The following brief history is an excerpt from an article, “Canada: ‘A Northern Power’ Once Again? NAFTA, ‘A Monstrous Swindle,’” written by David Orchard, published by Global Research, November 21, 2016
Opportunity for Canada to regain economic independence
In 1854, Canada entered its first free trade (or Reciprocity) treaty with the United States and by 1866 it was clear the Canadian colonies were being absorbed into the US. A bill was introduced in Congress for their admission as “States and Territories of the United States of America.” In that year, however, the US unilaterally abrogated the agreement. In shock, the Canadian colonies decided to unite and create their own economy – “a northern power.” On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada was born.
In the following decades, under John A. Macdonald’s National Policy, an east-west Canadian economy was fostered, and it prospered. There was no income tax; Georges- Ètienne Cartier, co-founder of Confederation with Macdonald, opposed taxing the population and insisted that government revenue come from duties on imported goods. In 1911, however, Wilfrid Laurier’s Liberals proposed free trade with the US. and Conservative finance critic George Foster warned of “deep danger” ahead. “The best kick that Canada ever had,” Foster said, was abrogation of the 1854 Reciprocity Treaty. “Canadian nationality” began to develop, using “Canadian resources for Canadian developments” and “Canadian routes for Canadian trade.” Then “new blood pulsed in our veins, new hopes…new horizons and new visions.” Canadians voted against the free trade proposal.
However, in 1988 Canada entered a free trade agreement with the US (FTA) giving sweeping rights to US corporations to buy up most of the Canadian economy and a clause allowing the US a majority of Canada’s total energy supplies even if Canada itself goes short. Canada also committed to never, through any government action, charge Americans more for “any good” exported to the US, than it charges Canadians! In the 1988 election, a majority of Canadians voted for parties opposed to the FTA in what then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney called a referendum on free trade. The people’s verdict was not honoured….
David Orchard is a farmer and the author of The Fight for Canada: Four Centuries of Resistance to American Expansionism. He can be reached at davidorchard@sasktel.net.
