Thanks for the suggestion as to how to atin America as US power recedes.
Typically, though, the US has strongly discouraged Canada from playing any independent role in Latin America.
And US disapproval minimally expressed--for example doing full customs examinations of all cross-border traffic--would quickly take three points off Canada's GNP.
That is true. However it is also true that the US cannot handle it all on its own anymore and maybe it is time to grow up and let Canada pick up some of the slack. It has already been discretely helping in the Caribbean, picking up where the UK left in its colonial debacle. But Canada could certainly do more, for example at the OAS where it can say more things, those that the US should not.
You are right, for sure. So, if you could just convince the US government to stand back a bit, go easy on the Monroe Doctrine thing, I will get Canada to step up.
There are actually quite a few people in Canada which think this would be wise policy, but of course it is unthinkable without change in the US point of view.
An interesting scenario, but not likely given the great lassitude of Canadians towards Latin America. As long as we can still get cheap fruit and vegetables from Chile and Mexico, few will consider the political situation very deeply. The south is a place of sun, beaches and bacchanalia for most, a winter escape, not a place of real humans with real aspirations.
In Calgary, the seat of the oil business, home to some 50,000 hispanic expats including a few hundred Venezuelan engineers and their families (thanks to Chavez raping PDVSA), little to nothing hits the local media.
Or maybe it's just too damn cold for most of us to care.
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Thanks for the suggestion as to how to atin America as US power recedes.
ReplyDeleteTypically, though, the US has strongly discouraged Canada from playing any independent role in Latin America.
And US disapproval minimally expressed--for example doing full customs examinations of all cross-border traffic--would quickly take three points off Canada's GNP.
Jeffrey
ReplyDeleteThat is true. However it is also true that the US cannot handle it all on its own anymore and maybe it is time to grow up and let Canada pick up some of the slack. It has already been discretely helping in the Caribbean, picking up where the UK left in its colonial debacle. But Canada could certainly do more, for example at the OAS where it can say more things, those that the US should not.
You are right, for sure. So, if you could just convince the US government to stand back a bit, go easy on the Monroe Doctrine thing, I will get Canada to step up.
ReplyDeleteThere are actually quite a few people in Canada which think this would be wise policy, but of course it is unthinkable without change in the US point of view.
jeffry
ReplyDeleteit's a deal. i'll my people call your people.
An interesting scenario, but not likely given the great lassitude of Canadians towards Latin America. As long as we can still get cheap fruit and vegetables from Chile and Mexico, few will consider the political situation very deeply. The south is a place of sun, beaches and bacchanalia for most, a winter escape, not a place of real humans with real aspirations.
ReplyDeleteIn Calgary, the seat of the oil business, home to some 50,000 hispanic expats including a few hundred Venezuelan engineers and their families (thanks to Chavez raping PDVSA), little to nothing hits the local media.
Or maybe it's just too damn cold for most of us to care.