As negotiations continue, the Conservative government has been eager to extol the benefits of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), and conspicuously silent as to its proceedings.
A recent C.D. Howe report raised serious doubts as to the benefits this government claims Canadian producers will have under CETA. Without any real details on what compromises Canada is making at the bargaining table, any purported payoffs can only be treated as specious.
Instead of a substantive discussion addressing the concerns coming from all other levels of government and Canadians-at-large, we get a calculated, defensive and dismissive Conservative public relations campaign. Instead of debate, doubters are labelled as anti-trade for not bestowing total trust in this government.
Provincial governments are worried patent concessions will see an increase in the cost of pharmaceuticals, leading to worries about an increased costs for prescription drugs.
Municipalities are concerned they will lose control over their own procurements. These are very real concerns that the federal government must address, yet the Prime Minister continues to refuse to meet with his provincial and municipal counterparts.
Conservatives need to support the recommendation of the International Trade Committee’s dissenting opinion to their report on CETA and have the committee hold hearings where Canadians, including representatives from municipal and provincial governments, can make submissions on this trade agreement before any further negotiations are conducted.
This government is negotiating on behalf of Canadians, without consulting them. With so much at stake, Canadians deserve a voice and a window into CETA’s negotiations.
Original Article
Source: ipolitics
Author: Wayne Easter
A recent C.D. Howe report raised serious doubts as to the benefits this government claims Canadian producers will have under CETA. Without any real details on what compromises Canada is making at the bargaining table, any purported payoffs can only be treated as specious.
Instead of a substantive discussion addressing the concerns coming from all other levels of government and Canadians-at-large, we get a calculated, defensive and dismissive Conservative public relations campaign. Instead of debate, doubters are labelled as anti-trade for not bestowing total trust in this government.
Provincial governments are worried patent concessions will see an increase in the cost of pharmaceuticals, leading to worries about an increased costs for prescription drugs.
Municipalities are concerned they will lose control over their own procurements. These are very real concerns that the federal government must address, yet the Prime Minister continues to refuse to meet with his provincial and municipal counterparts.
Conservatives need to support the recommendation of the International Trade Committee’s dissenting opinion to their report on CETA and have the committee hold hearings where Canadians, including representatives from municipal and provincial governments, can make submissions on this trade agreement before any further negotiations are conducted.
This government is negotiating on behalf of Canadians, without consulting them. With so much at stake, Canadians deserve a voice and a window into CETA’s negotiations.
Original Article
Source: ipolitics
Author: Wayne Easter
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