From: schuck@fraser.sfu.ca (Bruce Jonathan Schuck)
Subject: Re: Plan S -- Quebec separation
Reply-To: Bruce_Schuck@sfu.ca
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 23:22:52 GMT

robinson@mdivax1.uucp (Jim Robinson) writes:

>Bruce Jonathan Schuck (schuck@fraser.sfu.ca) wrote:
>>
>>Let me end with a response to all those who say we should have free
>>trade with QUebec.
>>
>>I've posted this example before and it's still valid.
>>
>>Quebec dairy producers get 50% of the national quota.
>>BC with 12% of the population gets 5% of the quota.
>>Other provinces are similary shortchanged.
>>
>>Do you think that BC will accept for one second Quebec keeping that
>>quota? Ha! Not a chance. Quebec will get 0 quota and the rest will be
>>distributed creating wealth and jobs in the dairy regions of Canada.

>Preferential treatment is different from free trade. The example above
>falls into the former camp, and I don't believe anyone was arguing for
>preferential treatment for Quebec should it separate. What I would argue
>for is a *mutually* beneficial trade arrangement a la the FTA.

Ok. How about a *free trade* issue. [This one has little to do with BC]

Quebec makes auto parts and sells them to Ontario and to the US to be
used in Cars with no duty because of the FTA.
Quebec will not automatically become part of the FTA, it may take
years for such a thing to be negotiated, just as the FTA took years
and the NAFTA took years.

1) Quebec auto parts are now competing with Ontario auto parts which
get put into US and Canada cars. Do we let this continue or do we
exclude Quebec with high tariffs and keep the jobs in Ontario.

2) Quebec parts in Ontario cars will count as foreign parts. We all
know that cars made in Ontario with too many foreign parts get big
duties slapped on [ex. -- Japanese parts] Do we continue to buy parts
from Quebec and jeopardize duty-free status for Ontario cars or do we
slap a big duty on Quebec parts to keep duty-free status and keep jobs
in Ontario.

The above example is applicable to *all* manufactured items in Ontario
destined for US markets.

>>There are 1000's of situations like that one going on right now.
>>
>>If you really think Canadians would accept continuing *any* of the
>>perks Quebec gets now -- you are as out of touch with reality as the
>>eiltes were on the YES side. It won't happen.

>Obviously, should Quebec leave it would no longer receive preferential
>treatment wrt dairy quotas, aircraft contracts, etc. 

Thanks for agreeing with me.

>But this is a separate
>issue from a free trade agreement. Unless I am mistaken, Bruce has been
>arguing for little or *no* trade with a separate Quebec, and it is that
>notion that I think is not in either Quebec's or CSQ's best interests.

Since our biggest trading partner is the US, it would be insane to
allow Quebec free access to our markets, thereby jeopardizing
*Canadian* jobs. Why should Canadians buy Quebec products when
buying Canadian products would produce new jobs in Canada.

Why give a *competitor* free access into our markets?

What's in it for us? 



-- 
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"We've got to get bigger guns" -- Dick Durkin                  schuck@sfu.ca
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Newsgroups: can.politics