James Skinner
 | This article reads like a press release or a news article or is largely based on routine coverage or sensationalism. (November 2018) |
| James Skinner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Wales, United Kingdom |
| 🏡 Residence | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| 🏳️ Citizenship | British |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 📆 Years active | 2014–present |
| Movement | CANZUK |
| 🌐 Website | canzukinternational |
James Skinner is the founder and executive director of CANZUK International[1] - a non-profit international organisation which aims to achieve free movement of citizens, free trade agreements and foreign policy cooperation between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Early life[edit]
Skinner was born in South Wales, UK and moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2011 to pursue a career in law. Due to arduous immigration controls, he returned to London, UK for a short period before emigrating to Vancouver, Canada in 2013.[2]
Career[edit]
Skinner founded the Commonwealth Freedom of Movement Organization (CFMO) in 2014 which sought to achieve freer movement of citizens between the CANZUK countries after experiencing his own difficulties immigrating to Australia and Canada as a UK citizen.[3] Speaking with Rick Cluff on The Early Edition radio show as part of CBC Radio One's breakfast programming in Vancouver, Skinner explained the rationale behind his campaign, stating:
- We share the same head of state, the same language, the same Westminster style parliamentary system, the same common law legal system, similar economic growth rates, [and a] similar respect for human rights. What we're advocating is not something out of the ordinary.[4]
Skinner's organization was later renamed to CANZUK International with greater interest in campaigning for free trade and foreign policy cooperation between the four countries in addition to freedom of movement.[5]
Media coverage[edit]
Soon after founding his organization, Skinner was interviewed by the Huffington Post where he expressed optimism that a CANZUK agreement could be reached and rejected the notion of a "racial element" in the decision to include only Canada, U.K., New Zealand and Australia over other Commonwealth countries, citing their shared head of state, language, similar parliamentary and common law legal systems and highly developed economies with positive human rights records.[6]
In February 2017, Skinner interviewed for TVO's The Agenda with Steve Paikin where it was emphasised that despite closer diplomatic cooperation, he and CANZUK International would not advocate closer political union between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom as seen within the EU, but that he would continue to campaign "for free movement between four, independent, sovereign countries...to work together towards free trade and foreign policy".[7]
In an interview with Dan Riendeau for the "At Night" radio show on News Talk 770, Skinner also emphasised that any future free movement initiative between the CANZUK countries would need to learn from the flaws within the European Union free movement system, and therefore, certain restrictions would likely need to be considered by the respective governments for the initiative to work effectively.[8] This was also emphasized in an interview with Global News in January 2018, where Skinner stated that freedom of movement for citizens of each country would be "controlled" with certain health and security restrictions in place if people wanted to travel or work between the CANZUK countries. Those on a terror watch-list or with serious criminal convictions would not qualify under free movement provisions.[9]
When asked how freedom of movement would be implemented between the CANZUK countries, Skinner stated in an Interview with ABC News (Australia) that "in the interim, a five-year work visa could be introduced for anyone below the age of 31...this visa could then be expanded to those below the ages of 35 or 40. Progress could then be made towards increasing the five-year work visa to seven or ten years, and then eventually to full free-movement by negotiating an accession agreement for Canada and the United Kingdom to join the Trans-Tasman Travel Agreement".[10]
In addition to free movement of citizens, Skinner has also called for open trade between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom,[11] claiming that such trading relations would provide the CANZUK countries with "more collective bargaining power in dealing with large trading partners such as the United States, China, India and the European Union".[12] When speaking with Justin "Drex" Wilcomes on Global News's late-night talk show "The Shift with Drex" in January 2018, Skinner emphasized that trade between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom would equal $3.5 trillion, and accumulated Gross domestic product of the four countries would equal $6.5 trillion, thereby providing advantageous circumstances for free trade to be established.[13]
When speaking with the BBC, foreign policy cooperation between the CANZUK countries was also advocated by Skinner due to their similar cultural and historical ties, specifically working together regarding constitutional matters such as human rights and educational developments.[14]
Political views[edit]
Skinner is supportive of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, claiming that Brexit is going to be a "great opportunity" for the UK to negotiate its own trade agreements[15] when not "chained to the bureaucracy of the EU".[16] He also opposes a second Brexit referendum, stating "what’s done is done – we exercised our democratic rights, and the decision is conclusive".[17]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Push for free movement of Canadians, Kiwis, Britons and Australians gains momentum". GlobalNews.ca.
- ↑ "James Skinner: Let's say yes to free movement…between Commonwealth countries". ConservativeHome.com.
- ↑ "Some 70,000 sign petition to end immigration controls between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and U.K." 20 April 2015.
- ↑ "Group calls on free movement between Canada, U.K., New Zealand and Australia". 17 March 2015.
- ↑ "Home". CANZUK International.
- ↑ Hembrey, Jon (20 March 2015). "Free Movement Between Canada, U.K., Australia And New Zealand Unlikely". Huffington Post (Canada). Retrieved 5 November 2018.
- ↑ CANZUK International (2017-02-08), CANZUK International - "The Agenda" on TVO, retrieved 2018-05-28
- ↑ CANZUK International (2015-03-21), News Talk 770 Interview - Dan Riendeau & James Skinner - March 20th, 2015, retrieved 2018-05-28
- ↑ Scotti, Monique (21 January 2018). "Push for free movement of Canadians, Kiwis, Britons and Australians gains momentum". Global News. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
- ↑ Haynes, Jessica (27 September 2017). "Is it time for the UK to relax visa restrictions for Australian workers?". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 5 November 2018.
- ↑ "Group calls for free movement between Canada, U.K., Australia and New Zealand". CTVNews. 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ↑ "Our Mission". CANZUK International. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ↑ "The Shift with Drex - Borders and Walls -James Skinner - The Shift with Drex - Omny.fm". omny.fm. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ↑ "Global Trade After Brexit, Business Daily - BBC World Service". BBC. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ↑ Waldie, Paul (16 April 2018). "Brexit has thrust Commonwealth summit out of the shadows and into the spotlight". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ↑ Skinner, James (23 October 2016). "Canada has shown us we were right to leave the EU". Brexit Central. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ↑ Skinner, James (21 September 2016). "Before Britain joined the EEC, we had free movement between Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Post-Brexit, we can reignite the benefits that brought". City A.M. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
External links[edit]
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