As we learned in class with our simulation Charter development it is quite common for one country to do something for another only if it will benefit the first country and sometime both. Read the following article about Visa requirements and how this could affect travel to and from Europe. If you have ever had to fill out government paperwork you will know how horrible it would be to have to apply for a Visa just to visit the Eiffel tower!
1) Why is this happening? Who brought this issue up?
2) What will this mean to the travel industry in Canada and Europe?
3) What is the real issue here? Is this about Visas or about illegal aliens? Why?
4) Who stands to benefit from this process regardless of the outcome? Why?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/eu-visa-romania-bulgaria-trade-ceta-1.3526513
Mark this one: Currently Canada and the USA require a Visa for Romanians and Bulgarians to enter the country. The European Union wants us to drop that requirement by April 12th, or Canadians and Americans will need Visas to enter any country part of the European Union. Canada not lifting these requirements could affect the Canada-European free trade agreement. This agreement allows Canada to trade with a $20 trillion market. This means there is a lot of pressure for Canada to allow Romanians and Bulgarians in without a visa, but there are reasons for those requirements. Europe currently has a huge migrant issue, and certain countries have many criminal issues that would be brought to Canada if we just opened the doors.
ReplyDeleteThe travel industry in Canada and Europe likely wouldn’t see a change until 2017. If Canada doesn’t agree to let the Romanians and Bulgarians into the country, then it will become slightly more difficult to travel to a EU country. You only need a travel visa if your stay in the other country is longer than 90 days, meaning the majority of vacations will go unaffected. Longer business trips or student visas will need to be approved. The time this takes can vary. If you are a good citizen, it shouldn’t be too hard. If you want to travel twice within 10 years, the second time it will be easier to get a visa. I don’t personally think this will change much in the travel industry.
I believe the real issue is the amount of uncontrolled migrants in Eastern Europe. It isn’t really about visas. Canada doesn’t want to have a bunch of people claiming asylum.
Big international corporations benefit if the deal doesn’t happen, because then trading needs to be done with them. Even if the deal goes through corporations are still benefiting more than any EU country or Canada. The comprehensive economic and trade agreement allows big companies to sue the government and this isn’t working out in our favour, as you can see with things like the trans Canada pipe, and the price of pharmaceuticals.
http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/ceta-aecg/index.aspx?lang=eng
http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/visas
I don't think that Canada should just open the doors. I feel that this would allow a lot of people in the don't necessarily deserve a spot in Canada yet. There are some people that are in Canada without their families and their families can't get in and there are also people who can't prove themselves citizens unless certain conditions that are hard to achieve. I am under the belief that these people should be dealt with before people can enter freely from some European countries. I also feel that the free trade agreement is doing fine the way it is now and it isn't worth changing the policies. I personally don't see much positive from this for Canada, and we've discussed that countries only approve things if it benefits them.
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