From: clamen@CS.CMU.EDU (Stewart Clamen)
Subject: Re: Canadian Autonomy [was Re: <None>]
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 17:28:58 GMT
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University
Reply-To: clamen+@CS.CMU.EDU
	<1992Aug11.170023.3374@desire.wright.edu>
	<1992Aug12.013557.22720@csus.edu>
Originator: clamen@BYRON.SP.CS.CMU.EDU

In article <1992Aug12.013557.22720@csus.edu> altheimm@nextnet.csus.edu (Murray Altheim) writes:

   In article <1992Aug11.170023.3374@desire.wright.edu> demon@desire.wright.edu (Stupendous Man) writes:
   >	But since the US isn't interested in conquering Canada, you have
   >nothing to fear.  It's far more likely that the Quebec-less Canada will ask to
   >be merged into the USA.

   (I hope I got the attribution right...)

   I've lived in the US since 1973, and I'm always amused hearing
   Canadians discussing their independence from the US. We've probably
   all heard the statistics regarding the number of Canadians who
   watch predominantly US television, how many purchase products from
   the US (or owned by US held companies), etc. etc.  Being a proud
   Canadian, I'd love to believe in a true Canadian autonomy, but
   reality just doesn't bear that much weight.

   The whole discussion sounds so naive! As if overtly, politically,
   the US would have to "conquer" Canada, when in reality so much of
   Canadian politics and economics are bound to the US economy and the
   multinationals.

It is certainly the case that United States commercial interests are
quite considerable.  I would be interested in seeing a history of
American ownership in Canada since 1840 (if anyone has access to that
information, please post).  However, it can be argued that the
interests of US-based multinationals are not the same as US government
interests.

I should also add that I have no problem with international
dependency.  In fact, such dependency encourages countries to work
together rather than against each other, as is the motivation behind
the creation of the European Common Market after WWII.

Also, one should distinguish independence from sovereignty.  Canada
has the power to pull out of the FTA (and NAFTA) at 6 months warning,
so while it has sacrificed some political independence(*), it has not
lost its sovereignty.  The intelligent separatist forces in Quebec
recognize that the province would not expect to gain much more
independence by separating from Canada.  It would however, gain
sovereignty.  (With this in mind, reconsider what Levesque meant when
he spoke about Sovereignty-Association, or what Parizeau is thinking
about when he spoke about an independent Quebec using Canada
currency.)

---
(*) The PCs would argue (and I will concede that the issue has some
    merit) that Canada gained power over American political interests
    with the signing of FTA, since both countries, within the
    framework of the Agreement, put themselves under a judicial review
    body of arbitration.  (Contrast this with the US's 'respect' for
    the decisions of the World Court, for instance.)




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