Expansion of Economic Globalization

Gross Domestic Product- The annual total of goods and services value that a county makes.
World Trade Organization- The only international organization that works with global rules of trade. They try to improve trading relations between countries by trying to convince countries to remove tariffs and trade barriers. They organize negotiations and meetings to settle disputes.

Tariff- a tax placed on foreign goods. The government uses them to help encourage the buying of domestic products by making the foreign ones more expensive.
Subsidy-financial aid that the government gives to help keep a business running.
Group of Eight- The group contains eight major industrial democracy countries that used to be the G7 until Russia joined in 1998 making it the G8. They discuss economic and foreign policies when they meet at annual summits. Together these countries hold 50% of the vote at the world bank and the IMF and have considerable influence at WTO.
La Francophone- an international organization that is concerned with promoting and protecting the culture of French speaking people as well as enhancing the economic development of countries that contain French speaking people.
Transnational Corporations- companies that are expanded to foreign countries to make a larger and more diverse group of buyers.

The Canada-US Softwood Lumber Dispute
Canada had been subsidizing the Canadian lumber industry which allows them to sell it to the Americans for cheaper than what American industries can afford to sell it. This influences Americans to buy Canadian lumber hurting the American lumber industry. Canada was approaching to gain 35% of the US market and that was when ,2001, the US put a tariff on all softwood lumber from Canada.
British Columbia was hit the hardest by the new tariff and even though the NAFTA was supporting Canada the US decided to wait for the WTO’s ruling. During August 2005 the WTO supported the US in that their companies were suffering because Canada unfairly subsidizes.
Canadian and US decided to meet in April 2006 to make a new agreement. The conditions were that the US would lift the tariff and refund 80% of the money collected from it in the past four years. Canada would not exceed having 34% of the US market by collecting a tax from companies who went over the limit. In addition the US lumber industry would keep $1billion in duties form Canada’s companies from 2002.
What if the US was to have tariffs on all the products and supplies that we sell in to the Americans? Many people would lose their jobs. As many of our companies are partnered with those in America we would lose many of our main industries. Prices of goods in Canada would rise making it hard not only to work in Canada but to live in it to.

Economic Globalization

Exchange Rate: The value of a currency compared to the value of another. Example: The Canadian dollar is currently $0.84 American.

The World Bank: An agency of the united nations that is controlled by the 184 countries in membership. It provides loans to less developed countries with some conditions meant to encourage democracy. they offer long term assistance. The world bank is run with the interest earned from the loans they give out.

International Monetary Fund: In charge of monitoring exchange rate and short term assistance. it is funded by quotas from members. A countries quota rate is based on how big their economy is.

Free Market Economy: an economy were the government doesn't intervene in businesses and is privatised.

Free Trade: an agreement to trade with other countries were the tariffs are lowered.

NAFTA

Who:United States, Canada, Mexico.

What:North American Free Trade Agreement. It is a treaty that reduces tariffs between those involved.

When: In 1989 Canada and the US made the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) and then in 1994 they extended the agreement to Mexico making the agreement contain all of North America.

Where: Countries in North America

Why: The agreement allows the three countries to trade with reduced taxes and tariffs. The reduced tariffs encourage more trade between the three countries and reduces competition with those outside of the agreement.

