rcgood@watnot.UUCP (02/05/87)
Has anyone else read about the lastest in the free-trade talks? According today's Globe and Mail (Feb. 5), US Trade representative Clayton Yeutter made some interesting comments a few nights ago. "I'm prepared to have American culture on the table and have it damaged by Canadian influences after the free- trade agreement. I hope Canada's prepared to run that risk, too." Elsewhere in the same paper, Premier David Peterson said that there is a national debate about Canadian identity. "But one thing we know we are not is Americans, and we don't want to be Americans." It seems to me that if anyones culture is going to be damaged by free-trade it certainly isn't the American's. It also seems to me that not only are the Americans trying to 'buy' our country out from under us, they are now thinking of 'buying' our culture as well. Any other comments on this issue? --------------- rcgood@watnot.UUCP Rob Good If someone finds University of Waterloo my path, please Waterloo, Ontario send it to me. 'So long, and thanks for all the fish.' ---------------
danny@idacom.UUCP (Danny Wilson) (02/08/87)
In article <12419@watnot.UUCP>, rcgood@watnot.UUCP writes: > > It seems to me that if anyones culture is going to be damaged by > free-trade it certainly isn't the American's. It also seems to me > that not only are the Americans trying to 'buy' our country out > from under us, they are now thinking of 'buying' our culture as well. > I agree that in any agreement forged by the Americans, it will be us who get the short end of the stick. In general, the Americans have not exactly been 'sensitive' to other cultures around the world. One only has to travel to other parts of the world to see the reception Americans get there. The common complaint, in Europe, and the Far East, we hear from Americans is: "WHAT THE H**L DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T DO THAT!?. THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE RUN <something> BACK HOME!!" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The thing they don't seem to realize is >>They aren't back home<< -- Danny Wilson danny@idacom.uucp "Canada??? Isn't that a State somewhere near South Carolina?"
chrisr@hcrvx1.UUCP (Chris Retterath) (02/09/87)
Re: comments made by US Trade rep. Clayton Yeutter. Don't forget that in a negotiation, both sides try to build up as strong a position as possible, and then trade off items to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. If we make a big issue about culture, the final agreement will reflect these concerns, or else it will not be signed. However, we then take the risk that we will lose on other things, that we have shown to not be as interested in. Unlike EEC countries, with language barriers to cultural 'exports', we share a common language and culture with the Americans. We should not ignore this fact. This makes it easy for us to import American culture; it also seems to make it harder to develop our own. However, the American South, and the North-west, and New England, all have a unique culture. These things have all developed within a union of states. You seem to be presuming that Canadian culture is weaker then these, a presumption I would challenge. As for Americans buying out Canadian culture, don't hold your breath. Chris Retterath.
jimr@hcrvx2.UUCP (Jim Robinson) (02/11/87)
At the risk of sounding like a member of the dreaded net police, I'd like to point out that can.politics is the more appropriate group for this discussion (and, that's where you'll find my follow up :-). J.B. Robinson