The Globe and Mail reports that, “Only hours after a referendum victory in Ireland gave the European Union some of the powers of a federal nation, Europeans were shocked by the prospect of a continent-wide political and economic power being led by Tony Blair, the former British prime minister.”
“The Irish voted by an overwhelming 67 per cent majority to become the last country in the 27-nation bloc to endorse the Lisbon Treaty, an effective constitution that turns the EU into a nation-like federation with a continent-wide foreign policy and a president.”
“While there will be considerable public reaction to Mr. Blair from those who opposed the Iraq war, European officials said it will be difficult for any candidate of similar stature and widespread support to emerge in time for the closed-door, secret-ballot election, which could take place before this year’s end.”
For Council of Canadians analysis of the proposed Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, please go to http://canadians.org/trade/issues/EU/index.html. In particular, you may want to read trade campaigner Stuart Trew’s take on a Canada-EU deal in Maclean’s magazine at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=442.
And while the European Commission (the executive body of the EU) has supported the liberalization of water services, the European Parliament (the 785 member directly-elected legislature of the EU) voted on March 12 to declare, “that water is a shared resource of mankind and that access to drinking water should constitute a fundamental and universal right…”. More on this at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=259.
The Globe and Mail report on Tony Blair’s possible presidency of the EU is at http://theglobeandmail.com/news/world/irish-vote-yes-to-eu-blair-touted-for-presidency/article1311762/?.
