Ottawa — As the remaining 11 countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, reportedly reached an agreement in principle, the Council of Canadians says that there are many important questions unanswered.
“As the negotiation of this deal has gone on in secret hotel rooms around the world, we have our doubts that the deal is substantially different in threatening our jobs and the environment. Remember: more than 99 per cent of the comments sent to the government about the TPP were negative and only 32 per cent support the deal. There is simply no public mandate for the TPP,” says Maude Barlow, Honorary Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. “The government said it would take its time to get the deal right but there has been no evidence of that. Is this the same deal which would add ISDS provisions allowing companies to sue governments in 10 new countries, which would increase drug costs, and be dangerous to supply management and culture?”
“We urge the government make the deal public and consult, and actually listen to what Canadians have to say,” says Barlow.
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For more information or to arrange interviews:
Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians, 613-795-8685, dpenner@canadians.org. Twitter: @CouncilOfCDNs
