Photo: (l-r) RQIC coordinator Pierre-Yves Serinet, Dutch MEP Anne-Marie Mineur, German MEP Helmut Scholz, independent researcher Raoul-Marc Jennar, Council of Canadians executive director Garry Neil, War on Want director John Hilary.
Council of Canadians executive director Garry Neil spoke against ‘free trade’ deals today at a conference titled, TTIP, TPP, CETA, TiSA What impact will they have on Democracy & sustainable development? The conference was organized by the European United Left – Nordic Green Left – European Parliamentary Group (GUE/NGL) and took place in Room ASP 162 at the European Parliament in Brussels.
The GUE/NGL has 51 seats in the European Parliament and these will be critical votes for us when CETA goes before the parliament for ratification likely in late 2016 or early 2017.
Neil spoke at the first session titled, ‘TTIP, TPP, CETA with the ISDS, What impact on our democracies?’ It was moderated by German MEP Helmut Scholz and Dutch MEP Anne-Marie Mineur. The panel also featured our allies Pierre-Yves Serinet, coordinator RQIC (network of Quebec on continental integration) and John Hilary, director of of the UK-based group War on Want.
Neil tells us, “I spoke about what to expect from our new government, the need for Europeans to stop ISDS in CETA, and Osgoode Hall Law School professor Gus Van Harten’s proposed carve-out protection for the COP 21 climate agreement from investor-state challenges. Very well received.”
The Council of Canadians is opposed to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) and the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provision.
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