Its important to remember that the auto pact was killed when the EU and Japan challenged the US and Canada in the WTO. The WTO ruling was explicitly based on chapter 11, it was the WTO, a body separate to NAFTA who enforced chapter 11 in this novel case. Which association of countries is next to fire a lopsided torpedo into the soft under belly of the NAFTA members economies. There is a big target marker painted on that says, aim here, chapter 11. Detroit and Windsor need to be encouraged not prevented from building instant charge for 300 mile range plug in hybrid vehicles in North America, really yesterdays technology. Nobody else will do it for us and nobody else has an equally urgent need either. Now that good jobs for auto parts, vehicle manufacturing, rail road revival etc. can be brought back to North America we are stuck with this absurd piece of WTO/chapter 11 protectionism in favour of Japan and Germany. Transportation costs are and will be key and nowhere more than in the Yukon. Mulroneys chicken, to be precise the 11th, has come home to roost. Dont get me wrong, chapter 11 is not as evil in its original motivation as it looks. That wouldnt be realistic to underestimate the human potential for confusion; especially not with regard to Mulroneys chief negotiator in the NAFTA rounds, the flamboyant and incompetent Simon Reisman who unknowingly messed up thoroughly with his chapter 11 draft, dragging the states and Mexico along on this one. This is not my assessment, its the negotiators in the recently completed US-Australia free trade deal who said so. They specifically mentioned and avoided the failure of NAFTA chapter 11 type content, which is a wholesale invitation for frivolous litigation representing veto power of arbitration panels against democratic legislation. Chapter 11 provides no rules for trade and a lot of instructions for bad policy to dismantle lawful government. The word government measure appears 35 times describing a water tight target definition of every possible and impossible legislation, regulation, agreement that governments are involved with nationally and internationally. Time to set a sick bird, the 11th, onto the chopping block and turn it into a nutritious soup, a bit of lime juice and garlic sometimes work wonders to overcome strong au goût flavour. Its a six month cancellation notice which can be served informally under the Chapter 22, Article 2205 Withdrawal provision, which is simple and straightforward consisting of 34 words in its entirety.
Leadership is lacking in areas like economic development, ecology, fiscal responsibility, arts and innovation as well as democratic, womens, minorities, worker's, children's and language rights. The chapter 11 removal is a case involving all of the above that needs broad support from the citizenry and out of other parties. Wise First Nation elders consider the effect of decisions for the next seven generations. Doing away with chapter 11 we can make a lot of sense just looking 7 months down the line and even more so over seven years to come. Its important to follow common sense and the hard won experience of past generations who supported Canada's way of responsible government as well as respect for international law.
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