International Freedom and Trade Act
 | |
| Other short titles |
Trade and Freedom Act International Act |
|---|---|
| Long title | An act to secure the freedom and trade of international travel and security within the Caribbean against Continental-led aggression |
| Nicknames |
Caribbean Freedom Act Caribbean Act |
| Enacted by | the 41st Parliament of Superior |
| Legislative history | |
| |
The International Freedom and Trade Act is an Act of the Parliament of Superior that seeks to impose strict and intense economic and political sanctions against the United Commonwealth, United People's Committees and all other member states of both the Chattanooga Pact and the OMEAD in response to the Amazonas incident from December 12, 2021. The bill proposed on January 23 by United Conservative MP Andrew Keyes from New Anjou in the House of Delegates as part of the overall foreign policy for the Dillon Administration and Superior's response to the Caribbean diplomatic crisis which includes a series of harsh economic sanctions on OMEAD member states with the intent on weakening the alliance to prevent any sanctions from being undermined through trade deals and alliances.
The overall goal is to weaken OMEAD and ensure the effectiveness of all sanctions which targets major businesses, state-owned enterprises, banks and key financial institutions, and various government and military officials and figures. It also seeks to convince other states in Anglo-America and especially members of the Conference of American States into taking similar measures and passing similar legislation as well on a national and trans-national level. The act itself was refered to the House Foreign Affairs Committee where a final vote was held on January 31. The bill was approved and passed by a margin of 140–123 with the Conservative Coalition with the backing from the Reform Party while the Progressive Bloc voted against with support from the New Labor and First Nations parties.
Vote on the bill in the High Council was delayed following a series of terrorist attacks on February 9 forcing Parliament out of session for a week before resuming their session on February 15. The act was approved by the High Council 29–16 on February 21 and was sent to the desk of William II. The bill recieved royal assent on February 22 making Superior the fourth CAS member states to pass such sanctions legislation after Alaska, Manitoba, Argentina and Brazil.
Background
Amazonas incident
On December 12, the Amazonas F was attacked and destroyed by the Continental Navy cruiser CCS Evansville on charges that the Amazonas had violated the maritime borders of the United People's Committees and accused Brazil of potential involvement in the 2021 Andean constitutional crisis seeking to undermine the ruling Communist Party of the Andes. The attack was condemned by the wider international community with sanctions being imposed on the Andean and Continental governments and businesses. Superior, under outgoing President Jennifer Granholm condemned the attack and supported sanctions against both states and sanctioned the Andean government under Emilia Ortega and declared her an illegitimate leader, but as she was outgoing, little was done and the issue became a front and center issue of the 2022 Superian federal election. Dillon for his part took an aggressive stance against the United Commonwealth and called for strick and intense sanctions on it, the Andes, and to target their allies and weaken the Chatanooga Pact and OMEAD as well viewing it as proof of the "true authoritarian and aggressive colors" of Landonism.
The act recieved universal condemnation from the wider international community outside of states and governments that are ideologically and/or politically aligned with the United Commonwealth with protests breaking out across the Americas and Europe in response to the attack. Public opinion in Superior shifted in favor of sanctions and thrusted Continental–Superian relations into the forefront of the 2022 election season as a key and important issue with Dillon taking an ardent stance against the United Commonwealth and the Andes and stating his support for sanctions and tough international pressure, a proposal that was popular amongst voters and the general public.
Change in relations
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Under Granholm, Superior began the process of normalizing relations with the United Commonwealth with a historic summit being held in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This lead to the establishment of formal diplomatic ties and the creation of formal embassies which were publically announced in 2018. Granholm and the Liberal Democrats supported the move believing that for the sake of stability and preventing future war, both nations had to put aside their past grievences and rivalry, but this remain a contentious issue with Isaac Dillon and the United Conservatives opposing the move and viewed the United Commonwealth as a continued threat to Superior that should be treated as such.
Dillon would campaign on reversing the progress Granholm made and re-instating the federal government's ownership over Michigan as rightful Superian land under Continental occupation. During the 2022 federal election, Dillon would campaign on ensuring that the United Commonwealth was treated antagonsiticlly and saw an increase in support in the wake of the Amazonas incident which caused public opinion to shift against the United Commonwealth and the idea of normalizing relations with them. After becoming president, Dillon would sign an executive order denouncing the United Commonwealth and the Andes and stating support for imposing new sanctions through legislation and executive action and approved a resolution condemning the Andes and the UCCS for their role in the incident.
