Ottawa— As the Canadian United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is slated to be debated in second reading this morning on the floor of the House of Commons, the Council of Canadians reiterates that the government is approving an incomplete agreement which has yet to be improved by U.S. Democrats.
“The CUSMA is half baked, and half done. The Democrats have the votes and we should be working with them to get rid of harmful pharmaceutical provisions which raise drug costs, and improve environmental and labour provisions. By ratifying, we are basically capitulating to Donald Trump and regressive interests,” says Maude Barlow, Honorary Chairperson of the Council of Canadians.
Today, the Council of Canadians also released a statement, backed by 12 MPs saying that CUSMA should not keep drug prices high and endanger a potential Pharmacare program.The Council of Canadians has also prepared a video and information campaign outlining the problems with the agreement including pharmaceutical provisions on biologics, regulatory cooperation rules which give industry a sneak preview and access to our decisions, and attacks to small farmers and our supply management system.
Available for comment on request:
- Maude Barlow, Honorary Chairperson of the Council of Canadians.
- Sujata Dey, Trade Campaigner, Council of Canadians
- Dr. Gordon Laxer, prolific author, and Professor Emeritus of the University of Alberta
- In his report Billion Dollar Buyout, reveals that the CUSMA agreement provides protections for the Trans Mountain pipeline that allow the government to subsidize it. This makes neither economic or environmental sense.
- Jim Goodman, U.S. Farmer says that the new CUSMA will not solve the woes of U.S. farmers. Overproduction is the problem with U.S. dairy, not supply management. In fact, supply management should be imported to the U.S.
