Canada to apply for EU membership

...well, almost. Negotiations are starting on a free trade agreement between the EU and Canada that would involve very tight integration of the economies, considerably tighter than countries like Norway, Switzerland, or Turkey.

[ http://www.bilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=13223 ]

Unlike the site I'm linking to, I like it. Canada is a much better economic, social, and political fit for the EU than, say, Romania or Bulgaria IMO.

Interesting.

Canada or any other developed country is IMHO welcome to join the common market, but in practice I wonder how feasible this is. How compatible is a EU-Canada FTA with NAFTA?

I don't think that should be a problem; AFAIK NAFTA doesn't have any provisions that forbid members from entering into free-trade agreements with other parties. The USA is a member of NAFTA and DR-CAFTA, and Mexico is a member of NAFTA and G-3-FTA.

I was more thinking about conflicts regarding EU standardization (all the fancy cucumber regulations and such are there for the common market) rather than NAFTA directly prohibiting other agreements.

Yeah, they will have to deal with that. Gotta get those cucumbers sorted out. Still, I don't think there will be conflicts big enough to scupper it; if that's going to happen, it's for political reasons.

Alright! Somewhere to move if McCain wins. Can I then buy all the sausages, cheeses, beers and wines that are produced in Europe at low, low EU rates?

magerette said:

Alright! Somewhere to move if McCain wins. Can I then buy all the sausages, cheeses, beers and wines that are produced in Europe at low, low EU rates?

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Absolutely, that's what it means. Well, once somebody has an import operation set up, but that shouldn't take long. And we get to buy maple syrup, or whatever it is the Canadians produce. (Yay.)

Bacon. It's called Canadian bacon, folks. Sheesh.

Probably good deals on hockey sticks, too, so it ain't all bad.

I'm not sure you could afford the wardrobe adjustment, magerette. Shorts and a t-shirt aren't going to cut it in 20 below. It'll be like your old Chitown days, only worse.

Hockey sticks? These ones, you mean?

[ http://www.montrealhockey.com/index/en/home/company/main.html ]

Nah. They're Finnish. We just named the company "Montreal" because we figured it'd be easier to con you North Americans into buying them than if they were named Padasjoki (which is where the firm is based).

dteowner said:

Bacon. It's called Canadian bacon, folks. Sheesh.

Probably good deals on hockey sticks, too, so it ain't all bad.

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I believe the correct term is backbacon, eh?

I'm not sure you could afford the wardrobe adjustment, magerette. Shorts and a t-shirt aren't going to cut it in 20 below. It'll be like your old Chitown days, only worse.

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My layers of protective fat will just have to rise to the occasion, then.

Actually, I'm thinking of British Columbia where some of the finest formal gardens in the world are located--- Zone 7, just like OK because of the offshore current warming thing--not that I could actually afford to live there... And being homeless in Canada would indeed probably challenge my physical adaptability. But I can dream.

As our resident Canadian this comes out of nowhere and geographically doesn't make much sense. Fortunately, I'm staying right where I am at if John and Sarah win (California).

It comes at a strange time because the Canadian election is two weeks away and its looking more and more like a majority Conservative gov't as the Liberal party and Bloc seem to be collapsing upon themselves. In other words this may be gamesmanship.

I can't see the US allowing this without their own FTA with the EU in place. It would allow Canada access to US and European goods and allow them to manufacture or sell them back to the other markets without a penalty.

Certainly both the EU and the US would certify certain goods as imports to prevent them from bypassing tariffs but they can't stop it all, especially manufactured goods. How are the regulators going to know where this automobile got its steel, etc.

Canada has not been happy with the US's arbitrary softwood lumber duties, especially during the housing boom. It was in in violation of the WTO and NAFTA. Lumber is the bulk of Canada's economy (although energy may have surpassed it these days).

However, Europe is not going to like a lot of Canadian lumber in their market either and its gov'ts usually cry "save the trees" whenever they have to deal with Canadian competition. Likewise, Canada's lumber industry and its Provincial gov'ts are not going to like EU regulation.

Let's not forget Canada's Marketing Boards. Canada's Wheat Marketing Board dominates like no other single organization. The US and the EU are centered on grain subsidies. This smacks of too many complications. What to do about genetically modified food. The EU is very much against them (some say on principal, others because they can't compete). Canada has had genetically modified foods for years such as Canola Oil.

It doesn't make much sense. Canada was part of the Commonwealth at one time but a lot has changed since the UK joined the EU.

And yes, its called backbacon. We also make the best Maple Syrup and grow more potatoes than Idaho, TYVM.

Lucky Day said:

However, Europe is not going to like a lot of Canadian lumber in their market either and its gov'ts usually cry "save the trees" whenever they have to deal with Canadian competition. Likewise, Canada's lumber industry and its Provincial gov'ts are not going to like EU regulation.

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Actually, the EU would absolutely love a lot of Canadian lumber on our market. Europe -- especially Northern Europe -- has a big paper and pulp industry and nowhere near enough forest to supply it. We've been getting much of our lumber from Russia, and recently they slapped a stiff export tariff on it in order to foster a paper and pulp industry of their own; consequently we have paper mills closing their doors due to an inability to procure lumber at low enough prices to keep them going.

I had heard about these talks before but from what I heard, we werent close from an agreement. I don't expect to have good cheap wine anytime soon!

Exporting lumber to europe seems to have a lot of potential... we have a lot of it and the american market hasnt been good for the last few years.

Lucky Day said:

as the Liberal party and Bloc seem to be collapsing upon themselves.

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Actually, recent polls demonstrated that the bloc is back and might even capture back some of the ridings the conservatives got at the last elections.

The cuts in culture and his promise about being tougher with criminal teenagers didnt pass well, here.

As for the liberal party, I agree. Stephane Dion make the worst leader this party had in my lifetime.

So the chances are pretty good that the conservatives will be the next government. What remains to know is if they will manage to gain the majority.

I think you should all escape to Australia, we have a better climate than Canada, and much better bacon!! Perhaps we should consider joining the EU!!

You're seriously lacking in hockey, though, Corwin.

Actually, there is a fairly good hockey program here; my son plays remember!! We import good Canadian coaches and players to help improve the level of play and it's been working. PLUS, you'd get the learn a few new sports as well!!

Ummm, I'm unfamiliar with this "non-Wings hockey" concept. You mean there's other teams? Oh, you mean the Grand Rapids Griffins farm team? No? Bah, you're making it up. I mean, I've heard rumors of a team in Toronto, but I haven't seen any evidence they're more than a bunch of beer league slugs.

I live in Toronto and Can't stand the Leafs. A Pitiful excuse for a Hockey team although they may improve since recruiting some good players from the Marlees.

I find it unlikely that Canada will join the EU, NAFTA Has only benefited the US and Canada and Mexico get the short end of the stick. Although I would support the EU membership just to I could get good Cadbury chocolate, the Stuff from Dublin always tested better than the Canadian product. ( I might be Biased Having Lived in Dublin for 5 years)

Shaf