As reported in Le Devoir this morning, French Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Matthias Fekl, has refused to sign the European trade agreement to which Canada is a potential signatory, CETA. Citing the unfair and “misguided” terms of the settlement dispute provisions, he stated that “It is unacceptable that states can be punished by private courts for their public policy decisions.” [free translation]
Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, thinks Canada should follow Fekl’s lead and reject these trade deals that skew in favour of corporations and investors, leaving governments and public policy out in the cold. “For some time it has been clear that the investor state provisions of CETA will not pass in Europe, but the Harper government has stuck its head in the sand. He must be hoping that Canadians won’t find out that its signature trade deal is a no go in its current form.”
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