The Canwest News Service reports this evening that, “Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has rejected a call by more than 50 prominent activists to help halt ratification of a proposed Canada-Colombia free-trade agreement pending a human-rights assessment.”
“Canadian government legislation to ratify the trade agreement was tabled in the Commons in late March and could be passed within weeks given Liberal support”
“A letter asking Ignatieff to join the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois against the agreement was sent to him at the Liberal national convention in Vancouver. Among the signatories is former NDP leader Ed Broadbent, Amnesty International head Alex Neve, Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians and actress Sarah Polley.”
Liberal trade critic Scott Brison says the Liberals will not intervene because, “it’s easier to engage a country on human rights issues when you’re engaged on economic issues.”
The full article is at http://www.montrealgazette.com/Liberals+reject+call+scuttle+proposed+Canada+Colombia+free+trade+deal/1550999/story.html.
Our media release calling on the Liberals to oppose the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement, as well as the full letter and complete list of signatories, can be read at http://canadians.org/media/trade/2009/30-Apr-09.html.
