Canuck

  Saturday, 27 December 2003

Free Trade Accord at Age 10: The Growing Pains Are Clear < 12:14:24 AM>.

The North American Free Trade Agreement is more than ever a politically charged symbol of the promises and perils of free trade. [New York Times: NYT HomePage] '"It has definitely created export-related job growth," said Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico. As the Democratic whip, he helped pushed through passage of Nafta in the House.

"On the whole Nafta's been a plus, but still, with a lot of alarmingly bad follow-up on commitments made on the border," he said. Promises to protect workers' rights and the environment have "failed alarmingly." So have pledges to close the economic gap between the United States and Mexico.

"The whole idea that Nafta would create jobs on the Mexican side and thus deter immigration has just been dead wrong," he said. "That was oversold."'