Canada/EU free trade agreement

[dipmicro]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ceta-canada-eu-free-trade-deal-lauded-by-harper-barroso-1.2125122

I do not expect this will affect small Ebay sales, it will mostly affect luxury cars, foods and produce. Quebec diary farmers are very unhappy about this. Mr Harper seems to think this will create 80,000 new jobs.

[recped]

How long do you think it will be before somebody claims they shouldn't have to pay GST on an incoming shipment from Europe "because of free trade"?

In spite of.....

a) it could be two years or more before this agreement is approved (if it is).

and

b) has nothing to do with GST.

[rose-dee]

My thoughts on the subject:

Mr. Harper desperately needed a diversionary tactic that would get media attention away from the whole Senate debacle. He also probably wanted to run from Ottawa (again) -- prorogues Parliament, back a day or two, then, whoops, gotta go... the EU is calling, oh, wait, no, maybe I called them.  No matter, at least it's got nothing to do with the Senate. 

I think this whole thing is a political smokescreen that will just fade off the radar in a few weeks.  Even if a deal is ever made, I doubt it will any real effect on the ordinary person, and none for eBay sellers (unless perhaps you're in the cheese market). 

To 'recped' -- on that subject, my guess is about 1 hour after announcement of a deal. 

[rosscd57]

Except for the media and  those directly involved, I really don't thing the vast majority of Canadian give a rats butt about the senate.

But take Fracking - now that an entirely difference matter.

[rose-dee]

I agree with you that fracking is certainly a serious issue.  

But where the Senate is concerned, I think it's the "snout-in-the-trough" attitude of politicians, and not the institution of the Senate itself that has Canadians outraged.  There is also the issue of failure to take responsibility on the part of - well - everyone involved that is creating a public outcry.  I don't think it's a minor matter for a lot of hard-working people whose tax dollars are going to pay these Senators, expecting them to serve with some integrity, even if their roles are rather redundant.  

No, I think the image of greedy (and possibly criminal) politicians running from the media to hide their activities is still making many of the good citizens of this country pretty upset.  The media base their coverage at least partly on feedback from the public, so this fiasco continues to have legs. 

[rosscd57]

I think we can safely be assured that, as far as the Senate is concerned, they are all doing it and that it has been going on since Confederation. If there lips are moving - ad infinitum. It's just part of the cost of being a taxpayer.

If they have bee in office long enough, eventually all politicians, lie to, steal from and cheat the taxpayers.

The only ones pushing hard on the Senate issue is that miscreant, innuendo, insinuating, borderline lying, muck racking Mansbrige and his crew of almost new reporters who just sit around interviewing each other and passing it off as news, representing a Corporation that is  being funded by the Federal Government. We really should pull the plug on that bunch.

If they can't find an issue, they make one up and put the word may, or perhaps, this could be - in front of it.

Walter Cronkite must be rolling in his grave.

.

[rose-dee]

I see CTV running the very same sort of coverage, and as far as I know, they aren't funded by the federal government.  I think as citizens (and as media) we have a duty to hold politicians' feet to the fire when such egregious behaviour is disovered.  

And you're probably right - power continues to corrupt, regardless of political stripe.  I don't think that means we should just let it go on and ignore it, especially since they aren't stealing money and perquisites from each other, but from the rest of us.  

I'm happy to see these issues uncovered and -- for once -- not relegated to the back page, until there is either some accountability or some resolution on the part of those who have been naughty. 

[pjcdn2005]

Mr. Harper desperately needed a diversionary tactic that would get media attention away from the whole Senate debacle.

They have been pushing for an agreement with the EU for a few years so I don't see it as a diversionary tactic for something that happened recently.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

Mkae your biggest friends your best friends.

This has nothing to do with Harper or the Conservatives. This is all done by the back room mandarins. This is the evolution of global economics.