Canada’s free trade talks with Honduras draw criticism
Published On Wed Aug 10 2011
By Olivia Ward
Foreign Affairs Reporter
As Prime Minister Stephen Harper continues his Latin America tour amid global market chaos, he is making stops in countries he hopes will expand Canada’s trade and make it less dependent on the turbulent U.S. economy.
On Friday he lands in Honduras, bringing a free trade agreement closer to completion. But critics say it is an unlikely choice for partnership with Canada.
One of the poorest countries in the region, most of its rural population lives on less than $2 a day. It’s also one of the most violent, with reports of politically linked killings and drug gangs that ruthlessly control poor neighbourhoods.
Honduras has also struggled with international disrepute since a 2009 coup that ousted leftist president Manuel Zelaya. It was followed by a widely criticized election and the installation of a new government headed by President Porfirio Lobo of the right-leaning National Party.
More:
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1037748--canada-s-free-trade-talks-with-honduras-draw-criticism