Page 40 - 200802 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2008

40 9/11: Perfect Opportunity 40 9/11: Perfect Opportunity 9/11: The “Perfect institutions and networks of co-operation that at a snail's pace and without the impact needed 9/11: The “Perfect Opportunity” for North ensure that American and Canadian officials are to make a perceptible difference.” This is a Opportunity” for North public admission of the SPP being an working together toward common objectives American Integration and doing so on the basis of constructive incremental approach to “deep integration”, of American Integration political oversight.”2 Amazingly, Hart stated which then ultimate goal is to form a North that it is “not a trade agenda”, but is, in fact, “an American Union. Hart explains that a key integration agenda that requires the full source of leadership is, “a business sector participation of departments and agencies on prepared to speak out forcefully and both sides of the border responsible for border convincingly about the costs and lost administration, economic regulation, and opportunities flowing from misdirected and infrastructure integrity.” overzealous border administration.” Hart continued in his critique of the slow So who is Michael Hart? He is process of integration, stating that, “The crisis the Simon Reisman Chair in Trade Policy at the of Sept. 11, 2001, provided a perfect Norman Paterson School of International opportunity to seize the moment to re-imagine Affairs at Carleton University.5 He is the first the border, but Canada blew it [emphasis person to hold this position, which is named added].” This is a clear example of how after Simon Reisman, “Canada's Chief important it is for those who oppose the Negotiator during the free trade talks with the processes of the Security and Prosperity United States, he also participated in a series of Partnership of North America (SPP), and the important international trade negotiations under North American Union which it seeks to create, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.”6 must also examine the relationship between Reisman was recently quoted by CTV regarding integration and terror; between the North the 1988 Canada US Free Trade Agreement, American Union and 9/11. These are not saying, “We got it, we didn't get it all. We left a separate elements of one another, these events little for posterity.”7 Further, Michael Hart “was By Andrew G. Marshall are themselves deeply integrated, in both a senior official in the Department of Foreign By Andrew G. Marshall purpose and strategy. It is integral for those that Affairs and International Trade specializing in Global Research oppose the NAU to review the attacks of trade policy and trade negotiations.”8 He was Global Research September 11, 2001, to see the linkages also the author of a document entitled, “Free On February 12, 2008, the Canadian between them and understand them as Trade in Free Fall? Assessing the Impact of newspaper, the Financial Post, published an something beyond random associations and Nontariff Barriers on Canada-U.S. Trade,” opinion piece by Michael Hart, of Carleton reactions to one another. published by the Woodrow Wilson International University, entitled, “Canada Blew It,” in which As to explaining why “Canada blew it,” Center for Scholars.9 From 2004 to 2005, Hart he blamed the “slow” approach to North Hart states that, “Rather than work with the was a visiting scholar at the Center for North American integration on Canada’s policies United States to address real security and American Studies at American University,10 of following 9/11. The article begins by stating: related concerns, and to build a much-better which the Director is Robert Pastor.11 “The Canadian and U.S. economies functioning, more open, and more integrated Robert Pastor is infamously referred to have become intertwined in response to North America, Canadian authorities reacted as the “father” of the North American Union, demands by Canadians and Americans for each defensively and anxiously to American security and arguably its chief public spokesperson and other's products, services, capital, and ideas. Yet concerns.” But this is a gross misrepresentation, champion, and was the Co-Chair of the the border as presently constituted protects as shortly after 9/11, in December of 2001, Independent Task Force on the Future of North Canadians and Americans from each other, not “Governor Tom Ridge and Deputy Prime America, a joint task force between the Council from global security threats. It also presents a Minister John Manley Signed the Smart Border on Foreign Relations (CFR) in the United States risk to the wealth-creating flow of people, Declaration and Associated 30-Point Action and the Canadian Council of Chief Executives goods, services and capital between the two Plan to Enhance the Security of Our Shared (CCCE) in Canada, as well as the Mexican countries.”1 Border While Facilitating the Legitimate Flow Council on Foreign Relations, which produced Hart states that in order to “address of People and Goods,”3 according to the White the document “Building a North American global security concerns”, Canada and the US House’s December 2002 press release on the Community.”12 This document is the blueprint need to, “develop co-operative solutions to subject. Part of the 30-Point Action plan for the Security and Prosperity Agreement of common problems.” He stated to do this, included “Biometric Identifiers”, stating, “In North America, which outlines the overall Canada and the US should implement an, the interest of having cards that could be used objectives of the agreement in its goals of “agenda aimed at removing the border to the across different modes of travel, we have agreed “integrating” North America. largest extent possible as an obstacle to Canada- to use cards that are capable of storing multiple U.S. interaction and integration.” He continues biometrics.” Another of the 30 points was Continued on Page 41 in outlining the steps to be taken in this agenda, “Permanent Residence Cards”, or in other the first of which is to, “re-imagine the border.” words, ID Cards. Further, the plans also stated Hart explains that much of the problems with that, “The United States and Canada have the border are a result of “regulatory agreed to share Advance Passenger Information compliance”, as in having a border, to which he and Passenger Name Records (API/PNR) on proposes a solution in which, “Canada and the high-risk travelers destined to either country.” United States need to aggressively pursue This is hardly stepping away from integration regulatory convergence,” or in other words, between the two countries, as Michael Hart harmonization. He continues, “It is in Canada's seems to imagine. interests to align as many of its regulatory Hart further explains that, “In the requirements as possible with those of the absence of another crisis, only inspired United States.” leadership can overcome the narrow-minded In discussing the security of “North response of special and entrenched interests and America’s” economic infrastructure, Hart bureaucratic self-preservation.”4 Then, in states, “Similar to our interdependence in revealing the true intent of the SPP, Hart states, ensuring the security of the North American “Each group [Canada and the US] is adept at continent, neither country can ensure the exploiting the default position of security of its economic infrastructure without incrementalism, exemplified by such initiatives the full co-operation of the other,” to which he as the Security and Prosperity Partnership. elaborates that, “we need to build the necessary Progress will be made under the SPP banner, but