by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Yuan Yue, Wang Wen
NEW YORK, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- To Eugene Bosioc, from Stoney Creek, Ontairo, Canada, trucking is his way of life.
The Romanian immigrant has been hauling freight between the United States and Canada for 40 years. Driving on seemingly endless stretches of pavement is challenging, yet also rewarding.
The average pay of long-haul trucker is good compared with other industries. Bosioc earns even more than those employed by truck companies since he drives his own vehicle.
Yet Bosioc seems less optimistic about his livelihood as the renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are scheduled to start Wednesday and expected to last six or seven months.
"I listen to CNN every day, I know what (U.S,) President (Donald) Trump says about NAFTA, sometimes I am worried about the renegotiation," Bosioc told Xinhua one afternoon at the Angola Travel Plaza, a service area about 22 miles (35 km) south of the U.S.-Canada border city of Buffalo via I-90 W.
Trump, who on the election campaign trail last year called NAFTA "the worst trade deal signed maybe anywhere," has blamed the 23-year-old trade agreement for the lost of American jobs in automobile factories.
In regard to Canada, the United States has faced difficulties securing market access for its dairy, wine, grain and other products, but the current agreement is unequipped to address the barriers to the market, according to the objectives for NAFTA renegotiations released by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Office on Monday.
For the first time the USTR has included deficit reduction as a specific objective for NAFTA negotiations. Washington also seeks to retain power to impose a tougher trade enforcement against Canadian and Mexican products, and to include policing currency manipulation in the renegotiation.
Richard Saindon, a retired reporter from Radio Canada, chose to be a trucker mostly to avoid touching his pension.
"Trucking for three months, I can make enough money for my two months holiday in Europe," chuckled Saindon from Quebec City. "It is also for fun, I love travelling."
The obvious upside of NAFTA is it has quickened the flow of goods between the United States and Canada, he said.
"Crossing the border is very easy. the company I work with have the papers they need. so when I arrive, it is easier to pass their border with this truck than when I was a tourist. It is faster, it only takes 30 seconds."
But Saindon wonders if Canada has sufficient "bargaining power" for the new round of negotiations.
"In Canada, we want to protect many things, our dairy, our lumber...many many Canadian people are in this industry. Do we have any power against the U.S.? They have the strongest economy in the world," he asked. "So what can we do? Maybe we can turn more to Europe and Asia, we don't know."
"If we can become a partner of Mexico, if we can join Mexico, we will be stronger. Our position will be stronger. But if we are alone, I'm not sure what will happen," he added.
Some truckers, though, are hopeful that the Trump administration will not follow through with his tough talk against its North American neighbors.
"I know President Trump is looking at improving things on the American side, but I don't think that's going to be too negative to Canada," commented Andrew, a trucker, who is delivering goods from Ontario, to the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. "Maybe in certain sectors like softwood. Overall I don't think so. This is because I know trade is important to both countries."
"I think there will be an agreement because Canada...it is almost impossible that we don't have one in North America," Saindon agreed.
Canadian truckers are not alone in worrying about the potential revamping of the NAFTA.
Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association, told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette that people throughout the industry are concerned that rapid changes could ripple through supply chains before anybody has time to adapt.
"The industry has anxiety over change, and it's not necessarily that the way we are doing it is the best way," Newton said. "It's that the way freight currently flows is dependent upon the methodologies that are currently in play."
The Trump administration's protectionism, if fulfilled, would not only crash the cross-border trade between the United States and Canada, but also harm the two country's economy as a whole, said Cliff Lilly, a retired Canadian engineer who joined the truckers discussions over the NAFTA negotiations.
"The NAFTA is good on either side of the border, I think it is important to keep free trade open, and keep our borders open for everyone," said Lilly, who was on route back to his home in Ontario.
"He (Trump) wants to keep all the manufacturing in the states. Economically that is not sensible," Lilly added. "Everybody wants to shop at Walmart so we can get the best deal. You can't shop at Walmart and get the best deal when everything is made in the United States unless their labor costs go down."
