Is CETA a Sugar-coated Poison Pill? (The Telegram)
#CETA, temporary workers, and the attack on middle class jobs (The Independent)
The Canadian government has finally released the official CETA document. In anticipation the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has published a 127 page report. For a short summary of their principal concerns click here.
#CETA, temporary workers, and the attack on middle class jobs (The Independent)
Aug 20, 2014 – Leaked excerpts of the Canada-EU trade deal reveal serious implications for Canadian workers. The continuing silence of most politicians, both at the federal and provincial levels, suggests they know very little about CETA, don’t care, or have allowed themselves to be muzzled. Read more here.
Trade Treaties Bloom, Sovereignty Wilts (The Independent)
June 18, 2014 -- The federal government is engaged in five major “free trade agreements” that threaten the degree of control Canadians have over their land, resources, freedom and future. Click here to read more.
There are good reasons to oppose trade deals (The Telegram)
MAY 27, 2014—Wednesday’s editorial (“Whew! That’s over”) included two quotes from the recent NDP convention: “Nothing good happens when big business takes over things …,” and “CETA and evil have both got four letters, and to me they’re both the same thing.” Click here to find out why we disagree with these conclusions.
CETA and the Great Unknown (The Telegram)
JAN 27, 2014—Federal minister Rob Moore swept into town in mid-January to
talk about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), but
not to ordinary citizens or our elected representatives. Read more...
Trade agreement or sellout?
In his Dec. 18th letter to the Telegram, Fisheries Minister Keith Hutchings justified the relaxation of minimum processing requirements on the grounds that tariffs on shellfish would be eliminated. That would increase access to what he described as “the most valuable seafood markets in the world.” Let's refute that.
A Wolf in Trade Agreement Clothing (The Independent)
NOV 16, 2013—I believe that there is a creeping and secretive power shift going on. It’s leading away from sovereign nation states and democracy and shifting towards corporate empire. Trade agreements like CETA are one of the most effective tools global corporations have to dismantle sovereignty. So here’s the big question: why is our own government apparently facilitating this? Read more...
CETA Deal Not All Positive
OCT 22, 2013—Listen to Marilyn Reid of Citizens Against CETA discuss on the CBC Central Morning Show how CETA will undermine our rights as citizens, through loss of sovereignty, corporate hijacking of the law, and a biased negotiating process. Read more...
CETA on our Doorstep
(The Independent)
JUNE 3, 2013—Last week, for the
first time in four years, our premier broke the code of silence around the
Canada-European Union Trade Agreement (CETA) during a speech to the St. John’s
Board of Trade. In an unfortunate but typical manner, the ensuing public
discussion has focused largely on personalities and motives while analysis of
the content and intent of the treaty itself has fallen to the wayside. Little
has been said, as well, of the inappropriate way civil society has been
excluded from contributing input. This is disappointing, given the ways in
which this treaty could transform our province and our country. Read more...
Sleeping Through Trade Agreements, Waking up to Corporate Empire (The Independent)
MAY 11, 2013 (World Fair Trade Day)—In the old days, back in the 20th century, most discussions on unfair trade focused on how World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and corporate monopolies placed Third World countries and their people at a severe and unfair disadvantage. It was assumed the bad guys, those who profited, were us, via our governments. After all, those big corporations making enormous profits at the expense of poor and hungry people in the Global South all had their head offices in rich countries—and so must be ours. Read more...
CETA's Impact on the Fisheries
JAN 29, 2013—On January 9th at Memorial University, Scott Sinclair of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, talked about his just released 75-page report on the Atlantic fisheries. “Globalization, Trade Treaties and the Future of the Atlantic Canadian Fisheries” raises serious concerns about the impact of CETA on rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Read more...
Letter to Business and Economics Professors
DEC 4, 2012—Accepting the right of foreign corporations to sue governments in offshore tribunals where Canadian law doesn’t apply is supposedly the price we have to pay to increase corporate investment in our country. These investments, we’re told, will lead to more and better jobs. Except that, according to a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report, an extraordinary 96.6% of foreign direct investment in Canada between 1985 and 2002 was for takeovers and only a meagre 3.4% for new business. CETA is not a treaty that is going to bring new industries or new jobs to Canada. Read more...
Letter to all MHAs Regarding CETA
NOV 23, 2012—Last week Lone Pine Resources announced that it was pursuing a $250 million NAFTA lawsuit against Canada. This was in response to Quebec’s recent decision to call a temporary moratorium on oil and gas fracking while they study the environmental consequences of this controversial technology. One could take this as a warning bell. With respect to lawsuits, we expect the pending Canada Europe Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to be NAFTA on steroids. Read more...
Open Letter to Business Owners in Newfoundland and Labrador
NOV 1, 2012—What we’ve learned from leaks about CETA raises alarm bells for Newfoundland businesses competing for government contracts. Under CETA, municipal, regional and provincial procurement (over a still undecided threshold) must be opened up unconditionally to European corporations. That includes major construction and infrastructure projects. CETA rules will insist that tenders be appropriately advertised in Europe and that there is transparency and conformity in the bidding process. Given the enthusiasm for litigation around free trade agreements, and our own Abitibi Bowater and Exxon Mobil/Murphy Oil experiences, expect big lawsuits from European corporations if they are dissatisfied with the tendering process. Think also of the expensive delays that would go with legal challenges. Read more...
