Quote:
Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..
One percent of our water supply going south in exchange for a billion dollars sounds like a good idea.
We could use the money to pay down debt, or reduce taxes, or built a splashy piece of much needed infrastructure like a free flowing highway 75 which would have trade benefits of its own.
Presumably we would be taking in one billion per annum so one can only imagine the things we could do.
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doesnt work that way...the free trade agreement would kick in the second anyone in canada sells a single drop of water south....it is no coincidence that the lead american negotiator of the free trade agreement did his doctoral thesis on the need for a continental water strategy.
as soon as the commodity becomes part of that agreement, americans are considered the same as canadians and we would lose control of our water supply....americans could take ownership of our water sources, build pipelines anywhere they want, and we would be powerless to stop it....as well, once we turned on the tap, there would be no way to turn it off, even if there were shortages in canada....canada's water would instantly become north america's water because FTA eliminates the nationalist ownership regulations and both countries would be treated equally....that's why it is such a huge deal anytime anyone has suggested this.
many experts regard this issue as the single greatest reason the americans entered into free trade 20 years ago....