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Vancouver/Burnaby chapter calls on Vancouver city council to reject the TPP

Vancouver City Hall

The Vancouver/Burnaby chapter spoke at Vancouver City Hall yesterday in support of a motion to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Chapter activist Penny Tilby tells us, “Three people from the Vancouver/Burnaby Chapter spoke at City Hall yesterday in favour of a motion by Councillor Adriane Carr, asking City Council to oppose the TPP and urge the Federal Government not to sign on.”

This morning, the Globe and Mail reports, “Vancouver city councillors, concerned about whether the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact will put the city at risk from lawsuits by global corporations, say they’ll decide next month whether to become the first Canadian city to officially oppose the deal. Councillors asked city staff on Tuesday [Dec. 1] to examine concerns that the TPP’s investor-state dispute settlement provision – also known as ISDS – will compromise the city’s authority by allowing corporations to sue over municipal legislation that results in loss of profits.”

Metro News adds, “Green Party Coun. Adriane Carr wanted council to oppose the TPP outright due to fears it could hurt Buy Local campaigns and spark lawsuits from transnational corporations.” Counciillor Carr says, “There’s an opportunity here for Vancouver to take a stand on an agreement that has only just been concluded that has a huge [impact] for our city, our province and our country. It’s a complete undermining of our democracy and our sovereign rights and our responsibility to our city.”

But 24 Hours notes, “Vancouver city council decided not to ‘rush into’ a motion that would officially oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement at a meeting Tuesday because the 6,000-page document was only released three weeks ago. Despite a little over half a dozen speakers who lined up to speak to council all supporting the city to outright oppose the TPP, city council decided to have staff investigate the trade agreement’s ramifications on the municipal level to inform a future decision in the new year.”

The Globe and Mail adds, “Vancouver’s examination of the agreement will be done in consultation with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to include the perspectives of other cities across the country. City staff are expected to report back with their findings by the end of January, according to a motion passed during Tuesday’s meeting, or before the federal ratification process.”

For more on our campaign against the TPP, please click here.

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