Canada's relationship with Mexico

The article mostly concentrated on the economic similarities. The economies of both countries are heavily influenced by their proximity to the world's largest economy. Reread the article from this perspective and you will find that Canada and Mexico share much in common, whether they like it or not.

I think the article is premised on an assumption that is faulty, “It is remarkable that Canada and Mexico have so much in common, beginning with our values…”. Our histories have contributed to different perspectives and values as I briefly outlined above.

It then suggests not that we have economic similarities, but economic differences that would match each other for the purpose of exploitation. “As the report highlights, our economies are almost perfectly complementary, with Mexico’s young population potentially serving as a much-needed source for labour in Canada.”

And there is where we start getting to the orientation of the article. It was written not from a human rights perspective or a labour rights perspective, but from the perspective of business interests.

“Louise Blais is … a special adviser for international affairs for the Business Council of Canada. Blais is writing as an apologist for Canadian business interests.

My view of the trilateral agreements might not be shared, but I see them as fundamentally a method of exploitation of Canada and Mexico, not specifically by the USA, but by the principles of modern capitalism.

Canada is rich in primary resources. Mexico has cheap labour. The USA has investment money.

The agreements promote the use of American investment funds to benefit from the exploitation of Canadian primary resources (that are collectively owned by the people of Canada) and Mexican labour (That experiences substandard terms and conditions of employment).

We know that a function of capitalism is to benefit the holders of wealth. Trilateral agreements have not significantly improved the lives of Mexican workers who continue to experience substandard terms and conditions of employment. Canada’s ability to establish laws to enhance its own control of its natural resources is fettered by the ability of foreign businesses to sue a government for laws the business considers discriminatory.

This is by design, not accident. They are “free trade” agreements, not “fair trade” agreements.

I suggest that the article advances another venue for exploitation of Canadian resources and Mexican workers by investment capital, not fair trade that would require comparability of terms and conditions of employment information workers in both countries. No more Mexican minimum daily wages that look like Canadian hourly minimum wages.