The Council of Canadians, CUPE, the National Farmers Union and the Indigenous Environmental Network lobbied against CETA at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on January 19, 2011.
Postmedia reports that, “Sealing and oilsands, two issues that have darkened Canada’s image in some sectors of European society, could affect ratification of the proposed Canada-European Union free trade agreement, suggests a report from the House of Commons parliamentary committee on trade. …The MPs heard complaints on matters that had nothing to do with the proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), such as Canada’s seal hunt and the imposition of visa requirements on citizens visiting Canada from a small number of EU countries.” Concerns were also raised about the tar sands.
The Council of Canadians has highlighted the seal hunt – NEWS: CETA and the EU ban on seal products, http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4390 – visa requirements – UPDATE: Harper government offends Vaclav Havel, undermines CETA talks, http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=6010 – and the tar sands – UPDATE: Protest against CETA at the European Commission in Brussels, http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=5948 – in numerous campaign blogs.
Meera Karunananthan, Brent Patterson, Stuart Trew at the European Parliament in Brussels on July 19, 2010.
The article notes, “The report, based on a fact-finding mission to Europe in November, recommends that the Canadian government and Parliament step up efforts to lobby the 736-seat legislature that now has veto power over EU trade agreements. …The European Parliament, which holds sessions in Brussels, Belgium and Strasbourg, France, gained veto powers over trade deals in the Lisbon Treaty that took effect in 2009.”
The Council of Canadians has led two successful interventions at the European Parliament against CETA in July 2010 and January 2011. More on that at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=6000 and http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4198.
“Canada is hoping to announce later this year an agreement-in-principle that would slash tariff and non-tariff barriers that affect trade and investment.”
To sign the Council of Canadians petition against CETA, please go to http://canadians.org/action/2011/CETA-petition.html.
The Postmedia article is at http://www.montrealgazette.com/mobile/story.html?id=4259268.
