The Trans-Pacific Partnership - What Canadians need to know
December 21, 2014
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a 12-country, United States-lead trade deal that's been under negotiation for a few years, almost entirely in secret with only select advisors (or more likely lobbyists) having outside access to the text. It was finally released on November 5, 2015.
The Conservative Party of Canada and then Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who lost power following the October 19, 2015 federal election, seemed prepared to usher through the controversial deal without any public consultation. In addition to Canada, 11 other countries are part of the deal to create a free-trade area spanning from Chile to Japan. |
There are fears over the impact the TPP may have on Canadian jobs; intellectual property laws and patent enforcement; extend the scope of patents in sectors such a medicine and prevent the distribution of generic drugs; cause significant damage to Canada’s auto industry; force open Canada’s door for American milk and dairy products from cows that have been injected with synthetic bovine growth hormone (BGH); empower foreign corporations to skirt domestic courts and directly challenge our health, environmental and other public interests before extrajudicial foreign tribunals, to name a few.
Consequently, our longstanding national democracies would be undermined. As Canadian social activist Naomi Klein suggests, “The Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP, has been called 'NAFTA on steroids.' It’s the latest and largest in a series of international agreements that have attacked working women and men, fueled mindless and carbon-intensive consumption, and prevented governments from enforcing their own laws to cut greenhouse gas emissions.”
The new Liberal Government says they are prepared to sign the deal in February 2016, but would not bring the deal to parliament to ratify the TPP,
The TPP requires more public consultation before it is even signed
As Canada's new government promised to be open and responsive to Canadians, lets make our voices heard. Please help send a message to the new Minister of International Trade, Chrystia Freeland, to hold real public consultations on the TPP. Send a letter to Ms. Freeland by clicking here! (The Council of Canadians)
If you want to read more on the TPP, click on the links to TPP news feeds and some past news stories over the months below:
TPP Canada News Feeds:
Canadian Progressive news feed
Huffington Post news feed
TPP Canada Past News Stories:
December 16, 2015: Canada seen dawdling on ratification of key Pacific trade deal (Reuters)
November 8, 2015: Jim Balsillie warns TPP could cost Canada billions (Huffington Post)
November 5, 2015: THE ABCS OF TPP (The Globe and Mail)
November 5, 2015: Critics slam fine print in newly released Trans-Pacific Partnership text (CBC News)
October 5, 2015: Highlights: What's in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement? (CBC News)
August 14, 2015: Scrap the TPP and Save the CBC (Unifor Council 4000)
July 30, 2015: TPP trade deal proposal would see CBC, Canada Post exist solely for profit (Huffington Post)
July 30, 2015: WikiLeaks reveals CBC and Canada Post may be sold under TPP agreement (Canadian Progressive)
January 14, 2014: If you use the Internet in Canada, the TPP should concern you (Vice Canada)
Consequently, our longstanding national democracies would be undermined. As Canadian social activist Naomi Klein suggests, “The Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP, has been called 'NAFTA on steroids.' It’s the latest and largest in a series of international agreements that have attacked working women and men, fueled mindless and carbon-intensive consumption, and prevented governments from enforcing their own laws to cut greenhouse gas emissions.”
The new Liberal Government says they are prepared to sign the deal in February 2016, but would not bring the deal to parliament to ratify the TPP,
The TPP requires more public consultation before it is even signed
As Canada's new government promised to be open and responsive to Canadians, lets make our voices heard. Please help send a message to the new Minister of International Trade, Chrystia Freeland, to hold real public consultations on the TPP. Send a letter to Ms. Freeland by clicking here! (The Council of Canadians)
If you want to read more on the TPP, click on the links to TPP news feeds and some past news stories over the months below:
TPP Canada News Feeds:
Canadian Progressive news feed
Huffington Post news feed
TPP Canada Past News Stories:
December 16, 2015: Canada seen dawdling on ratification of key Pacific trade deal (Reuters)
November 8, 2015: Jim Balsillie warns TPP could cost Canada billions (Huffington Post)
November 5, 2015: THE ABCS OF TPP (The Globe and Mail)
November 5, 2015: Critics slam fine print in newly released Trans-Pacific Partnership text (CBC News)
October 5, 2015: Highlights: What's in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement? (CBC News)
August 14, 2015: Scrap the TPP and Save the CBC (Unifor Council 4000)
July 30, 2015: TPP trade deal proposal would see CBC, Canada Post exist solely for profit (Huffington Post)
July 30, 2015: WikiLeaks reveals CBC and Canada Post may be sold under TPP agreement (Canadian Progressive)
January 14, 2014: If you use the Internet in Canada, the TPP should concern you (Vice Canada)