U.S., Canada, Mexico Pledge Security, expand trade

[maddezmom]

By BETH DUFF-BROWN Associated Press Writer The Associated Press

The United States, Canada and Mexico pledged Monday to shore up security by integrating their terrorist watch lists and beefing up joint protection of borders and bridges.

At the same time, they promised to expand what is already the world´s largest trading partnership by developing a single program to facilitate the free flow of people and goods across their shared borders.

"We are three countries, three friends living in the same neighborhood, so we have a common interest in our mutual security and our mutual prosperity," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a news conference in Ottawa after he and his Canadian and Mexican counterparts unveiled their list of targets and initiatives.

"We want to confront external threats; we want to prevent and respond to threats to North America and we want to facilitate the flow of traffic across our borders," Chertoff said. "The more secure our region is, the more our prosperity will flourish."

~snip~
more:http://www.myplainview.com/APTexas/parsed/stories/D8B05PD80.shtml

[LynnTheDem]

1. NO.

BAD idea, Canada.

[Maple]

2. Just a PR exercise

No different than what we already have.

[LynnTheDem]

3. Not for Canadian PR, I presume, since the majority of Cdns don't want

much to do with the US, and especially not in sharing "security".

[applegrove]

8. we are pragmatic. So much trade goes between the two countries

that we need to have a shared strategy. Hopefully our law people can put pressure on yours to not be torturing. Simply by being accountable publically for every incidence of torture - I think we may scare off the Bushites.

Also - we don't want there ever to be a 'good case' for invasion of Canada.

The law already works together in may ways. Terrorists are no different. Just so long as the US people know that if miscarriage of justice takes place - there will be a public hearing up here. And a free press.

Terribly glad we didn't sign on to the missile treaty.

[Deja Q]

4. Good; maybe we can get lower cost meds again.

And the US can still take their oil once an emergency is declared.

[earth mom]

5. Canada-please don't drink the kool aid...

and don't forget to watch your back!

[Sayitisntso]

6. This is a really bad idea...

Business leaders who attended the event enthusiastically endorsed the initiative, with the only quibble being that governments may be moving too slowly.

But not everyone was applauding Monday.

Economist Andrew Jackson of the Canadian Labour Congress said he's been following the partnership initiative for months and has seen "no opportunity where public-interest groups can engage with it at all."

Most of the proposed changes are regulatory, not legislative, meaning Parliament won't necessarily get a chance to debate them.

"If we're talking about harmonized product-safety standards, for instance, is this just going to be industry plus officials?" said Jackson.

"Does anybody representing the public interest get anywhere near the process?"

Only four questions were fielded during the hour-long event.

source:
http://www.canada.com/nanaimo/story.html?id=aed4d016-c7c0-4dba-a779-5ef06ab0dc79

more...

The program is part of a hugely ambitious initiative launched by President Bush, Mexican President Vincente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin on March 23 this year, following their summit at the president's Crawford, Texas ranch.

>This is the one that concerns me..

Within 12 months, the fact sheet says, the three nations will have established "protocols for incident management that impact border operations (and for) maritime incidents, cross-border public health emergencies and cross-border law enforcement response."

source:
http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20050628-013126-1253r

Gotta love the idea of Mexican cops enforcing 'law' in our country. One big step closer to One World Order, may as well burn the constitution. Bush talks about sovereignty for Iraq while giving ours away. Who represents We The People nowadays?

[sleipnir]

7. My position is still by 2030, a United North America.

It's the inevitable conclusion to decades of movement to a unified North American government. Close to the EU, but with less members and thus less sociological and societal problems during the unification phase.

I think we will see the first proposal in the next 10 years.

[Jack_DeLeon]

9. Definately

We should have open borders, free travel, and free trade throughout North America maybe someday throughout all of the Americas, but for now atleast we can do that in our part of it.

I have no problem with open borders aslong as all nations keep tighter security on who we allow in from abroad.

[applegrove]

10. I don't see it. We are too different than the USA. And - we stand to

have a much better economy because we have more resources per capita and very little debt. Also health care. If the USA doesn't have health care - nobody will want to have anything to do with them.

Why should we give up our nice country when we stand to all share in the wealth created by good taxation and income taxes et all?

You cannot get Canadian to vote to belong to a messed up place like the US. And with more US focus on producing weapons instead of civil goods - we will not be dependant on them..but more dependant on China, Brazil, Russia & India.

They just cannot sell it. The neocon party in Canada has had to change its public policy to become more progressive to have a hope in hell of ever getting elected.

In a few years, when the US controlled Alberta is turned into the biggest stovetop in the world what with tar sands being cooked (only way to process tar sands is to cook it) even the Albertans will tire of living there.

We are not happy with the present smog in Ontario/Quebec.