In the 20 years since it entered into force, the North American Free Trade Agreement has been both lauded and attacked. Few, however, question the treaty's lasting impact on the economies of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Gideon Rose, editor of Foreign Affairs, recently sat down with Carla Hills, the treaty's lead U.S. negotiator, to discuss its legacy.
For more, read Hills' recent essay on NAFTA here. A transcript is available below:
ROSE: Hi there. I'm Gideon Rose, the editor of Foreign Affairs. We're here today for another edition of "Foreign Affairs Focus," with Carla Hills as our guest, talking about NAFTA 20 years on.
Carla is the co-chair of the Council on Foreign Relations and the chair and CEO of Hills & Company and, from 1989 to 1993, she served as the U.S. Trade Representative and was one of the key figures behind the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
So let's start right out. Why, Carla, was NAFTA necessary, and what did you think was going to happen by signing it?
HILLS: We wanted to open markets around the world. The Uruguay Round was in trouble in 1990. We negotiated a marketing opening agreement, a free trade agreement, with some exceptions, with Canada. And then, Mexico called and said we want a free trade agreement with you.
And President Bush senior, who was for free trade, from the tip of Alaska down to the tip of Argentina, was enthusiastic. We talked to the Mexicans and they said, if we can have fas...
