Another week, another two municipal statements against the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The first, on June 12, comes from Port Moody, British Columbia, which passed the following motion based on recommendations from Councillor Rick Glumac. The second happened yesterday in Red Deer, Alberta, where council voted nearly unanimously for an exemption, according to reports.
The Port Moody motion, which was brought forward by Councillor Rick Glumac, reads as follows:
WHEREAS the Canadian government will soon conclude negotiations with the European Union (EU) on a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA); and
WHEREAS, as an integral part of the CETA, the EU is requiring full access to municipal procurement; and
WHEREAS the CETA would increase municipal administrative costs by requiring additional reporting and contract management; and
WHEREAS the CETA will limit the powers of local governments to act in the best interest of its residents:
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council ask the Province of British Columbia for a clear, permanent exemption for the City of Port Moody from the Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA);
AND THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, The Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia, The Honourable Ed Fast, Canadian Minister of International Trade, The Honourable Pat Bell, BC Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Innovation, local MPs and MLAs, Union of BC Municipalities and Federation of Canadian Municipalities, requesting their consideration and support.
Also this month, at a full council meeting on June 25, Red Deer, Alberta passed a motion calling for an exemption from CETA. The city manager’s office had proposed that council request more information from the Province, and an impact assessment from the federal government. But according to reports from people attending the meeting last night, all but one city councillor was prepared at this point to ask to be excluded from the agreement.
By passing these motions, the cities of Port Moody and Red Deer became the 40th and 41st municipalities or school board to request an exemption from the Canada-EU trade deal. These communities represent over 5.5 million people, putting into serious doubt the Harper government’s claim to have popular support for this trade negotiation.
To see our municipal CETA action page, which includes an interactive map of all the places raising concerns about the deal, click here.
