What can Canada offer U.S. to get what we want? (Security and Sovereignty).

A big-picture approach is urged to meet key goals of freer access to U.S. markets and control over Canadian economic and social policies. We must think about what we want, and what we can offer to get it -- energy security and greater contribution to defence security, for example. From evidence presented in Toronto, May 7

I would define Canada's key interest in the Canada-U.S. relationship as obtaining secure access to the U.S. market in terms of reducing obstacles to the flow of goods, services, capital, technology, and people while at the same time maintaining control over policies that are important to meeting our social and economic objectives as a country, such as determining the profiles and numbers of permanent immigrants.

If these are our ultimate goals -- secure access to the U.S. market while not impeding our ability to pursue the economic and social goals of the country -- then what strategies do we currently use to pursue them, and are they effective? If I had to use one phrase to describe how I believe Canada manages the Canada-U.S. relationship today, it would be on an as-needed, reactive basis --issue by issue, event by event--with NAFTA as a framework. This is not necessarily a …