The Case for a Careful North American Union
Photo Credit: The Truth Project
The concept of a North American Union in many incarnations has been discussed in academic, social and political circles for several decades. Former Mexican President Vincente Fox was enthusiastic about the idea, but at the time members of US government busied themselves writing resolutions, speeches and blogs in opposition to the whole idea. Canadian leaders have kept pretty much mum on the subject, doing little more than denying that a secret NAU plan is in the works.
Apparently I am in the minority in suggesting that a Union between our countries would be mutually beneficial socially, economically and in the ever important realm of national security. There has been a lot of opposition to the idea on harried blog sites that produce posts on the alleged clandestine NAU meetings and operations.
Like the widespread fear of globalization, I believe that the concerns can and would be allayed only if we could trust our leaders to handle the creation and transition with care, diplomacy and even-minded thinking. Unfortunately these are not things that politicians are known for. I assert that a very carefully and justly handled North American Union would be greatly beneficial for every North American country.
I think the key would be in avoiding the melding of our countries. Globalization and government unions don’t have to mean the loss of national identity or our separate histories as nations. We can maintain borders, laws, constitutions, national languages and separate militaries and still combine our strength and efforts to become an extremely powerful leader on the global stage.
So how would the NAU benefit our three nations?
It is easiest to see how an NAU would benefit the poorest of North American countries, Mexico. With a union with countries that have stronger economies, higher standards of living and better and more widespread education, Mexico would be able to bring its own social standards up to a North American Standard. It’s important to note that it would irresponsible for the United States and Canada to offer an open hand and blind eye to Mexico. It would be important that all countries joining the union would have met certain standards before becoming an active member that could take on responsibilities and appreciate the opportunities that a union would create. It’s vitally important that every member of the union brings something to the table.
Canada would be able to benefit greatly from a union with the economic power house that is the United States. Our neighbours to the south have had a number of problems recently, this much is true, but we could never match the raw man power that drives their nation.
In the Unites States the concept of an NAU is widely debated as many people see no benefit for the most populous country in North America. I, however, can see many benefits.
First of all, in the case of national security I believe three military strengths working together to protect one continent would be not only more efficient but more effective. When people enter the United States with less than savoury intentions, they come from overseas and enter the country through Canadian or Mexican borders. If we worked together to better moderate visitors from across the oceans we could protect ourselves more effectively. We have already seen the usefulness of combining our military strengths through the creation of NAFTA. An NAU would be only more effective.
In a world focused on our eco-footprint and “green living” the simple fact that an NAU would widely reduce the redundancy of agencies that serve the same purpose and the elimination of whole forests of paperwork would greatly reduce waste.
Finally, the economic aspect of an NAU would also benefit the USA, despite the many articles written to the contrary. Eliminating taxes and tariffs would increase trade between our three countries and increase job opportunities as people would be able to pursue employment and travel across three different nations that have much to offer.
The important thing when considering the creation of an NAU is that it is vitally important that we maintain our separate national identities. Nationals from the three separate countries could hold border passes, but may still be subject to inspection. People could move and work across borders but they maintain their passports and citizenship. Working together we can raise the standard of living, level of education and economic security of our great continent.
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Tags: canada, mexico, north american union, united states
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February 12th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
[...] Read the original post: The Case for a Careful North American Union | Political News and … [...]
February 13th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
This is the most simplistic and vague piece of garbage I have ever read on this issue.
First of all, there is no definition of what an NAU is. Despite claims to the contrary, what is suggested here sounds like the agglomeration of three countries into one, except that, just to be careful, we should keep our passports (yay! at least we still be able to be stopped at a border!).
The suggestions about security is pretty much what happens already. I guess the author doesn’t fly much. People on have been prevented from boarding Canadian domestic flights because their names were on an American list and the route entered American airspace. That’s a pretty high level of cooperation in my books.
In terms of an economic union, there is no description of what this means. We already have a far reaching free trade agreement. Is the article suggesting a monetary union? A customs union? The author shows no understanding of what any of these things entail and treats economies (and countries for that matter) like like blobs in a lava lamp; if they join they get bigger (and better)!
If Mexico joins, they’ll get better! (but they should get a little better first, just to be careful).
Finally, there is no discussion about how authority would be distributed. What would be the role of a country, say Canada, which has a smaller economy and population than California? Which would have more authority over the monetary policy of the continent, the Bank of Canada or the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas? (Dallas is most comparable of the 12 reserve banks in terms of total assets).
“Our neighbours to the south have had a number of problems recently, this much is true, but we could never match the raw man power that drives their nation.” – wow, major insight.
I clicked here expecting a cogent argument for a specific kind of union and instead I got something that read like an 8th grade social studies essay entitled “Why North American Countries Should Work Together”
February 14th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Thank you,
I’m sorry I didn’t quite meet your expectations. I understand that my article is vague. The point of this article was not to specifically explain exactly how a union would work. I would be the first to admit that I don’t know exactly how a union would work. I am not a politician and am not pretending to be.
I have read many articles claiming that any suggestion of an NAU would be nothing but detrimental to all countries involved. I was using this as a platform to point out the positive aspects of a union.
