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Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement
It was the most controversial agreement of its kind in Canadian history. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's vision of free trade with the U.S. read like a Harlequin romance: Canada played the neglected lover, U.S., the negligent partner. Empty promises and veiled threats were all part of the negotiating dance between the world's greatest trading partners. The 1988 Free Trade Agreement was as dry as a stack of legal textbooks and as emotional as battling American cultural domination. It's an issue that still causes heated debate.		Educational activities about Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement

	Sealing the friendship with a song		Let the talks begin!		'You are a hack!'
	Irish Eyes Are Smiling as the Shamrock Summit opens the door for free trade talks. (TV; runs 1:40)		Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announces the beginning of formal free trade negotiations. (Radio; runs 2:33)		A stressed-out Simon Reisman lashes out at a Toronto Star reporter. (TV; runs 2:20)

	Calling it quits		Last minute deal		How much should one drink for one's country?
	A frustrated Simon Reisman walks away from the negotiating table. (TV; runs 2:48)		Negotiators salvage the trade deal at the 11th hour. (TV; runs 2:51)		Prominent writers Mordecai Richler and Rick Salutin debate the impact of free trade on Canadian culture. (TV; runs 8:16)

	Making sense of it all		Signed on the dotted line		Much ado about free trade
	The final text of Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement is published. (TV; runs 4:09)		The Canada-U.S Free Trade Agreement is now official... at least on paper. (TV; runs 2:10)		Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement dominates the 1988 federal election. (TV; runs 1:50)

	Entering a new era		Deal of the decade
	A year after the official documents are signed, the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement finally comes into effect. (TV; runs 3:21)		The implication of the historic Free Trade Agreement 10 years later. (TV; runs 5:29)

LINKS Topic from Les Archives de Radio-Canada on the same subject Libre-échange : la fin du protectionnisme américain? Related Topics from CBC's Archives The Auto Pact: En Route to Free Trade CBC.ca CBC: Canada: A People's History: Bringing Down the Barriers The CBC assumes no responsibility for the content of external links.

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