Wall to raise concerns about protectionism during U.S. trip
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 3, 2009 | 12:57 PM CT
CBC News
Even before touching down for his first stop on an energy and trade mission to Chicago and Houston, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has raised concerns about potential protectionist measures in the United States economic stimulus package currently before Congress.
Wall is travelling with Manitoba Premier Gary Doer and will be joined later by Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach.
"We need to go down with a message that says, 'Look, it was this kind of protectionism that precipitated the Great Depression.' This is a march to insanity if the countries of the world are going to start to put up barriers at a time such as this," Wall said.
Wall said history backs him up.
"The last time there was this kind of legislation ... it was just before the Great Depression," Wall said. "If you take a look at the speeches around this Act and the dialogue that happened in the United States, it is alarmingly similar.
"There was even warnings from economists and others way back then that this would cause the recession to deepen. And of course, we know we got the Depression."
Wall added that the current debate over outsourcing in the United States should not target Canada.
"The Huffy Bicycle Company didn't move from Dayton to Saskatoon," Wall said. "They moved to China."
Wall acknowledged that trade is a sensitive issue in the U.S. right now given the current economic climate, but pointed out that free trade has been a benefit to both countries.
"More barriers is not what the world needs," Wall said. "The world needs these stimulus packages but we need open economies."
With files from the Canadian Press
