Harper signs new security perimeter deal without consulting Canadians or Parliament
Late Friday afternoon, Prime Minster Stephen Harper announced he had unilaterally signed a deal with the United States government that some pundits have said is larger in scope than NAFTA.
The security perimeter deal, which Harper touted as being needed to further ease trade restrictions between the two countries, states that Canadian and U.S. governments will work “together within, at, and away from the borders of our two countries” to toughen security and promote trade.
In his comments following the announcement, Prime Minister Harper said the border plan is intended to “keep out terrorists and criminals,” “simplify regulations that hinder trade,” create “consistent inspection measures,” and to have “better management of our border” but not eliminate it.
The Council of Canadians has spoken out against this deal, which was reportedly negotiated in secret for six months with involvement from business groups, but not Parliament or public interest groups. While concrete details about the deal have been sparse, many concerns have already been raised about the implications of sharing security information with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the loss of sovereignty and trade-offs made to come to this agreement, and the degree to which any of the common measures being discussed will address the so-called “thickening” of the border.
"We've gone down this road before – it was called the Security and Prosperity Partnership – and North Americans rejected it," said Stuart Trew, Trade Justice Campaigner with the Council of Canadians. "The Harper government must disclose what terms it is negotiating with the Americans and open it to public and parliamentary scrutiny."
Take action!
Contact Prime Minister Stephen Harper today and tell him he shouldn’t sign away Canada’s sovereignty by making backroom deals without public debate or scrutiny. The security perimeter deal was signed by Prime Minster Harper without permission from the Canadian public and without approval from Parliament even though it could result in major changes to how our borders are monitored, unfair immigration policies, and the sharing of Canadians’ personal information with U.S. Homeland Security.
Go here to send your message to Prime Minister Harper today.
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Nuclear Safety Commission approves shipment of radioactive materials through the Great Lakes
 On Friday afternoon the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has given its permission to Bruce Power to ship 16 decommissioned nuclear steam generators from southwestern Ontario, across the Great Lakes, and then onto Sweden for recycling.
The Council of Canadians has joined Canadian and U.S. groups opposing these transports, arguing the results of a mishap would be ecologically devastating for the lakes. The Great Lakes hold one-fifth of the world’s freshwater and supply one out of three Canadians and one out of seven Americans – 45 million people – with their daily water use.
“It is unconscionable the commission would approve these shipments, said Emma Lui, National Water Campaigner for the Council of Canadians. “The Great Lakes are a vital source of water for millions. We cannot risk their further contamination.”
We need a different future for the Great Lakes. This is why the Council of Canadians, as part of a new network of Canadian, American and First Nations communities around the Great Lakes, is determined to have these lakes named a Commons, a public trust and a protected bioregion.
Add your voice for social justice! Renew your Council of Canadians membership today
 When you join the Council of Canadians you are adding your voice to one of Canada’s largest public advocacy organizations and speaking up for the progressive values and actions that will help build a better Canada and a better world. If you haven’t already done so, please take a few moments to renew your 2011 Council of Canadians membership today.
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Council speaks out against CETA
 Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow spoke to a full auditorium in Guelph, Ontario late last month to tell people about the Canada-European Union Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the threats it poses to democracy, public services and locally-created social and economic policies.
“It’s a very aggressive trade agreement that most people haven’t heard about,” she said at the event. “It’s a much bigger agreement than even NAFTA because it includes sub-national procurement, which means provinces, municipalities, schools, hospitals, water systems – all of the money that we spend at the lower levels of government. It’s really an agreement that will give the big service corporations in Europe (and then American because under NAFTA you can’t give to one without giving to the other) access to these contracts at the lower levels.”
CETA’s benefits were also questioned in a recent letter to the editor in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald by Council of Canadians’Atlantic Regional Organizer Angela Giles and CUPE Nova Scotia President Danny Cavanagh. Questioning Canada’s involvement in a trade deal that will limit provincial and municipal opportunities to set their own social and economic policies, they outlined the threats CETA poses to procurement, fisheries, health care, farmers, and democracy. “The EU also wants water utilities and water-treatment services included in the deal, which would put pressure on municipalities to privatize water systems and give favourable treatment to large EU-based private water firms such as Veolia and Suez. Combined with the procurement chapter, it will be impossible for Nova Scotia communities to get the most employment and environmental benefits out of water system upgrades,” they wrote.
To read more about CETA go here.
Click here to watch video from Maude Barlow's recent visit to Guelph.
Win! Kalahari Bushmen’s right to water recognized by court
Botswana’s Court of Appeal has quashed a ruling that denied the Kalahari Bushmen access to water on their ancestral lands. This decision is the first major test of the United Nations’ recognition of the human right to water.
In August 2010 Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow condemned the Botswana government’s failure to allow Bushmen to access water. In a media report she stated, "(T)he UN General Assembly declared that everyone, everywhere, has the right to water. But now the world witnesses one of Africa’s most prosperous countries denying its first inhabitants the right to sink a well, while promoting mining and safari camps just a few miles away. It’s hard to imagine a more cruel and inhuman way to treat people. One can only conclude Botswana’s authorities view Bushmen as less important than wildlife. Many people around the world will be horrified."
The Bushmen, who returned to their lands in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve after a previous court victory, were appealing a 2010 High Court ruling that denied their right to access a well in the reserve they had used for decades. Without the well, the Bushmen are forced to make arduous journeys by foot or donkey to get water from outside the reserve and resort to collecting rainwater, melons and roots for drinking water.
“This is a major victory. It’s the first test case of our right to water resolution at the United Nations. People should not be denied the right to water – it is essential to life.” said Barlow.
To read our media release on this go here.
Council Vice-Chair attends World Social Forum
Council of Canadians Vice-Chair Leo Broderick is in Darkar, Senegal at the World Social Forum on behalf of the Council of Canadians.
The forum, which has happened yearly since 2001, is “an open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organizations opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, to formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action.”
The World Social Forum runs from February 6-11, 2011.
Buzz about a Spring election grows louder
 The political posturing continues leading up to the Conservative government’s federal budget release, which is expected in March.
The Liberal Party has indicated it will vote against the budget, and the NDP and Bloc Québécois have both placed requirements on budget spending and programs in order to earn their approval. If either party votes against the budget, the government will fall and Canadians will once again be heading to the polls.
The Council of Canadians continues to track election developments. As in past elections, we will raise key issues of concern for our members. Our positioning in the last several elections has been to focus on issues as they relate to our campaigns, and to strongly call for a fairer voting system through proportional representation.
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Founded in 1985 by a handful of citizens including Farley Mowat, Pierre Berton and Margaret Atwood, the Council of Canadians is Canada’s pre-eminent public watchdog organization. By becoming a member of the Council of Canadians your generous support helps give our organization a voice on social, economic and political issues and build a strong, independent and diverse Canada. Join the Council today, and help us prove that a better Canada is possible. Already a member? Share this newsletter with a friend and encourage them to join or donate and become a part of Canada’s largest citizens’ advocacy organization.
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