fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams) (07/19/85)
With all due respect...
Background :
In recent years interest rates were kept high in the US. I suppose
this was designed to attract investment, (or to keep American dollars
at home). This resulted in a strong US dollar. Despite Canadian
efforts to follow the high interest rate policy, our dollar sank to
new low levels. It is currently about $.74 to $.75 US. The high
interest rates put a lot of pressure on the Canadian economy, and
I suppose others. The one consolation was that we could sell goods
to the US cheaply. We generally feel very good about this because
the US brought it all on themselves.
Now, we hear that Americans want us to restrict our imports
because we have a trade advantage.
Hey you guys, south of the border! We're not impressed!!!
A while back some Canadians smuggled Americans out of Iran.
Americans were very grateful. Radio talk shows were flooded with
calls from US citizens saying, "How can we thank you? What can we
do for Canada?"
"Well," said several of my fellow Canucks, "You could ratify the
fishing treaty." We all know what became of that!... or do we?
The treaty was *not* ratified! All we ever got was a lot of
publicity, good wishes, (which are OK mind you), and acid rain,
(which is not quite so OK).
The point I am trying to make is that if you want to know why
people in the rest of the world sometimes get a little miffed at
the US, maybe it's because you Americans are not as nice and
friendly as you seem to think you are.
*** Don't get me wrong! I'm not really anti-American.***
I know we could do a lot worse!!! But you have to realize
that the world does not revolve about the US. There are other
people & you have to share. A little free trade would go a long
way towards promoting good will. While you're at it, how about
burning a little less coal? The prevailing winds blow it right
into Canada, and it's killing our trees & wildlife.
Cheers, eh... Fred Williamsfagin@ucbvax.ARPA (Barry Steven Fagin) (07/23/85)
> Now, we hear that Americans want us to restrict our imports >because we have a trade advantage. Well, for what it's worth, some of us think that's appalling. Some of us think free trade is a good thing, and welcome imports from our brethren to the North. Perhaps we're not as numerous and/or as vocal as the protectionists. --Barry -- Barry Fagin @ University of California, Berkeley