October 10, 2008

Canada integrating their economy with European Union

From the 3/10/08 Globe & Mail story "Provinces key to EU trade deal, Quebec Premier says" by Karen Howlett (subscriber-only here, excerpted here):

Canada's premiers will play a pivotal role in the country's efforts to integrate its economy with the 27 nations of the European Union, Quebec Premier Jean Charest says.

Preliminary talks between Canadian and European officials will begin on Oct. 17 at a summit in Montreal. The provinces' role in the negotiations will be instrumental to the fate of the proposed massive agreement because it involves issues that primarily fall under their jurisdiction, Mr. Charest told The Globe and Mail yesterday.

No deal could happen without the premiers at the table, he said.

"Unless we are fully involved in the negotiations, we are not going to get the deal we want," Mr. Charest said...

He described the proposed pact as a groundbreaking initiative on a scale that has never been attempted. The accord would go well beyond the scope of the NAFTA agreement between Canada and the United States by encompassing not only trade in goods and services but also the free movement of skilled workers and an open market in government services and procurement.

The pitch he is making to Europeans is to do a deal with Canada that can serve as a model for something far more ambitious with the United States.

Posted to NAU at October 10, 2008 03:09 PM

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