Council of Canadians St. John’s chapter activist Ken Kavanagh is calling for public hearings on the Canada-European Union ‘free trade’ deal in light of the tension between Newfoundland and Labrador premier Paul Davis and prime minister Stephen Harper over a promised $400 million fisheries fund.
The Telegram reports, “Kavanagh wants to see the provincial government hold public consultations on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union. …’We’re being asked to give up a constitutional right not to have any further control over the processing sector’, says Kavanagh. ‘To me, that’s a pretty significant decision to make, so I think people should have a say in it.’ He says consultations would give people an opportunity to understand the CETA agreement thoroughly and have a say on whether or not it should happen.”
And VOCM reports, “Kavanagh says people have become confused by the $400 million dollar fishery fund. He says the people of our province deserve a say in whether or not the Premier should ultimately support the deal. …[He believes the] premier should not be allowed to give up our constitutional right to control and manage the processing sector without consulting the public.”
That article also highlights, “Kavanagh says the whole matter of the fishery fund is putting more public focus on the trade deal, but is taking attention away from many other negative aspects of the deal, such as investor-state provisions.”
For more on the Council of Canadians campaign to defeat CETA, please click here.
Further reading
St. John’s chapter opposes Canada-EU ‘free trade’ deal (December 17, 2014 blog)
Premier Davis should hold public hearings before deciding on CETA support (December 16, 2014 media release)
If Harper can’t be trusted on the fisheries fund, what about pharmaceutical drugs? (December 13, 2014 blog)
Photo: Ken Kavanagh. Photo by The Telegram.
