Protesters kept away from 'secret' trade meeting
Mexican official urged swift movement toward 'North American Union'
Posted: September 25, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
By Michael Howe
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com-->© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
DENVER – Protesters were kept outside for the third and final day of the Great Plains International Conference – a Denver event on intercontinental trade corridors in which a Mexican official urged swift movement toward a "North American Union."
Gene Baldock, coordinator of the protest group, told WND, "We just want people to have both sides of the story, and at these secret meetings people aren't getting both sides."
Baldock also pointed out the meetings were funded, in part, with taxpayer money.
The conference was sponsored by Texas, Colorado and other member states and communities.
Scott Flukinger, spokesman for the conference, said, "Everyone is welcome here, they just need to pay the registration fees like everyone else."
"I understand the concerns," he said, "but once people are informed about what is really happening then those concerns are often minimized."
(Story continues below)
Baldock argued "the decisions and planning that occur in these meetings will have an impact on the American economy and will have an effect on everyone."
He said the protesters tried to enter the meeting each of the three days and were turned away: "We were told it is a private meeting."
As WND reported, on the first day of the event, which ended Friday, the mayor of Acuna, Mexico, called for the swift formation of a North American Union.
At the conference, David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, urged businesses to become "more engaged in border issues."
"With the American's decision not to open the southern border, this has allowed standardization to go by the wayside, and instead leaves politicians alone in rooms to try and standardize," he said.
He contended the result of the controversial trilateral agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico – the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America are "underwhelming and those efforts need a kick start if North American is going to compete with other regions."
"If the goal is to make the North American trading block a vibrant one that can take on the EU and China, we need to get rid of roadblocks at the borders," Bradley said. "The biggest challenge is complacency."
Bradley joked with the audience after sharing news the Canadian dollar was on par with the U.S. dollar for the first time in 30 years.
"Someday, the way things are going, American baseball players will want to be paid in Canadian dollars," he said.
Another speaker at the trade conference, Ronald Corvais, president of the Americas division for Lockheed Martin praised the SPP.
"The SPP is good, and we need to insure that the SPP remains dynamic and effective," he said. "The North American private sector is committed to shaping a competitive North America."
Corvais also told the audience North American integration is supported from the top.
"Today we are looking at three nations working to enhance security and trade, and the efforts are supported at the highest levels of business and government," he said.
He denied, however, that any secret deals were being made.
Meanwhile, Texas Transportation Commission member Fred Underwood told conferees it's "time to establish the financial plan so we know exactly what we're aiming for."
Our agency will devote the resources to getting this done in partnership with the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor Coalition," he said.
Posted: September 25, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
By Michael Howe
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com-->© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
DENVER – Protesters were kept outside for the third and final day of the Great Plains International Conference – a Denver event on intercontinental trade corridors in which a Mexican official urged swift movement toward a "North American Union."
Gene Baldock, coordinator of the protest group, told WND, "We just want people to have both sides of the story, and at these secret meetings people aren't getting both sides."
Baldock also pointed out the meetings were funded, in part, with taxpayer money.
The conference was sponsored by Texas, Colorado and other member states and communities.
Scott Flukinger, spokesman for the conference, said, "Everyone is welcome here, they just need to pay the registration fees like everyone else."
"I understand the concerns," he said, "but once people are informed about what is really happening then those concerns are often minimized."
(Story continues below)
Baldock argued "the decisions and planning that occur in these meetings will have an impact on the American economy and will have an effect on everyone."
He said the protesters tried to enter the meeting each of the three days and were turned away: "We were told it is a private meeting."
As WND reported, on the first day of the event, which ended Friday, the mayor of Acuna, Mexico, called for the swift formation of a North American Union.
At the conference, David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, urged businesses to become "more engaged in border issues."
"With the American's decision not to open the southern border, this has allowed standardization to go by the wayside, and instead leaves politicians alone in rooms to try and standardize," he said.
He contended the result of the controversial trilateral agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico – the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America are "underwhelming and those efforts need a kick start if North American is going to compete with other regions."
"If the goal is to make the North American trading block a vibrant one that can take on the EU and China, we need to get rid of roadblocks at the borders," Bradley said. "The biggest challenge is complacency."
Bradley joked with the audience after sharing news the Canadian dollar was on par with the U.S. dollar for the first time in 30 years.
"Someday, the way things are going, American baseball players will want to be paid in Canadian dollars," he said.
Another speaker at the trade conference, Ronald Corvais, president of the Americas division for Lockheed Martin praised the SPP.
"The SPP is good, and we need to insure that the SPP remains dynamic and effective," he said. "The North American private sector is committed to shaping a competitive North America."
Corvais also told the audience North American integration is supported from the top.
"Today we are looking at three nations working to enhance security and trade, and the efforts are supported at the highest levels of business and government," he said.
He denied, however, that any secret deals were being made.
Meanwhile, Texas Transportation Commission member Fred Underwood told conferees it's "time to establish the financial plan so we know exactly what we're aiming for."
Our agency will devote the resources to getting this done in partnership with the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor Coalition," he said.
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