Free-trade deal with EU could cost thousands of Canadian factory jobs

Anything to keep the European masters happy.

Canada has thousands of factory jobs now?

I thought Mexico had them already.

No, that's China and Vietnam. Mexico doesn't have enough of the industrial muscle in my opinion..

Dont worry, isnt going to happen.

For better or worse, its a North South axis we run on.

Sounds like the EU is making an overture. Canada in the EU would certainly please a lot of the anti-US element in Canada. My guess is that they're looking at Canada and Canadian resources as the key to EU success over the balance of this century and, perhaps, they see the Loonie as a potential means of propping up the Euro.

That was my initial thought. A free-trade deal with a stable, secure, resource-rich economy could go a long way to stabilizing European credit markets and the Euro. This makes a lot more political sense than some of the drastic measures (ie. jettisoning the dead-weight of Greece, Portugal and Ireland) the Germans are proposing.

I believe in this agreement, if it happens, it would provide for free movement of labor. So if we lose jobs to Europe, some Canadians can go to Europe to get them. And instead of importing people who can't speak English and have a radically different culture, we could also have Europeans come here. They're also used to decent wages, so they won't undercut us the way the Asians do - Fraser Institute says professional wages have been depressed 6% by Asian immigration. And yes, it would provide us with another market, not be so dependent on the US. I think this might be a good thing.

Andy, the downside of this is that the 'free movement of labor' means that Canada opens itself up to almost unlimited immigration from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa.

Woops, didn't think of that. Nevermind. Still like the idea of a counterbalance to the US tho. (Purely for economic reasons, eggs in baskets and all.) And Europe seems to be getting tougher on immigration, so maybe if this deal is ever signed they'll have closed their borders a bit. One can only hope, free trade or not. I would hate to see the mother continent overrun.

Woops, didn't think of that. Nevermind. Still like the idea of a counterbalance to the US tho. (Purely for economic reasons, eggs in baskets and all.) And Europe seems to be getting tougher on immigration, so maybe if this deal is ever signed they'll have closed their borders a bit. One can only hope, free trade or not. I would hate to see the mother continent overrun.


No, the people are only starting to get more upset about it,
but none of the rules have changed.

The EU is just about ready to drop the visa requirement for Albanians,
many predict lots of people will come and stay, because very
little in Albania has been fixed.




The illegal immigrant problem in Canada is a drop in the bucket compared
to the mess in Europe.

I'd prefer a partner as opposed to a . There's no reason why one has to succeed at the expense of the other.

I'd prefer a partner as opposed to a . There's no reason why one has to succeed at the expense of the other.

A counter partner? OK. It's just never good to put all your eggs with crazy people one basket.

Free trade agreement with Europe that includes unhindered movement of labour will be a disaster for this country.

I totally believe in free trade. (from both sides). But I have a problem a problem with the free movement of labor. Not that I do not believe that immigration from poor countries can help us. It's more a "culture" thing.

I think you all know my stand on this issue.

Theorically, labor should move freely. But practically, there is a human behind that labor who has beliefs and a culture.