NAFTA Begins To Widespread Protest

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) summit has today got underway, with leaders from all three sides to the agreement meeting in Montebello, Canada.

The trilateral agreement, encompassing the US, Canada and Mexico, was designed to allow free trade throughout the north American continent, and has seen growth in trade between the nations rise by roughly 10% year on year since its inception in 1994.

President Bush, President Felipe Calderon of Mexico and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, in attendance at the summit, are set to discuss the current economic climate, as well as ways to refine the NAFTA agreement.

The agenda is thought to include options for modernisation of the agreement, with stock market volatility and security also likely to feature in discussions between the three North American premiers.

However the NAFTA is not without its critics, and hundreds of thousands of protestors have gathered near the site of the summit, angry at the impact of the agreement on manufacturing jobs within the US and the environmental impact of increased trade. Additionally, anti-capitalist protestors are also thought to be in attendance.

Despite the overwhelming trade benefits generated over the years, critics claim the loss of around 1 million manufacturing jobs to Mexico have cost the US economy dearly. However, many analysts have attributed cheaper Mexican labour costs and free market economics to the perceived job cuts.

The Democrats have also heavily criticised the agreement, highlighting the difference in the degree of enforcement of labour laws within the three countries to the agreement paves the way for unfair market conditions.

The environment is also scheduled for discussion, with ways in which trade can be made more environmentally-friendly set to be considered.

While many critics site the environmental damage of such widespread trade agreements, the NAFTA signatories look set to continue to develop environmental policy for trade within the continent.

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