Terence Corcoran: The (impossible) North American dream
Happy North America Day! Don't laugh. There was a time when policy-makers, political theorists, business leaders, economists and politicians would have raised glasses of trilateral Canadian whiskey, American bourbon and Mexican tequila to toast a grand concept: 'Here's to the union of our three glorious nations into a North American Community!' Some even took the idea further: 'Let us drink to a United North America!'
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Today, in the midst of trade wars and what seems like accelerating division and animosity, the prospect of greater continental cohesion looks impossible. Not too long ago, however, many dreamed the impossible dream of a united North America. If unity and amicable co-operation ever does catch on some time in the currently unimaginable future, the perfect date to celebrate would be today, May 17.
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Exactly 20 years ago — on May 17, 2005 — a group of Canadian, American and Mexican political and business officials produced a document that bears an improbable title: 'Building a North American Community.' The 47-page report, published by the Council on Foreign Relations, was signed by a diverse collection of business and economic personalities from each country, including (among other Canadians) Thomas d'Aquino, head of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives; John Manley, former Liberal deputy prime minister; Tom Axworthy, a former key figure in the Liberal government of Pierre Trudeau; Allan Gotlieb, former Canadian ambassador to the U.S.; and Michael Hart, a leading Canadian academic and bureaucrat.
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It is hard to imagine today that, only 20 years ago, such a distinguished and somewhat diverse collection of experts in North American business, political and economic affairs could have coalesced around a report that advocated greater integration of the three nations. It was a radical document by today's standards. Examples of its key recommendations — to be executed under the essential principle of 'respect for each other's National sovereignty' — included the following ideas:
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• Creation of a common economic space in which trade, capital, and people flow freely, by truck and train and through open skies for air travel;
• In trade, national boundaries will be defined by a common external tariff around a secure perimeter;
• Greater integration of military, security and defence structures;
• Develop the integration of North American resource strategies around metals and minerals central to the growth and economic security of North America. While the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement has produced great economic benefits, it has not ensured a free-flow of resource products; more needs to be done; and
• Develop a continental energy strategy, including accords for mining, forestry and agricultural products.
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