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Here's a clue: in January 2006, the Council of the Americas, the United Postal Service and the North American Business Committee had a “PublicPrivate Sector Dialogue on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America” in Louisville, Kentucky.
Who was at this meeting? Fifty government officials and business leaders from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, including members of the Canadian Privy Council Office, the Mexican Presidency, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Who else was present? Corporate representatives from ExxonMobil, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Tyco, and FedEx.
Here's another clue: in March 2006, there was a SPP summit in Cancun, Mexico. George Bush, new Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Vicente Fox announced the creation of the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC). This council's job was to oversee the SPP, and included at least 10 CEOs from each country, including representatives from Lockheed Martin, WalMart, General Motors, Home Depot Canada, Canfor and Suncor.
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So, let's sum it up. Our elected leaders want to bring the people of North America together under common rules and regulations. And these common rules and regulations are going to be controlled by Big Business. This means the common good will be determined by the bottom line!
When countries have different rules, the SPP lets business choose the rules that help their bottom line. For example, a 2006 SPP report said that Canada's stricter pesticide limits were a "barrier to trade". U.S. rules allow more pesticides to be in food. That's not healthy, but it is more profitable. So Canada is now raising pesticide limits on hundreds of fruits and vegetables. That makes it easier for U.S. businesses to ship food to Canada. And Canadian businesses can make more money, too. Everybody wins!
Except for people who think health is more important than profits. But who listens to them?
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