registered, it is no longer
subject to challenge.

Claim: Canada will be unable to set limits
on foreign investment.

Fact: As in NAFTA, under the MAI Canada |

will be retaining its foreign ownership rules
in transportation, energy, broadcasting,
telecommunications, and financial sectors.
Marketplace and consumer pressures will
probably eventually result in removal of
these exemptions, but the “credit” for the
movement in that direction cannot be
placed on the MAI. It is simply becoming
increasingly more difficult to regulate and
contro! these industries in a marketplace
which permits free consumer choice of the
best available product. Very few people
these days would be willing to have their
Government tell them where they can shop
and what products they can buy, whether it
is a flight on an American owned airline, or
placing their long distance calis through a
foreign owned telephone company.
Claim: The MAI will result in the elimina-
tion of our social programs.

Fact: If our social programs collapse, it will |

not be because of the MAI, but because of
Government mismanagement, as, for
example, in the recent CPP and unemploy-
ment insurance fiascoes. Nothing in the
MAI will eliminate Canada’s ability to adopt
or maintain the provision of sccial services
because these items will be exempted, just
as they are under NAFTA.
Claim: The MAI will place Canada in
uncharted investment waters.
Fact: Over two thirds of the foreign direct
investment in Canada is from the USA and
is controlled under Chapter 11 of NAFTA.
The MAI is based on the same set of prin-
ciples and contains no surprises. Canada
recently signed a NAFTA style agreement
with Chile, has foreign investment agree-
ments with 18 other countries, and is
presently negotiating with India, China, and
23 others. it would be much more efficient,
and preferable, to have one international
agreement than a dozen or more bilateral
agreemenis.
‘ MOTIVES

Canada’s Chief Negotiator for the
MAI, Mr. Bil! Dymond, has offered to
meet with groups like those run by
Maude Barlow te discuss their stated
concerns, but the best way to keep dis-
cussions about things like the MAI in
perspective, is to ask yourself a couple
of simple questions — “What are the
underiying motives of those who either
promote or oppose this initiative?”, and
“Did they ask me for a donation when
they presented their point of view?”
Asking for an Annual Report for the
organization will go a long way to
answering both of these questions.

in addition, if you have access to the
internet, visit lots of sites with varying
points of view, ask your MP's office for
more information, and encourage your
local media to investigate the subject.
The more public discussion we have,
the better will be the understanding of
the issue, and the more likely it is that
nothing unexpected or unpafatable will
turn up in the final agreement.

Ted White, M.P. , #302-1200 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, B.C.. V7J 2AZ
Tel.: 666.0585 Fax: 666-C509, Internet: http://www.reform.ca/white-t/ ‘

Did you know. more than half of the children treated at B.C’'s
Children’s Hospital have genetically-linked health problems?

C= ear Capilano
@€em College

AT CAP

8 Afternoon

Theatre at
Capilano Coliege

Theatre in the
afternoon, anyone? Put
your dinner in the oven
and join us at Capilano
College for Western
Gold's production of
Dear Liar ~ a comedy
of letters adapted for
the stage from the
correspondence of
George Bernard Shaw
and Mrs. Patrick
Campbell. Presented by
Eldercollege, the play
will be held on
November 16 at 2 p.m.
in the Capilano
College Performing
Arts Theatre. General
admission is $10. To -
reserve tickets, please
call Continuing
Education at
984-4901.

7» Learn Computer

Programs Before

Christmas

Learn the basics of MS
Excel for Windows or
MS Access 7 before
Chrisemas. Excel is a
spreadsheet program
offered on Thursdays,
Nov. 6 to Dee. 11 for
$225. Microsoft Access
is one of the most
popular database
management systems
today. It’s also offered
on Thursdays, Nov. 20
to Dec. II, at a cost of
$165. For more
information or to
register, please call
Continuing Education
at 984-4901.

». Learn About Our

Exciting Media
Resources

Program

There will be an
information meeting
on Tuesday,

November 25 at 7 p.in.
in the Library building,
roc 145 for people
interested in the two-
year Media Resources
Program. This program
begins in September
1998. For more
information, call
984-4940.

Pacific Basin

Update

Asian and South
American business
managers from the
CANASEAN program
at Capilano College
will be giving
presentations on
business opportunities
in their respective
countries. Held in
conjunction with the
Vancouver Board of
Trade on Wednesday,
October 29 at the Pan
Pacific Hotel, Pavilion
B, 8 a.m. to Lf a.m.
VBT members, $26 and
non-members, $35. For
more information, call
681-2111.

CAPILANO
COLLEGE

2055 Purcell Way
North Vancouver
British Columbia

986-1917