ABSTRACT
Human rights and environmental protection were among the most controversial issues discussed during the national debate over ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Many of NAFTA’s critics feared that the agreement would encourage NAFTA nations to attract and retain investment by lowering the cost of doing business. According to NAFTA’s critics, this would result in downward harmonization or worker and environmental standards, and a race to the bottom. To lure investors, labor unions would be suppressed to keep wages down, worker safety standards would be reduced, and environmental protection requirements would be relaxed.
