The Hamilton Spectator reports, “Trade discussions between Canada and Europe have not been made public enough for the Council of Canadians, so the group has launched an awareness campaign before talks resume. ‘Good, bad or indifferent, this is a big trade agreement that we shouldn’t be quiet about,’ said Maude Barlow, chairperson for the national citizens’ organization. Barlow (also) visited The Spectator’s editorial board while in town on a cross-Canada tour drawing attention to the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union.”
“CETA negotiations have gone through eight rounds so far, with talks continuing in October. It reportedly stands to be the largest trade agreement in Canadian history, larger than NAFTA. However, Stephen Harper’s federal Conservative government is spending too much time consulting the business sector and not enough time informing the public, Barlow said. ‘If you’re signing a deal with an entity as big and fragile as Europe, we need a dialogue,’ she said.”
“The Council raised concerns surrounding the potential privatization of public services such as water and procurement policies for local projects. The EU is pushing to give foreign companies the ability to bid in Canada and not allow municipalities to exclude specific suppliers under policies such as ‘buy local’ for projects over a certain dollar value. In Hamilton, that could mean a new stadium or the construction of an LRT system being awarded to foreign companies, said Stuart Trew, trade campaigner for the Council of Canadians. Councillor Brian McHattie, vice-chair of the public works committee, tabled a motion on Sept. 12 for the city to demand a briefing on CETA negotiations from the Ontario government, as well as analyze the impact the agreement would have on the city. There are benefits to hiring local contractors for the city, province, and the country, said Trew. ‘Why would you want to give that up forever?'”
Trew reports that more than 100 people gathered in the Albion Room at the Hamilton Convention Centre this evening for the public forum.
For more on the CETA tour, please go to http://canadians.org/tradetour. More on our campaign against CETA can be found at http://canadians.org/ceta.
