Thank
you to TIES org team for putting on a successful
conference, and also giving me the opportunity
to bring the North American student perspective
to the conference.
[I
thought I would give a brief introduction to why
I am here today. I am here as a representative
of the Student Organization of North America (SONA).
This organization was formed in 1999, as an initiative
from the Consortium on North American Education
Collaboration (CONAHEC). CONAHEC is an organization
for academics and administrators in the Educational
field looking to enhance education across North
America. They felt that something was missing
from their organization and that was the participation
of students, since in the end what they were working
on would in the end benefit students. Therefore,
SONA was formed. The Mission of SONA is to aim
in contributing to the development of a broad
vision of the North American Community. SONA recognizes
the processes that lead to economic, social, environmental
and educational change in our community. We will
act to 1) increase awareness of and respect for
the nations and peoples of North America, and
2) Promote opportunities for students to experience
our North American Community.
Well how does this all coincide with transatlantic
relations. SONA has been effected by what the
North America has encountered over the past couple
of years internally and externally.]
In November 2000 I attended and spoke at the Newropeans
conference in Paris as a rep of SONA. In my speech
at that conference I examined the lessons to be
learned for North America from European Integration
and the transatlantic relations between the EU
and North America. I thought it would be interesting
to look back to those thoughts on transatlantic
issues at the time and to see if they have changed
with the events of 9/11 and it's repercussions
for both sides of the Atlantic. I will begin by
examining what has and hasn't been learned in
North America,
In 2000, I examined the usefulness of regionalism
for the EU and the lessons that could be learned
for North America and it's own regionalism process.
I recognized the fact that political economic
regionalism helps to create a security blanket
against global uncertainty for the members of
the region, but also to ease the bumps of increased
world trade. Since 9/11 this has been a little
harder to adapt to for North America. Instead
of the US invoking open polices to gain support
and help from its neighbours Canada and Mexico,
it has instead created barriers that the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) had tried
to alleviate. The larger question that evolves
now is whether regionalism as seen in Europe will
ever come to this side of the Atlantic. Do we
even want it?
What are some of the difference between the EU
and North America in areas of integration. I identified
three area in 2000- immensity, make-up, and economics.
There has been changes in these areas that are
quite fundamental. The first, immensity, has not
changed. Geographically you can fit the EU as
it presently stands into the three countries 6.5
times. Within that immensity there are many cultural
differences, nations unto their own that are accepted
(to a point) within the counties. Therefore for
students to go from area of NA to another can
become quite costly and shocking- for example,
a student from Veracruz moving to Winnipeg (where
I am from) in the dead of winter- 30 C to -30C.
My second area is the make-up. We have the US
and the EU doesn't. Right from the start we have
a middle power Canada and a developing country
Mexico has to deal with the super power- the US.
This has become a lot more difficult since 9/11.
Walls have come up between the US and its supposed
partners- Canada and Mexico. Recently in Canada,
issues of immigration and the freeness of residents
to move between Canada and the US freely has been
a hot topic. I myself was swept up in it as I
am only a permanent resident in Canada, and I
though the rules would change before I would even
get to this conference. You go to the Mexican
side and any of the border towns where it used
to take you 10-15 mins at most to cross the border,
has now turned into 1-2 hour waits. I was in Tijuana
for a Conference in Feb 2001 and could get through
the border in around 10-15 minutes. However, I
returned in November and it was a different story.
It had turned into an almost 4 hour wait. In the
end how does this help the relationship between
the three countries on all levels? Well not very
well.
My final difference between the EU and NA is the
economic levels between Canada, Mexico and the
US. Since 9/11, we have been standing on the precipice
of recession. Canada's economy has been the strongest
of the three, while the US has been slipping,
and Mexico has been following close behind the
US because of its HUGE reliance on trade between
the two. With the barriers and trade disputes
(soft wood lumber for Canada-US) arising between
the three, the EU style regionalism looks very
forlorn, and even just closer integration has
come to a crashing halt with no sign of movement
ahead- pretty much like a traffic jam at a border
crossing.
