Commission reviews trade deal’s affects on Maine business

VIDEO: U. S. Rep Mike Michaud, Andreas Waldkirch and Stephano Tijerina give their takes on international trade. Scroll down or click here for what they had to say about Columbia.

Maine has been hit hard by job losses, and most are quick to blame national trade agreements for the demise of the state’s factories and mills.

A commission appointed by the Legislature has been tasked to travel the state and talk to the public about the national trade deals, and then make sure the concerns are elevated to the federal level. Thursday, they met in South Portland where experts and residents spoke out against the proposed Colombian trade deal.

Maine was the first state to establish such a commission. Since then Vermont and New Hampshire have followed. They all look at citizen-level impacts of trade agreements – how they affect Maine’s state and local laws, business environment and working conditions.

The state’s commission includes six legislators and 13 others, both citizens and representatives from state departments. The citizens represent a variety of sectors – farmers, non-profit groups, human rights groups, etc…

At the hearing, most were opposed to the Colombia deal. Many called for fair trade, not free trade.

“What we call free trade agreements tend to be restricted,” said Professor John Leiby of the University of Maine at Orono, on the complex nature of the current international agreements. “People will lose jobs because of trade agreements.”

Leiby said he doesn’t have a strong opinion about the Colombia deal.

Professor Andreas Waldkirch of Colby College said trade agreements are beneficial in some capacities. He is opposed to the proposed Colombian deal, because it only benefits those in a higher income bracket, and it is also very complex, he said. Click here for video.

UMO PhD student Stephano Tijerina said trade deals are first and foremost political. Also, “Always consider Canada’s interests behind this trade agreement. The U.S. is often followed by Canada,” he said. Click here for video.

Congressman Mike Michaud said he has visited Colombian leaders, and said the human rights aspect of Colombian deals must be considered. In Colombia, union leaders are murdered, he said. Click here for video of his presentation.

“It’s time we step back and see what trade agreements have done to these countries, and change that model,” Michaud said.

After the experts spoke, it was the public’s turn. Some had lost their jobs. Others had public health and environmental concerns. One was concerned about trade agreements’ affects on people with disabilities.

Kathy Robertson of Portland said trade agreements are linked to climate change. The U.S. has environmental standards, she said, so trade agreements allow those not willing to comply more freedom to go overseas.

Peter Kellman of North Berwick is the president of the Southern Maine Labor Council, and spoke Thursday in that capacity.

Kellman said he has been active in the labor union his whole life, and lost several jobs to trade agreements. He’s well versed on the subject.

He said that not much has changed for working people since the 1970s – real wages haven’t changed since 1973.

Trade agreements, however, are part of U.S. History, dating back to George Washington, when his brother’s company – the Ohio Company – made a deal with the British Empire. Out of that, the Commerce Clause of the Constitution was put in place, giving Congress the authority to manage trade activities.

When Kellman looks at the 2008 slate of candidates, not many stand out, he said. He liked Dennis Kucinich’s views on trade – but he dropped out. Kellman doesn’t see much difference between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

All the First Congressional District Democrats he’s looked at are good on trade, he said. As for the Senate race, “Allen is better on trade agreements than Collins.”

Kellman did single out one politician.

“Michaud is the lead man in the U.S. Congress on the issue of trade,” Kellman said. “He’s made trips to other countries, and gets the information himself” instead of reading it in the papers and listening to his colleagues, Kellman said.

Tom Ledue, who is also running for the U.S. Senate, told the group that trade policy needs to be reoriented. His plan would be to require both green and fair labor certifications on all agreements.

“Creating the cheapest goods creates great harm,” Ledue said.

At the beginning of the forum, Sen. Peggy Rotundo, who chairs the commission, said the group has voiced out against “the erosion of state sovereignty.” For example, she said, Maryland passed a bill banning lead from children’s toys. China found out about it, said it is not complaint with the World Trade Order, and has since filed a complaint.

“(The commission is) not anti-trade, but we’re eager to have the states involved the agreements are negotiated,” she said.