Is NAFTA good for everyone? Looking at several viewpoints

Key Vocabulary NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement - This agreement allows Canada, the United States and Mexico to trade freely without tariffs. maquiladoras - Mexican factories built on the border consumers - people who buy goods

Making Connections How do you think NAFTA and maquiladoras are related to each other? Why might business owners in the United States move their factories to Mexico?

American Business Owners Do you think American business owners would like NAFTA and maquiladoras? Why or why not? 1. They can move their factories to Mexico and ship the goods to the US with no tariffs. 2. They would not have to pay the workers in Mexico as much as in the United States. 3. They would be able to sell their product for cheaper, but still make a good profit.

Mexican Business Owner Would Mexican business owners like NAFTA and maquiladoras? Why? 1.They probably would like NAFTA because they would be able to trade freely. 2.They would not like foreign owned factories because they would create competition.

Mexican Government Would a Mexican Government official like NAFTA and maquiladoras? Why or why not? 1. NAFTA would be good for the economy of Mexico. 2. Maquiladoras would provide jobs for Mexicans, but the profit made by maquiladoras would go back into the US economy, not into Mexico’s. 3. Maquiladoras could hurt Mexican owned businesses.

Mexican Factory Worker Would a Mexican factory worker like NAFTA and maquiladoras? Why or Why Not? 1. It would provide a job in a country where there are not enough jobs. 2. However, the wages are very low and the working conditions are not good.

American Factory Worker Would an American factory worker like NAFTA and maquiladoras? Why or why not? 1. Many American factory workers lose their jobs because the owners move the factories to Mexico. American factory workers cannot move to Mexico to keep their jobs.

Environmentalists Would an environmentalist like NAFTA and maquiladoras? Why or why not? 1. Building factories creates pollution. An environmentalist would want to make sure the US, Canada, and Mexico all had laws to protect the environment. Since all three countries are neighbors, air pollution from one affects them all.

American Consumer Would the American consumer like NAFTA and maquiladoras? Why or why not? 1. Goods made in Mexico would cost a lot less because labor is cheaper there.