Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership in Santiago, Chile on March 8, 2018.
The Trudeau government has introduced Bill C-79, legislation to implement the so-called ‘comprehensive and progressive’ Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Maude Barlow says, “It may be rebranded, but it’s the same deal which an overwhelming majority – almost all Canadians consulted – said they opposed.”
NDP trade critic Tracey Ramsey highlights, “There is no gender chapter, there is no consent from the Aboriginal people in Canada. The labour provisions themselves have been called toothless, they’ve been called weak. The agreement doesn’t even use the word ‘climate change’ – that’s how environmentally weak it is.”
And Unifor president Jerry Dias comments, “The risks and uncertainty that CPTPP rules pose for auto, dairy, culture and other major industries, along with an entrenched investor-state dispute system, far outweigh any stated benefit.”
The CBC reports, “The agreement will enter into force 60 days after at least six of the partner countries complete their respective ratification procedures.”
Mexico ratified the CPTPP in late-April, the first signatory country to do so.
The Japan Times reported earlier this week, “The Diet approved a bill Wednesday [June 13] to ratify the [CPTPP]. The bill was adopted at a plenary session of the Upper House by a majority vote… The Lower House passed the bill in May. …In order to ratify the pact, Japan also needs to enact TPP-related legislation, which cleared the Lower House last month and includes measures to support the domestic agricultural sector and reinforce the protection of intellectual property rights.”
The remaining countries in the CPTPP are Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
Our key reasons for our opposition to the CPTPP can be read here.
