The lower house of Japan’s parliament.
Japan is one step closer to ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The Wall Street Journal reports, “The TPP cleared its main hurdle in Japan’s parliament on [November 4], helping Prime Minister Shinzo Abe make the case before the U.S. election that the deal isn’t dead. Mr. Abe’s supporters rammed the TPP ratification bill through a special committee after some scuffles and shoving on the committee floor with opposition lawmakers who said the ruling camp was acting too hastily.”
“The ratification legislation now needs final approval by the full lower house—expected next Monday or Tuesday—after which it becomes law in 30 days.”
The news report adds,”President Barack Obama’s administration has also signaled its resolve to have the bill ratified by Congress in the lame-duck session that starts after the Nov. 8 presidential and congressional elections.”
While Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has signaled concern about the TPP, she has previously described it as “the gold standard of trade deals” and the New York Times reports that during her tenure as US secretary of state she hailed the accord without qualification more than 40 times. During the September 26 presidential debate, she stated, “We are 5 percent of the world’s population; we have to trade with the other 95 percent. And we need to have smart, fair trade deals.”
And while Justin Trudeau promised during the October 2015 election “a full and open public debate in Parliament to ensure Canadians are consulted on this historic trade agreement”, just last month he stated, “It’s difficult to imagine a world where Canada would turn its back on three of its top five trading partners [the United States, Japan, and Mexico]. We established very clearly during the campaign that we’re a pro-trade party.”
Trade minister Chrystia Freeland has stated that the TPP will come into force if six countries, including Japan and the United States, ratify the deal.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership signatory governments are expected to try to ratify the agreement by February 2018.
November is a month of action against the TPP. Upcoming actions include:
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Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow speaking against the TPP at Canadian Labour Congress-organized town hall meetings in Toronto (Nov. 8), Halifax (Nov. 10), Vancouver (Nov. 22), and Winnipeg (Nov. 23). -
Our allies in Quebec organizing the “1st Citizens’ Public Assembly on Free Trade Agreements, extractivism and power of transnational corporations” in Montreal (Nov. 10). -
Rallies and petition deliveries in Toronto and Winnipeg (Nov. 23). -
The Council of Canadians organizing with allies a demonstration against the TPP in Vancouver (Nov. 30). -
A trinational conference opposing the TPP in Toronto (Nov. 30-Dec. 3).
Already this month:
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Barlow spoke against the TPP in Windsor (Nov. 2) -
Council of Canadians organizer Rachel Small spoke at a rally against the TPP outside Freeland’s constituency office in Toronto (Nov. 4) -
Our South Niagara, Hamilton, London and Guelph chapters protested against the TPP outside Liberal MP Chris Bittle’s constituency office in St. Catharines (Nov. 5)
For more on our campaign to stop the TPP, please click here.