I wasn’t suggesting our borders and passports should be maintained just to be careful. It’s unfotunate that it came out that way. That is clearly something I should have been more careful about explaining. My point was that our countries should maintain their borders, their laws, their seperate politicians and their seperate currency. I think that the fees, mass of paperwork, and many years that have to go into immigrating from Canada to the US or vice versa are needlesss. I am aware that in many ways the US and Canada already work together. I do fly fairly frequently, we even use each others border gaurds from time to time.
My point is when we already work together so closely, it would be only more beneficial to make the union official, and more far reaching.
Economically, the far-reaching trade agreement that you mentioned still includes wasted paperwork and uselessly spent money on tariffs and taxes. I understand that the free trade agreement already decreased these considerable. I don’t think that they need to exist at all.
Finally, the suggestion that I view our countries as blobs in a lava lamp is a little bit ridiculous. As is the suggestion that any of the concessions I suggested are “just to be careful.”
By “union” I do not mean a merging of three nations into one super nation that takes up the whole continent. I think that our continent as a whole would benefit if decisions were made that benefitted each nation, not just the ego one leader or the financial backing of another.
February 15th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Your article is not a case for anything, I can’t even understand your point. Other than the obvious advantage an open border would be for Mexico, there is nothing here for Canada or the US.
Are you suggested we model our union on that of the EU?
The consequences of such an agreement would reach far beyond saving paper at the offices of our government, that’s so trivial.
The issues you raised around tariffs and trade are already addressed under NAFTA, which you barely mention.
Did you think of the judicial issues?
The economic impact of adopting a common currency?
The fact that the US is essentially already a Union of States, and they have problems of their own?
February 15th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Alright guys, I’m going to level with you.
I do apologize sincerely for posting an under-researched and over-opinionated piece. I was being lazy and it’s a bit shameful. It hasn’t happened in the past and it won’t happen again. I was lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that no one has ever negatively commented on my articles before. I would like to thank you both for calling me on it.
You can look out for my articles in the future, they will be clearer and more thouroughly researched. I assure you.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:00 am
If hour neighbour to the south was oh lets say Holland than maybe it would be something to consider but absolutely not with these fear mongering death dealing war obsessed bloated fiends that run the show down their! lol! As much as I love 50% of the American population you can’t give their politicians an inch or they’ll take a mile!
March 11th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
i guess i’m another outsider in this debate cause i completely agree with you!! thanks dude! i thought that everyone on the internet that talked about a NAU was a phsycho conspiracy theorist!! Kind regards from your neighbor to the south!!
April 24th, 2010 at 7:44 am
from what i understand ,the concerns people are having is this would be an agreement that would create more systems of administration of policies that the federal gov. or the people wont have any jurisdiction,they see it being just another incremental step that separates the government from our natural resources .instead of getting ahead of ourselves shouldnt we work on educating canadians on the subject? these closed door meetings have to stop , these arent peace treaties people ,i think people are starting to realise that secrecy harbours corruption and thats why people are reacting like our sovereignty is under fire , i cant blame anyone especially the americans ,their government has been short circuiting courts with executive powers and all kinds of incredibly shameful things and in return they get better riot control weapons and militarized police ,id want a refund to.
April 26th, 2010 at 11:56 am
Well the Union of the three countries is the best idea of the three goverments, but there is a problem, the North American Union is totally able politically, comertial and militarily, and in the U.S. and Canada the laws of inmigration are being more estrict than ever.
That it means one thing, the people in the goverment is using Mexico and Latinoamerica for their cheaper labor, and the comertial trades just benefit to the people in the goverment of Mexico, U.S. and Canada, not the people in any of these countries.
Anyway, no goverment is required for changing the obsolete system in which all world lives, because the goverment system is just an untenable dream of power above evrithing in a piece of land, the goverment isn’t real, is just an idea of national identity based on the aquire of money through the sell of the raw material and national rights to transnational entities which doesn’t obey any law in any country, because the goverment in itself can’t resist because is just an idea, a transnational entitie owns any country through loans and debt, and that system is totally overloaded, and now is killing everything buying polliticans for approving of laws, decrets, bills and amendments bassed on their own benefit, and now use the American Union like ultimate way to avoid the broke, and that is killing everyone in any country in the through the banking system crisis which is going to destroy the economic system for the taking out of our money…..
That is the reason in this dark age, YOU, and just YOU reader don’t have to fear in times of real crisis, and of course, GET OUT from the AMERICAN UNION NOW (MEX, US, CANADA) and be mentally prepared for all because now is a psycollogical warfare, after will be a World War…
P.D.: Don’t think to pass for Cuba, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua or Honduras, all they are next to U.S, and in U.K., Australia and European Union is worst, they are the owners and creators of all America system (Latinos y Norteamericanos y Canadienses(AGUANTE CANADA CARAJO, GRAN PAÍS ANTES DE LA LEY MARCIAL)) and of course is not necesary to say that please DON’T THINK IN GO TO EAST EUROPE OR ASIA XD…. take care my world friends