CANZUK International’s online petition, advocating free movement of citizens between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, has received over 225,000 signatures (and is continuing to rise).
While it is an advocacy group promoting free movement, and free trade and cooperation between the four countries, it runs counter to U.S. President Donald Trump’s fair trade policies.
CANZUK means Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
According to James Skinner, chief executive of CANZUK International, the organization’s proposals can be broken down into three key areas: freedom of movement, free trade and foreign policy co-operation.
“We would like to see a common free-trade agreement negotiated between these countries,” Skinner explained. “We now think it’s a great time for that to happen seeing as the U.K. is leaving the European Union as of next year.”
Trump’s denunciation of free trade has shattered global trade stability, raising fears of a backlash against the U.S.
It has also sent the rest of the world scrambling to find ways to counter the protectionist policies that were thought to be of the past.
CANZUK said the petition is one of the most viewed petitions of all time on
Change.org, as thousands of people have signed and shared online.
“This demonstrates huge support for our proposals and promoting the campaign as one of the fastest growing issues within international politics.”
