Beyond FTAs: Deepening North American Integration

Abstract:     
This paper presents a Canadian perspective on North American integration in the light of major changes in the world economy since the implementation more than a decade ago of the Canada-US FTA and the NAFTA. These changes highlight the need for completion of these FTA projects by totally eliminating tariffs and other border barriers and pursuing deeper economic integration that respects and preserves national sovereignty. It begins with a view of these changes. It then explores the challenges for North America as China and India become major players in global production systems in manufacturing and services and follows with an analysis of some of the implications for North American integration. It concludes that the rapid rise of China and India should be a catalyst for deeper integration in North America and, indeed, for a single market in the hemisphere.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 11

working papers series