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Reader says be careful where you buy your goods

Ever consider that the economic systems in various overseas countries are not compatible to North American standards?

Dear Editor,

Ever consider that the economic systems in various overseas countries are not compatible to North American standards?

When you get garments made in Bangladesh some of the workers might get paid $35 per month, work long hours in unsafe conditions (in many cases).

Factories have burned to the ground in some of these places and although it is cheaper to produce things in many foreign countries often you are putting people out of work in North America.

Of course trade is good if it encompasses all the world, but it would be better if there were old fashioned limits on the amount of some items that could be brought to North America. Too many cars or trucks from foreign countries could make selling North American vehicles much harder. When the three major North American producers of vehicles got into a financial mess a few years ago (even bankruptcy or close to it) don’t you think that if hundreds of thousands of foreign vehicles were not on the docks of North America it would be easier to sell more North American vehicles?

Sometimes making too much profit by getting things made and brought in from overseas is almost like selling off one’s country. North American workers don’t win, North American factories don’t win and the economy of North America doesn’t win because unemployment goes up. Too many North American factories have closed in the last 30 years.

Sure you can get cheaper goods if it comes from overseas, and it is good to trade some things from overseas. I think it is great to help people less fortunate than yourself, but not at the expense of North America. Is it worth shutting down North American factories or putting millions of North Americans out of work, so a few can make a huge profit by getting too many things made overseas?

The creator God of the universe should remain the creator God of the universe, and not be replaced by the ‘god of profits’.

It’s pretty bad when huge governments get foreign governments to buy treasury bonds to help keep their own economy going and North America in turn gets their needed items made in countries overseas, the same countries that are buying billions in treasury bonds and want their interest on time.

North America relies too much on overseas production and goods. Most oil, goods, and materials etc. should be produced right here in North America.

I think it is great to help countries overseas to help themselves, helping their citizens to live and make a living, but not at the huge rate it is being done in 2013. Let the overseas countries trade among themselves. Help them out from time to time because it is good to help people less fortunate than yourself, but not at the expense of running North America into the ground. At least that is the way I look at it.

Dale Carter

Lacombe