It's a bad deal and we're all going to pay...
OCT 31, 2012—In fact, the news on CETA just keeps getting worse. Unless, of course, you have shares in a European pharmaceutical company. Reports out of Ottawa earlier this month show that confidential (until now) analysis provided to the Harper government by officials at Industry Canada and Health Canada virtually confirms what CUPE, the Council of Canadians and other groups opposed to this “top secret” deal have been saying for some time now—drug prices here in Canada will rise significantly if this deal goes through.
Up by how much, you ask? Between $795 million and $1.95 billion annually. Read more...
Letter to the Editor (Telegram)
OCT 22, 2012—After seeing leaked CETA documents, 70 municipalities and school boards, both large and small and including Toronto, Montreal, Saskatoon and Victoria, have asked their provinces to grant them partial or full exemption from CETA. As yet no Newfoundland municipality has taken a stand. St. John’s might well worry, however, as it is specifically named by European negotiators as being a municipality of interest. Read more....
Letter to Premier Dunderdale
OCT 2010—CETA negotiations have been going on for more than three years. During that time governments, both federal and provincial, have chosen to minimize discussion and debate among elected politicians and the general public. Nevertheless, there have been leaks. Information has got out.
The result is that there is mounting concern across the country about the profound effects that the CETA treaty will/may have on government services, policies and regulations. There are also mounting questions about the continued silence at most levels of government. Read more....
Sleeping Through Trade Agreements, Waking up to Corporate Empire (The Independent)
MAY 11, 2013 (World Fair Trade Day)—In the old days, back in the 20th century, most discussions on unfair trade focused on how World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and corporate monopolies placed Third World countries and their people at a severe and unfair disadvantage. It was assumed the bad guys, those who profited, were us, via our governments. After all, those big corporations making enormous profits at the expense of poor and hungry people in the Global South all had their head offices in rich countries—and so must be ours. Read more...
CETA's Impact on the Fisheries
JAN 29, 2013—On January 9th at Memorial University, Scott Sinclair of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, talked about his just released 75-page report on the Atlantic fisheries. “Globalization, Trade Treaties and the Future of the Atlantic Canadian Fisheries” raises serious concerns about the impact of CETA on rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Read more...
Letter to Business and Economics Professors
DEC 4, 2012—Accepting the right of foreign corporations to sue governments in offshore tribunals where Canadian law doesn’t apply is supposedly the price we have to pay to increase corporate investment in our country. These investments, we’re told, will lead to more and better jobs. Except that, according to a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report, an extraordinary 96.6% of foreign direct investment in Canada between 1985 and 2002 was for takeovers and only a meagre 3.4% for new business. CETA is not a treaty that is going to bring new industries or new jobs to Canada. Read more...
Letter to all MHAs Regarding CETA
NOV 23, 2012—Last week Lone Pine Resources announced that it was pursuing a $250 million NAFTA lawsuit against Canada. This was in response to Quebec’s recent decision to call a temporary moratorium on oil and gas fracking while they study the environmental consequences of this controversial technology. One could take this as a warning bell. With respect to lawsuits, we expect the pending Canada Europe Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to be NAFTA on steroids. Read more...
Open Letter to Business Owners in Newfoundland and Labrador
NOV 1, 2012—What we’ve learned from leaks about CETA raises alarm bells for Newfoundland businesses competing for government contracts. Under CETA, municipal, regional and provincial procurement (over a still undecided threshold) must be opened up unconditionally to European corporations. That includes major construction and infrastructure projects. CETA rules will insist that tenders be appropriately advertised in Europe and that there is transparency and conformity in the bidding process. Given the enthusiasm for litigation around free trade agreements, and our own Abitibi Bowater and Exxon Mobil/Murphy Oil experiences, expect big lawsuits from European corporations if they are dissatisfied with the tendering process. Think also of the expensive delays that would go with legal challenges. Read more...
It's a bad deal and we're all going to pay...
OCT 31, 2012—In fact, the news on CETA just keeps getting worse. Unless, of course, you have shares in a European pharmaceutical company. Reports out of Ottawa earlier this month show that confidential (until now) analysis provided to the Harper government by officials at Industry Canada and Health Canada virtually confirms what CUPE, the Council of Canadians and other groups opposed to this “top secret” deal have been saying for some time now—drug prices here in Canada will rise significantly if this deal goes through.
Up by how much, you ask? Between $795 million and $1.95 billion annually. Read more...
Letter to the Editor (Telegram)
OCT 22, 2012—After seeing leaked CETA documents, 70 municipalities and school boards, both large and small and including Toronto, Montreal, Saskatoon and Victoria, have asked their provinces to grant them partial or full exemption from CETA. As yet no Newfoundland municipality has taken a stand. St. John’s might well worry, however, as it is specifically named by European negotiators as being a municipality of interest. Read more....
Letter to Premier Dunderdale
OCT 2010—CETA negotiations have been going on for more than three years. During that time governments, both federal and provincial, have chosen to minimize discussion and debate among elected politicians and the general public. Nevertheless, there have been leaks. Information has got out.
The result is that there is mounting concern across the country about the profound effects that the CETA treaty will/may have on government services, policies and regulations. There are also mounting questions about the continued silence at most levels of government. Read more....
