December 24, 2003

Close the border!

OK, so the states has finally ended up with a case of mad cow (properly known as BSE).

Time to close the Canadian border to US Beef then.

What's that? The Americans would be up in arms? You'd rather wait to see what happens? Hang on just a second there buddy... America closed the border to Canadian beef in May 03, literally hours after a single cow was found with the disease in Alberta. The border is still essentially closed to Canadian beef even now.

It really is time for Canada to stand up for itself against the bully downstairs. The softwood lumber issue is still rumbling on, despite the U.S. being ruled against by NAFTA and the WTO and these are just two examples of the bullying protectionist attitude the U.S. has developed.

Another example would be the steel tariffs Bushie imposed on European steel. Another ruling against by the WTO then... Even more astonishing, the tariffs were declared a success by the American Government.

I am amazed Canada sends its beef south to the states anyway. It really does feel astonishing to me that Canada sends beef south then imports some American beef. Like Canada doesn't produce enough beef of its own? There's a reason Calgary gets the nickname Cowgary! I understand the economic imperatives of imports and exports but jeez, come on...

So come on Canada. Stand up for yourself for once! You know it makes sense!

Posted by Garry at December 24, 2003 12:28 PM
Comments

Well, if it were up to me, Mrs. Canada citizen I'd slam them border crossings tightly to the beef from the US... let them have what they did to us. But, what can us citizens do? I'll eat the beef from my freezer that came from my Uncles farm and know I am safe from that tainted American beef and the tainted American bull-Sh**

Posted by: Desiree at December 25, 2003 1:51 AM

If we stood up for ourselves I can guarantee we would be annexed via the first pretext they could think up. As long as we are not a threat and are basically annexing ourselves they find it cost efficient to leave us alone. Catch 22 and no way out. Which reminds me, there was an old joke floating around when the threat of Quebec separation was at it's height, the Newfoundland premier said that if Quebec separated he would declare war on the states and then surrender, quickest way to join them.

Posted by: Kdger at December 26, 2003 12:30 AM

I wish Canada would have treated the US like they treated us when we found a BSE case here. No such luck. Paul Martin's new Kiss Ass approach to improving Canada US relations is not going to be appreciated by most of us Canadians. Specially after the way they treated us and closed down the borders to us.

Posted by: Carolyn McCaslin at December 26, 2003 2:42 AM

Hmmm... I wonder if anyone has ever heard the term "sinking to their level"? Or maybe "keeping to the moral high ground"? With all due respect, this isn't a playground snub. This is vital negotiations between millions of individual ranchers, buyers, et cetera. I think we can be a little more mature than taking our ball and bat and rushing home.

Posted by: japhthor at December 26, 2003 4:51 AM

yeah, but there's also what's happening with softwood lumber, steel, wheat and other exports. it seems that Free Trade is horribly skewed to the USA's advantage and Canada (and Mexico) get pushed around in the process. I like Americans, I just don't like their trade policies.

Posted by: Carla at December 26, 2003 9:20 AM