Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has been an embarrassment to Canada on the world stage. When she wasn’t getting her way on last year’s EU-Canada trade deal (CETA), Freeland stormed out of the room and proceeded to cry, perpetuating gender stereotypes. Ugh.
There’s no crying in trade negotiations!
Now she is trying to make NAFTA into a social justice trade agreement.
Yes, NAFTA should be entirely scrapped in favor of free trade not government managed trade, but the revised North American trade pact may look a lot worse in the future as it morphs into a social justice arrangement.
Reportedly, Freeland is demanding that a new NAFTA has “a new chapter on gender rights to promote gender equality.” She says that the reforms she is proposing will garner more support for free markets, which is a contradictory statement considering her undying allegiance to supply management, protecting special interests in Quebec and Ontario.
Freelance said in a statement on Monday:
“Canadians broadly support free trade. But their enthusiasm wavers when trade agreements put our workers at an unfair disadvantage because of the high standards that we rightly demand. Instead, we must pursue progressive trade agreements that are win-win, helping workers both at home and abroad to enjoy higher wages and better conditions.”
Talks to renegotiate NAFTA will commence in Washington on Wednesday.
She’s no Margaret Thatcher, that’s for sure.
Bloody embassment is what she is… even more 3 years later, just less so on the world stage.