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June 13, 2008 Republican Senator John McCain, the man who may be George Bush’s successor in the White House, wants to speak in Canada about free trade. But it doesn’t appear that he’ll be speaking to Canadians – not directly at least – but rather to an elite audience of some 350 business leaders and policy makers in Ottawa. Many of those in this select audience will welcome his message of strong support for the North American Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in 1994. Many of them will no doubt see Mr. McCain’s presidency as an opportunity to further pursue their agenda of deep integration either through the apparently stalled Security and Prosperity Partnership of North American or a newly re-branded bilateral relationship with the United States as advocated by former Canadian ambassador to the U.S. and Conservative insider Derek Burney. Will Mr. McCain respect the fact that the majority of Canadians want a Canadian energy strategy that guarantees our energy security needs but that is undermined by the energy provisions of NAFTA? Will he take note that Canadians want a ban on bulk water exports and for water to be removed from NAFTA? Will he accept that the Chapter 11 dispute-settlement provision of NAFTA is deeply flawed and has been used by corporations to challenge democratically made and environmentally sound decisions? It has been reported that Mr. McCain sought this opportunity to speak in Canada to establish his free trade credentials. So while he will be taking the unusual step of speaking to a business audience in Canada during his race for the White House, he will primarily be speaking to the U.S. electorate and saying that he is on side with Canadians in their support for free trade. By extension, he will be saying that the Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is out of sync with Canada in his pledge to renegotiate NAFTA. The Globe and Mail is reporting today that the tables for McCain's Economic Club speech went for between $2,000 to $5,000. Harper will be out of town but International Trade/Foreign Affairs/2010 Whistler Olympics/Trade Corridor Minister David Emerson might be there. Globe reporter Jane Taber also says other MPs will likely attend the event, after which McCain will go to the Rideau Club for a private reception organized by Tom d'Aquino of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.
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