History
The bill was first proposed on January 23 by Andrew Keyes who announced the International Freedom and Trade Act during a press conference in Saint Anthony among supporters of the anti-Continental Defense of the Caribbean campaign declaring his intent to impose significant and severe sanctions on both the United Commonwealth and the its allies in both the United People's Committees and all other member states of OMEAD and the Chattanooga Pact. Keyes proposed the bill a day before being his hearing to the High Council for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and sought to advance the foreign policy agenda of the Dillon Administration. Isaac Dillon would endorse the bill and the it would be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the House of Delegates for a debate. The debate garnered significant media attention as the debate on whether or not Superior should target the Commonwealth's allies beyond the Andes.
February attacks and delay
On February 9, a series of terrorist attacks occured across Superior in the states of New Anjou and Minneapolis. At the University of Dubuque in Dubuque in New Anjou, a group of four attackers instigated a mass shooting at students killing at least three being killed at the scene and fifteen were injured. Three of the four attackers were arrested by campus police and the fourth was killed while trying to escape. A second attack occured in Saint Anthony at Target Plaza South where explosions were detonated at the scene and caused over a hundred deaths as a result. The attacks ended with a total of 151 deaths, most of which were from the Saint Anthony attacks, and 342 injuries. As a result of the attacks, Parliament was evacuated and the session was ended early.
As a result of the delay, the High Council vote on the International Freedom and Trade Act was delayed as well until Parliament could meet back in session. On February 11, a statement was released stating that Parliament would return to session on February 15 and would pursue anti-terrorist legislation before moving on to other legislative pieces. Keyes published the statement and agreed to it and confirmed that after national security legislation was passed, Parliament would resume its vote on the International Freedom and Trade Act.
Reactions
Support
The Conservative Coalition declared its support for the bill upon its proposal with the United Conservative Party backing the bill overhwhelmingly. Both the Christian Democrats and Constitutional Unionists voiced their backing for the bill to with Deputy President Anietta Johnson stating that it was a "must pass bill". The Libertarian Party of Superior declared support on January 24 saying that the bill "finally recognized the Landonist threat to the Caribbean and global freedom at-large".
The Association for Michigander Exiles, an organization supporting Continental defectors from Michigan, released an official statement on January 23 declaring their unaminous support and called for tough and rigid sanctions while also encouraging further defections from both states. A spokesperson also stated that the organization supports an amendment or a seperate bill that would seek to punish the United Commonwealth for its continued ownership over Michigan as well. Turning Point Superior declared its support on January 25 declaring that the Dillon Administration was "finally standing up to Landonist tyranny in defense of world liberty" with the Anglo-American Conservative Union in Superior also supporting the bill the same day alongside its parent organization.
Opposition
Opposition to the bill largely comes from the Progressive Bloc along with the New Labor Party and First Nation Party. Quentin Bradshaw, Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democratic Party, called the bill "economically and politically excessive" citing how it seeks to target all OMEAD member states and pointed out how none of them were involved in the Amazonas incident beyond the United Commonwealth and the Andes. He stated his support for imposing sanctions on the two states, but was opposed to extending it to other nations stating that the Caribbean crisis "was and must remain a regional dispute" and voiced opposition towards pulling other nations into the affair.
Atal Bohtar of the Farmer Labor Party voiced his opposition to it citing similar reasons as Bradshaw along with Autumn Hurst who called the bill "utter bloated and needless" and called for it to be rescinded or amended to only target the United Commonwealth and the Andes. Melissa Butler of the New Labor Party accused the bill of trying to restart the Cold War and called for a more peaceful and pragmatic approach. The Anglo-American Reconciliation Organization voiced its opposition on January 28 and accused both Keyes and the Dillon Administration of trying to cause a historic international crisis.
Foreign
Public opinion
Legislative activity
| Parliament | Short title | Bill number(s) | Date introduced | Sponsor(s) | # of cosponsors | Latest status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41st Parliament | International Freedom Act | H.R. 308 | January 23, 2022 | Andrew Keyes (UC–NA) | 132 | Passed the House (140–123) |
| HC.R. 311 | February 1, 2022 | Steve Golding (UC–IW) | 23 | Passed the High Council (29–16) | ||
| P.R. 322 | February 21, 2022 | N/A | N/A | Recieved royal assent |
See also
| Diplomatic posts | |
|---|---|
| Diplomacy | |
| Conflicts | |
| Economic relations | |
| Related topics | |