government systems

Our current prime minister of Canada is Stephen Harper. He was born on April 30 1959 in Toronto Ontario. His wife’s name is Laureen and he has a daughter named Rachel and a son named Benjamin. The Harper’s maintain a permanent residence in Calgary. Stephen Harper has received bachelors and master’s degrees in economics at the university of Calgary.
The Main Political parities in Canada are New Democratic, Liberal, Conservative, Green, and Bloc Quebecois. Each party has a different set of ideas on how to run the country. Normally people vote for the party that has the same ideas and values as them. The reason why we need different parties is so that one party can’t take over. Communist only allow one party so that when elections come only they can win and they have full control. As Canadians we have a freedom of choice but what would we do if there was nothing to choose between?
An Election can be called by the Prime Minister at any time he wishes but one has to be called within five years. For and election the Prime Minister will ask the Governor General to dissolve Parliament. Currently our Governor General is Michaelle Jean.
Some differences between the Canadian and American government are that the Americans have only two political parities but Canada has unlimited groups. For President Americans vote for a specific person while Canadians vote for the members of a party and whatever party that gets the most of their members to win has there party leader become Prime Minister. We have different titles for our leaders Canada calls the leader Prime Minister and America calls them Presidents. Our province leader is the Premier while the State leader is a Governor. But no matter what we are both Democratic which means that the people have the final say because the government need our votes to get anywhere.

Dogeball

One game that all guys seem to agree on is Dodge ball. A game basted on who came hit the most people with a ball to declare then out. Unfortunately most guys tend to want to show how strong they are to their friends so they throw the ball as hard as they can. Mix that with their uncontrolled hormones girls tend to become the target of choice. How do I know this? I was one of those targets.  I quote this from wikipedia “the size of a volley ball and are made of HARD light RUBBER or LEATHER. How would you like to see that coming straight at you? It is a barbaric game that gives someone the excuse to hit people.

Oka Crisis Timeline

1717-Governor of New France granted the lands that the cemetery is on to a catholic seminary

1800's Mohawks and Algonquins plant pine trees around the burial area to slow settlement in the area.

1868- Mohawk chief Joseph Onasakenrat wrote a letter telling the church they were illegally holding the land and demanded the return.

1869-Onasakenrat moved against the seminary with a small armed forced but was ended by local authorities

1936- Seminary sold territory and left area because of local Mohawk protest

1961 the original Le Club de golf d'Oka is built and Mohawks launched a legal protest against construction

1970 archaeologists confirm Mohawks claim of the cemetery

1974 National Geographic confirms claim

1977- an official land claim was filed to the federal office of native claims

1986- claim was rejected

1989- Mayor of Oka Jean Ouellette announces the golf courses expansion into a eighteen hole coarse. The Pines forest would have to be cleared to make available land.

1990:

March 10- Mohawks start to occupy around the burial ground to protect it and the trees they planted.

July 11- Mohawk protesters set up barricades around burial ground

5:30am- Surete du Quebec position around "the pines"

around 6:30am- Mohawks at Kahnawake block the Mercier bridge

8:45am-SQ police rush the barricades, gunfight started, and Corporal Marcel Lemay died

July 15- the SQ police are replaced by the Canadian Armed Forces

August 29-Mohawks at the bridge negotiated with lieutenant colonel Robin Gagnon. siege of the Kahnawake reserve was resolved and traffic began to flow again. Mohawks lost the bridge their best bargaining chip.

September 25- a Mohawk warrior set off all the flares that the army had set up to signal any escapes. the army hosed him but it wasn't powerful enough for a crowd and the Mohawks taunted the soldiers and through water balloons at the army.

September 26- Mohawks returned to their reserve

Things I Would Like to Know From Obama

I would ask what his long term plan for the countries america is in war against is? Does he plan to have the countries to start there own democracy or is he planning for the US to have a permanent hand in the affairs of those countries to keep a some control?  

I would like to see Mr.Obama do something about the environment. I don't need anything extreme. When I go to the bottle Depot to recycle they tell me that All American juice boxes, pop cans, and bottles can't be recycled because of how they are made. Think of all those bottles being used by the massive population in America and the only place they can go to is the landfill, on the ground, or in the ocean.  

I would like to see Barack Obama do something with all those banks who made the huge mistake of giving all those loans that they knew wouldn't get paid. They are playing a huge part in the economies recession all because of a stupid gamble. Some laws should be put so the banks can't give loans to people who they know won't be able to pay them because it would also prevent the person taking the loan from eg. losing their house that the bank was planning would happen anyway. It's taking advantage of them.