Not another NAFTA rubber stamp: We need a real debate in Canada on NAFTA 2.1!
The Trudeau government says NAFTA 2.1 is the first order of business when Parliament resumes and the Liberals are urging other parties to swiftly ratify the deal.
But not so fast!
In the U.S., lawmakers, spurred on by newly elected U.S. House Democrats, worked over a year on the agreement. In Canada, parliamentarians and the public have had absolutely no meaningful input in the deal.
We can’t let this be a closed circuit, where corporations and the one per cent decide the future of NAFTA. We need a conversation on the fundamental issues – climate change, jobs, public services, family farms, Indigenous rights, inequality, and regulations – that this agreement affects. With a minority government, it shouldn’t be business as usual. We demand, at a minimum, a full study of the agreement in committee, and a robust national debate. The NDP and Bloc Québécois have said they want a full debate on the agreement. The Green Party has also traditionally opposed NAFTA.
The Council of Canadians has prepared the following analysis for Council of Canadians chapter members and supporters to use to help you have discussions in your chapter and community, contact Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and your local MP, and get the message out.
