I think that we need to just move on as a country and put NAFTA/CUSMA deep into the past. It did create a lot of co-joined industries (mostly the auto industry) between Canada and the United States but it also destroyed our home industries that made all sorts of small machinery; we made everything pretty much with so many small businesses gone now but could be rebuilt. The main reason being that our companies were out-priced/out-competed by larger American companies and they either closed down or were bought out. Those American companies in return took their business off-shore in the United States and built everything in Asia where it was cheaper and the net result is what we see. An individual wanting to bring industry back to the United States and we will suffer for it so we should quickly turn about and start creating the industries we lost that existed before NAFTA/CUSMA. I am not in favour of turning off the power particularly but I am in favour of taxing whatever is added to the cost of the electricity or any other commodity when it crosses the border. After all it is a charge being levied on us so we should charge it back. In the meantime we have to get those pipelines built; there should be lots of workers because layoffs will begin soon enough. People are going to have to think of this as like the depression where people worked at whatever needed doing to get our self into the position where we can offshore more of our oil and start producing canned gas to sell abroad. The same with regard to small machines; we have to stop buying them from external markets and make our own. We must turn inward to protect ourselves. We can do this and must.
Life was easier and quieter before these trade pacts and we can actually turn the clock back because we have all the raw materials we need here in Canada to build most things. It will be a lot of work though and perhaps we old people will have to do the things that we know how to do as well. I am good at wiring although at nearly 80 I will be slower. It is the trades that we need for sure. I mean I can still work in a lab no problem but the trades are the important thing now. A lot will have to be done by hand until we have created the machinery that exists for speeding up production but I am sure we can do it.
I think choosing to remain Canada is in our best interests and that of our First peoples and together we will make Canada strong (and really better for the United States as we would not be content as a 51st State with limited representation and they are not offering the ability to have 13 more states which would be the only way that would work for us).
As for our currency being low against the American dollar ours rides freely and we do not force it down. When I was a child the Canadian dollar was worth more than the American dollar and did before the market collapse in 2008 but has not come back since then. So we should not be charged for our dollar being at 70 cents American. Free trade works well as it turns out; I was not that keen on it when we first got into it but I think it can be an equalizer around the world if currencies are permitted to float freely; if not the countries controlling its value should be penalized. Free Trade with Europe has been very interesting especially as we spent time there (seven trips covering quite a bit of western Europe and the British Isles). Also our many trips to the United States revealed some interesting items that we grew to enjoy at the time.
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