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Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Harper uses US economy as wedge with EU
Stephen Harper is using the sorry state of the US economy to attract European investors to Canada. An article in EU Business reads:
Canada would become Europe's gateway to lucrative North American markets after the signing of an EU-Canada free trade agreement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in an interview published Tuesday. Ottawa and Brussels launched wide-ranging trade talks in Prague last week aiming to boost bilateral trade by an estimated 20 billion euros (27 billion dollars) per year over the first seven years. In an interview with the French-language La Presse daily newspaper, Harper said the ambitious project would help Canada decrease its trade reliance on the United States while offering foreign investors the lowest tax rates on the continent. "Despite our difficulties, we have a much more stable situation in Canada compared to the United States," Harper said. "Our taxes and tariffs are decreasing, while in the United States, it is inevitable that Washington will hike taxes and tariffs," he noted. "We thus have an opportunity to become a gateway to the North American market," he said.
So it looks like the Canadian government will be friendlier to entrepreneurs and investors than it's flag-waving neighbor downstairs. I am happy for you, but sorry for myself and my fellow Americans.
Posted by Alina on May 19, 2009 in International Affairs | Permalink
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Comments
Will someone please tell our virtuoso economist PM that we need more CANADIAN ownership and investment and more Foreign customers for their production.
It's silly to allow your competitors buy into your productivity.
Posted by: Winston Smith | 2009-05-19 4:40:37 PM
Wow! another "free trade" agreement. Just what we need more organized, fascist, totally under the governments thumb, in bed with corporate buddies, run by banking interests...free trade.
Why the hell not? The country is going to hell in a hand basket anyway...
Posted by: JC | 2009-05-19 5:48:40 PM
The best incentive would be for government to remove itself from the economy and implement a true free market. Then the investors would flock to Canada to invest on their own.
Winston Smith says it is silly to allow your competitors buy into your productivity, but when your productivity is totally dependent on the government or is prevented by unions, it does not qualify as productivity.
Posted by: Alain | 2009-05-19 7:44:20 PM
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