tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post2443534231951329194..comments2024-03-18T20:18:14.088-04:00Comments on Northern Reflections: It May Be Too LateOwen Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-26187990237626154492016-07-03T11:38:44.245-04:002016-07-03T11:38:44.245-04:00The Liberals are going to have to find a way to ra...The Liberals are going to have to find a way to raise some revenue, Steve.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-16419535478358163742016-07-03T11:13:26.153-04:002016-07-03T11:13:26.153-04:00One thing undereported about China is that due to ...One thing undereported about China is that due to the way the GST rebate works there is a 3% export tax on Chnese products. We should do the same on natural resouces at least.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14162783936999869984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-34025642562060145962016-07-02T11:47:48.857-04:002016-07-02T11:47:48.857-04:00I agree, Kirby. The motivations on both sides were...I agree, Kirby. The motivations on both sides were complicated. It's interesting to see how the referendum split the established political parties. It's hard to predict what the final outcome will be. But, one way or another, what used to be the status quo will change.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-68024776485612922682016-07-02T11:42:24.217-04:002016-07-02T11:42:24.217-04:00If one of the primary principles of democracy is s...If one of the primary principles of democracy is self-determination, Mound, that principle has to apply to nations as well as individuals.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-44312735547677492172016-07-02T11:34:44.186-04:002016-07-02T11:34:44.186-04:00The UK didn't exactly "reject" conve...The UK didn't exactly "reject" conventional wisdom. The motivation of many of the "leave" campaigners was a result of their feeling that the EU is too "bureaucratic," but what they really mean is too "socialist." Much of the establishment in the UK wants to leave the EU because they want to establish their own standards of neo-liberalism and exploitation. Some average "leave" voters may be angry at what they perceive as elements of "globalization" but most of those "leave" campaigners who were in the know, are just as committed to conventional wisdom as ever and that is exactly why they are leaving the EU. Kirbycairohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17528654183160305877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-39092600998253567072016-07-02T11:03:15.030-04:002016-07-02T11:03:15.030-04:00There are interesting studies on the role protecti...<br />There are interesting studies on the role protectionism played in the rise of every great economic superpower. It was a vehicle for transitioning from an agrarian to an industrial economy. Only since the Thatcher/Reagan/Mulroney era have we been fed, and greedily swallowed, the nonsense that tariffs and duties are somehow bad or hurt our economy. What the neoliberals and the corporatists were angling for was one giant freebie. They wanted unrestricted movement of capital, investment and production anywhere in the world PLUS continued unrestricted access to our markets. There was no quid pro quo in this deal. We gave up our limited control over our corporate sector, our ability to require companies dealing in Canada to benefit Canada and to comply with minimal labour and environmental standards, while at the same time freeing them to offshore Canada's industrial base and yet continue to trade in our markets, all without repercussions or compensation. With each successive free trade deal we surrendered incidents of our national sovereignty,not to our partner states, but to the corporate sector. This inevitably led to the progression from multi-nationals to transnationals to today's meta-national corporations that have no national affiliation and, to a large extent, exist in "the cloud" safely removed from the watchful eye of regulators. These meta-nationals are coming to exercise clout that rivals national governments which, for the public, adds a new level of governance, one that is neither elected nor accountable. <br /><br />I am convinced, Owen, that the only way out of this, the only way to prevent the wreckage of our democracy, is to repudiate these trade deals and restore a degree of protectionism through duties and tariffs to ensure trade benefits Canada and complies with our national goals and requirements. What other means exists to re-assert our national sovereignty?The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-85701889626281883372016-07-02T10:58:09.200-04:002016-07-02T10:58:09.200-04:00And, finally, ordinary folks are catching on, Stev...And, finally, ordinary folks are catching on, Steve -- for better or for worse.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-61489338528042614262016-07-02T10:41:27.876-04:002016-07-02T10:41:27.876-04:00Globalization is just another word for cheap labou...Globalization is just another word for cheap labour and no regulationsStevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14162783936999869984noreply@blogger.com