Free trade: an en

St. Pierre

PAULITICS & PERSPECTIVES

WITHIN THE next six to
cight weeks, Canada’s new
prime minister may have
one of those rare oppor-
tunities to ride the wave of
the future into freer trade.

If the chance presents itself, and
that seems probable, it will be the
greatest opportunity to advance
» Canada since we had the chance

(which we failed to seize) for

reciprocity with the Americans i in

Sir Wilfred Laurier’s time.

The great opportunity of the
‘year 1993 would come if the
‘American Congress rejects the
‘North American Free Trade
- Agreement. Canada could then go

it alone with Mexico and the

benefits could be incalculable.

Of course, the opponents of
NAFTA would cast their bodies
down on the railway tracks to stop
the train,

Most of them would be union
executives and the MPs of their
party, the New Democrats who

_-are kicking and screaming as they -
are being dragged into the 2Ist
century.

There could be no better time to
ignore them and ignore those
many naturally timid. Canadians
‘whose impulse is ever to say that ,

if the Americans don’t do. some-

‘thing, then it must be wrong and
we shouldn’t try it. ;

We used to say that about old
Mother England, and since the
last war we say it about Uncle

‘Sam, but it’s time for this country
to leave the family home and

“make its own grown-up decisions.
.. The Americans are. probably
going to.reject NAFTA, The U.S.
Senate will pass it but the House

- of Representatives are likely to

CINEMA 1

THE FIRM
Nightly 6:45pm.

Mature, some violence, coarse lang., sugg. scanes

INDECENT PROPOSAL
Nightly 9:18pm, Sa. & Sun, 4:30pm

vote it down,

Members of the House of Rep-
resentatives scare casier than
senators and all those congressmen
are being told by their voters and
by yappy old Ross Perot, the
Yellow Ross of Texas, that the
U.S. should pull up the
drawbridge and keep out com-
petitive foreign goods, That
country is on a protectionist
binge. There is no more deadly
policy. We were all supposed to
learn that during the Hungry
Thirties.

Protectionism never worked for
the good of the common man,
except very briefly. The only good
industries to have are those strong
enough to win against competi-
tion.

If you don’t believe that, ask
anybody from the former commu-
nist states of Eastern Europe.

The American Congress could
vote NAFTA down as early as
Nov. 15. It must vote for NAFTA
before Dec. 31, or the deal dies on
the order page. If cither of these
things happens, Canada has an
unparalleled opportunity.

When the United States started
free trade talks with Mexico, we
were obliged to join them, other-
wise we faced a dangerous trade

’ situation,

If the U.S. had free trade
agreements separately with
Canada and Mexico, it gained all
the benefits and none of the risks.
Both the neighboring countries
would find themselves channelling
trade through the U.S.

If Congress rejects the pact,
Canada can step into the favored
position, enjoying free trade with
both countries while they keep
tariff and other trade barriers up
between themselves.

American industry may panic.

‘Let them, Tell them they should
‘ have bought themselves more con-

gressmen, Tell them that every
nation acts in what it conceives to
be its national interest: They can

“ understand that language.

The American is a keen student
of the dollar. He won’t have to go
to night classes to learn that the

. Canadians had a good deal ina

three-way pact but a far better
one in a double two-way pact
with Canada in the pivot position.

He may also consider that if it
weren’t the Canadians looking for
free trade with the big Mexican
market, it would probably be
Japan. Japan has a long history of
economic and political interest in
Mexico.

Of course, the great leap re-
quires courage in a Canadian

CINEMA 2

FREE WILLY
Nightly7:00pm, Sat. & Sun. 3:00pm

General

IN THE LINE OF FIRE
Nightly 9pm, Sat. & Sun, 4:50pm

government, more courage than
our governments usually display.

Not all the results will be in-
stantly popular,

There will be a shift in produc-
tion line manufacturing out of
Canada into Mexico, with the
accompanying anguished outcry
from those who worked too lang
in the wroug industries.

But low-tech production-line
manufacturing is going to leave
Canada anyway. It can move to
Mexico, or it can move to In-
donesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia or
the islands of Borneo.

Our choice is not whether it will
happen, but how. What better
than to have such an arrangement
with Mexico, which is already the
world’s 15th largest economy and

opening wider each year to foreign

investment?

Every living president of the
United States, present and retired,
has seen this clearly and urged the
Americans to accept NAFTA.

None, however, have articulated

Hecycle

BC RECYCLING HOTLINE #

732-9253

‘ADVERTISING
CORRECTION

EATON’S - TOYS
Wednesday, October 27th

Page 1 Item J - Shuttle Craft |

Goddard incorrectly described.

Should read: Holds 3-man crew |
(not included). Each man sold j

1 separately.

J Page 4 Hem L - Super NES Super |
1 Set not as illustrated, Set should 3
{ include one controller. Set with }
1 two controllers available while |

quantities last at same price.
$159.99,

B inadvertently, the error listed above has

f appeared in our advertising. We sincer-
ely regret any inconvenience or confu-

¥ sion to our customers,

EATON'S

LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE

Nightly 7:15pm, Sat. & Sun. 3:15pm
Mature

ETHAN FROMME
Nightly 9:05pm, Sat. & Sun. Spm
re

Friday, October 29, 1993 - North Shore News - 9

run around the Americans

the new realities of our world
better than Bill Clinton who
recently said this:

“When you live in atime of
change, the only way to cover
your security and to broaden your
horizons is to adapt to change, to
embrace it, to move forward.

“Nothing we can do can change
the fact that factories or informa-
tion can flash across the world,
that people can move money
around with the blink of an eye.
... For two decades the winds of
global competition have made
these things clear to any American

Expltes Nov. 30/93

1324 Lonsdale Ave

Sse

with eyes tO see.

“dn the fundamental sense,
this debate about NAFTA is a
debate about whether we will em-
brace those changes and create the
jobs of tomorrow or try to resist
those changes, hoping we can
preserve the economic structures
of yesterday."’

He is talking to fearful, timid
American congressmen, Our new
PM should talk to fearful, timid
Canadians that way and then act
on what may be the greatest op-
portunity of decades.

Incoming saint
order min. $30

You've missed the first discount deadline, don’t missthe second”: ”
or you'll be “aprés sale” and paying full price for your 1993/94 -
Seasons Ski Pass at Grouse Mountain. Hurry, because as well as “the ©
being the best ski value in town you'll enjoy great aprés : ski fun, reat
views, great food and, with your Seasons Ski Pass, a free pre-season
tune-up, {ree ski check all season and many more valuable “perks”.
Buy before October 31st and save!

SEASON SKI PASSES:

Adult (/9+)}°

Youth (73-78 valid 1D)
Child (7-/2)

Senior (65+)

© Tots (0-6) shi free, but aunt obtain a ty
Alf tats must be accompanied by an adult,

BUY BEFORE SEPT, 30TH
peice [SAVES]

Huy BETOREOCT. UT

Fa aveid lite aps, & Tot senvon pass may be purchased for $3000,
Exar 10% diseouant will be given to families consisting of minimum’

afone adult and ane dependent child. undo mavinuamn of two adults and four dependent chikdren Hand under,

For more information on Midweek Passes, Family Passes,
Discount Cards and Seasons Ski Passes call 980-9311 today.

Grouse Mountain. The Peak of ‘Vancouver,

6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancotiver, B.C.

Planning a Retirement or Recreation Home or Cottage?

* 150 Plans to choose from

The Witchita

950 sq. ft.

The Beaver Shell
Package from:

17,999”

« Custom Design
Services

* Only construction
grade materials used

Collateral Mortgage from:

Call now