DEBUNKING MYTHS ABOUT INTERPROVINCIAL TRADE BARRIERS
The solution to surviving a tariff war is to work together as a country to refocus production locally, implement Canadian price controls on key items like food, and ensure people who lose their job as collateral damage have a strong safety net to rely on.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there, here are some facts.
FACT CHECK
DISTRACTION: We need to remove interprovincial trade barriers.
REALITY: This is a false solution aimed at more deregulation and boosting corporate profits.
DISTRACTION:
But aren’t there still barriers to trade within Canada?
REALITY: Besides trucking regulations, Quebec’s language laws and provincial liquor monopolies, there
WRONG:
Removing interprovincial trade barriers will create jobs.
TRUTH:
In fact, removing those regulations could limit governments’ ability to foster local industry and create jobs. Canada should strengthen labour standards across the country to protect workers and address jurisdictional loopholes that enable companies to shop for the jurisdiction with the lowest labour and occupational standards.
DISTRACTION: Removing interprovincial trade barriers is about finally dealing with “red tape”.
REALITY:
“Red tape” is a code word for deregulation. It’s part of a neoliberal project to reduce government oversight and “let the market decide”. It’s really just putting corporations—the fox in the hen house —in charge.
FACT: There are positive ways to move more trade across provinces. Transportation costs are a main barrier. Better roads, ports and other trade infrastructure could help fix that. And minor differences between provincial product regulations could be ironed out.
FACT: Canada could make housing and rents more affordable, so workers could choose to work where they want to live—whether that’s in the province they’re in right now or somewhere else in Canada.
BOTTOM
LINE: Trade barrier talk is really a continuation of the neoliberal project to put private profit ahead of the public interest.
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