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Stuart Trew challenges the Canada-EU talks

The Canadian Press reports in newspapers across the country today that, “Ian Lee (at Carleton’s Sprott School of Business) says a deal (with the European Union) could lay the political footings for trade talks with other countries – particularly in Latin America and Asia – and could even mark the underpinnings of a new North American trade agreement, should the United States choose to reopen NAFTA…”

“It’s that sort of talk that scares the Council of Canadians, who are concerned that the Canada-EU talks could open the door to privatization of Canada’s public infrastructure, including municipal water and sewage treatment plants. Placing public utilities in the hands of the private sector could undermine water safety and cost cities and towns even more in the long run than they currently spend on running those services, says the council’s Stuart Trew who wants Ottawa to abandon the talks.”

Trew says, “Really what the (Europeans) want to see are the removal of whatever protections exist at the municipal level on keeping water services public. Creating an agreement would actually encourage the privatization of water delivery and water treatment at the municipal level.”

The article adds, “And once you open the door to Europe, the United States wouldn’t be far behind arguing for equal treatment under the North American Free Trade Agreement that could extend to medicare and other publicly funded services, Trew argues.”

This article ran in numerous news sources including CTV, Macleans, The Guardian, The Spectator, the Kelowna Daily Courier, the Penticton Herald, News 1130, News 919, and AM 770.

The full article is at http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hDSlAp3VfWHQVVlCCErEOSmNn_dg.