Jim Stanford’s contention that free-trade agreements caused a faster rise in Canadian imports than exports, and that they “pigeon-hole” Canada as a resource exporter (Canada-EU Trade Talks: Jumping From One Sinking Ship To Another – July 12), is based on spurious analysis. Canadians might with greater justice consider that, since the Canada-U.S free-trade agreement and its logical extension, the NAFTA, came into effect, Canada’s unemployment rate has fallen, Canada created more manufacturing jobs than other G7 economies, and our export economy now generates proportionately better-paying jobs for Canadians than it did before.
Daniel Schwanen, The Centre for International Governance Innovation, Waterloo, Ont.