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Archived Articles
Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Canada: Free trade from coast to coastThe premiers of all Canadian provinces decided to push ahead with plans to open up their markets for the workforce that has received credentials in any of the provinces. This is a major step toward establishing free trade zone within Canada. It comes as a logical, but not inevitable next move after some Western provinces opened up their markets some time ago. Clearly, the most recent move becomes possible after the largest province, Ontario, decided to join the 'western' free trade in order to alleviate the threatening problem with unemployment; and the French-speaking province of Quebec decided that not joining in would mean economic isolation and loss of influence in its relations with the other provinces. To understand what makes the recent moves unprecedented we need to look at the history of the Canadian federation. In its foreign relations, Canada is a unitary state, or almost. At least officially, the foreign policy is in the hand of the federal government. In fact, however, some provinces, e.g. Quebec, have foreign missions that look exactly like embassies. In domestic affairs, however, Canada can't even officially pretend being a unitary state. Not only the provinces are sovereign in key areas like the education and healthcare, the fact which explains why studying in English in Quebec for some people is illegal despite the fact that Canada is 80 percent Anglophone. The provinces have also gradually taken some discretionary powers in the field of economics. Having some rights to impose unilaterally preconditions for employment and also different standards for goods and services that are sold, they in fact turn Canada into a patchwork of different trade regimes. Two years ago, two better-than-average performing provinces in terms of economic growth, British Columbia and Alberta, created a zone of free trade, investment and labor mobility. After an initial period of 2 years, many artificial barriers built during recent decades are to be eliminated. These two provinces are also eliminating business subsidies as well as discriminatory governmental procurement, i.e. when one province allows only companies registered within its jurisdiction to take part in public offers. To illustrate this point, if so far a province can require provincial tests for medical doctors to practice in addition to federal tests this additional burden is eliminated. Practices requiring registration within one jurisdiction within the zone, e.g. truckers, should be recognized by the other provinces taking part in the same zone. To the Europeans or to the Americans this may sound as commonsense policy, but for Canada it's tantamount to revolution in the minds. From the very beginning, the new free trade zone was opened for all other provinces that accepted the same founding principles. Initially Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, have expressed interest to study this offer. The key for expanding the zone eastward was, of course, Ontario, the largest Canadian province in terms of population and economic and financial might. The most recent pan-Canadian deal couldn't be possible without its blessing. Why Toronto made its mind in favor of the free trade? The last year has been painful for its main automobile industry. Ontario 'exports' workforce, and this deal is a way to export also unemployment. Another large province, Quebec, up to very recently was reluctant to join the free trade for the workforce. The fear to lose influence within the federation after Ontario began to look westward is the probable cause for making Quebec accept the deal.
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