Well how does this all coincide with EU/North
American relations. I emphasize the fact of North
American relations. The reason is because Canada
and Mexico have as many relational problems with
the US as the EU does. However, Canada and Mexico
have quite important influences on the US. Since
Canada and Mexico are the US's largest trade partners
respectively and also because of our links through
history, culture and other area these countries
cannot be left off the map when discussing transatlantic
relations. Canada has had a historical link to
the EU as a stepping stone to the US when negotiating
policy and trade with the US. For Mexico, this
relationship has recently taken a step forward
with the EU and Mexico signing a Free Trade Area
agreement in October 2000. It is the first transatlantic
FTA for the EU specializing in goods, services,
procurement, competition IPR, and finally investment.
It is a relationship based on 3 pillars-political
dialogue, trade liberalization, and finally cooperation.
But what of EU/ US relations directly? When I
first researched this area a couple of years ago
I had a very idealistic point of view. I gave
a perspective of these relations taken steps forward,
especially with the panel I was on in 2000. However,
my views have changed since 9/11- the relations
have taken a step back. Why is that? Basically,
US policies to the rest of the world. Everyone
has now become a suspect in the war on terrorism.
The US has taken a path of isolationism and policies
of cutting itself off from the rest of the world.
In 2000 I recognized the fact that globalization
is a phenomenon that would help to enlighten global
citizens of their neighbours - differences and
similarities. Since that time, it has been recognized
that we don't know each other as well as we should.
Now with barriers and increased scrutiny in immigration
and other areas it has created positive and negatives.
The one positive is security that hopefully does
prevent terrorism. However there are many negatives
that impact on relations. As we have seen this
has been a problem in NA for trade, immigration,
and diplomacy. But let's bring this down to another
level: Education
International Education helps to bring enlightenment
on issues affecting countries, understanding of
cultures that are out there, and finally critical
thinking to help with analyzing what works and
what doesn't for relations. What has come out
of 9/11 has been the fact that now more than ever
Education is needed on both sides of the Atlantic,
but also freedom between countries within the
two hemispheres for students to move to learn.
In Europe, student mobility has been expanding
since 1987 with the implementation of the Erasmus
program. In addition, well-established student
organizations are in place to address issues effecting
students within the EU. In North America, student
mobility between the three countries are slowly
evolving. Recently the Consortium on North American
Higher Education Collaboration started it's CONASEP
program: This student exchange program will be
a stepping stone to help increase understanding
between Canada, Mexico and the US. To break down
the borders that have been flung up. In addition,
the SONA organization that I am a part of is a
step in this direction to bring about understanding
between the three countries. We in North America
have a lot to learn from the EU.
However, what about expanding these relations
between the EU and North America? Is there such
a thing on a larger scale? Can we take what we
have learned separately and bring it together?
Is this possible after 9/11. I think it is more
than possible, it is essential. In my research
on the Erasmus program I came across an interesting
quote stating the objectives of the program: "Higher
education plays a crucial role in producing high
quality human resources, disseminating scientific
discovery and advanced knowledge through teaching,
adapting to the constantly emerging need for new
competences and qualifications, and education
future generations of citizens in a European context".
Let us delete the European Context, and insert
the transatlantic context.
Conferences such as this are an anomaly at this
level, and why is that? Politicians can only take
the torch so far, this is where citizens need
to stand up and recognize the fact that there
are areas that need to be spoken of, explored,
debated, and resolved- trade, security, and immigration
all spring to mind, but Education is the foundation
behind all of those. Without education, the threat
of close mindedness, and cultural misunderstandings
will surly arise, and their ugly heads have already
begun to show. We as citizens of these two continents
must recognize and forge ahead with those ideals
in tow. I said in 2000, "regionalism and
globalization can bring about communication across
the globe that works to everyone's advantage",
this rings true now more than ever, but it needs
to be worked on now before destructive paths are
taken that will shake our ideals and confidence
in such linkages.
Transatlantic mobility virtually or concretely
is what needs to be built, promoted, and students
need to be informed of, so that they want and
also need to learn about our countries/cultures
to be successful on the world stage and within
our own domestic environments.
I would finally like to say that I am very happy
and my optimism has come back to me because of
this conference. Also for the recognition by speakers
of the importance in Education in the transatlantic
relationship. Lets take these ideas and dreams
and make them a reality, and to continue the momentum
that we as transatlantic citizens from North America
and Europe recognized at this conference.
