04) ISLANDERS SLAM CETA DEAL

 

            A coalition of 22 Prince Edward Island groups has come together to raise concerns about the Canada‑European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and to request that the provincial government consult fully with Islanders on the effects of the proposed deal.

 

            At a March 4 news conference in Charlottetown, the groups called the CETA agreement "the most intrusive that Canada has ever signed", with serious consequences for many aspects of life on PEI, especially the province's agricultural industry and health care system. They also believe the deal will limit or remove the government's ability to create jobs, support local businesses and negotiate benefits for Islanders from companies investing in the province's resources.

 

            Speakers at the news conference addressed CETA's negative effects on a wide range of issues; the dairy industry, supply management and local food;   the ability of investors and multinational companies to over‑ride decisions made by democratically‑elected governments; the costs of drugs and the operation of the health care system; local economic development and government purchasing decisions; and the fishing industry.

 

            The coalition emphasized that despite its name, CETA is not primarily about tariff reduction, and pointed out that current tariffs on Canadian exports to Europe average only 2.2%. Instead, the agreement is about expanding the rights of multinational companies, while reducing the ability of provincial and municipal governments to pursue policies that benefit local communities and everyday citizens.

 

            Focusing on the secrecy surrounding the negotiation of the deal, the coalition has delivered a formal letter to Premier Robert Ghiz asking that his government support a democratic review of CETA; release the text of the CETA agreement to the public; and hold extensive public hearings across the province prior to a debate and vote in the P.E.I. legislature.

 

            They have also asked the provincial government to outline what exemptions (or "reservations", as they are called in CETA) it has designated to protect important areas - such as renewable energy, public transit and fisheries policies related to owner/operator requirements and fleet separation - from the effects of CETA.

 

            The groups collaborating as part of the coalition include: Council of Canadians; PEI Union of Public Sector Employees; Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island; Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club of Canada; Breaking the Silence; National Farmers Union, Region 1, District 1; Cooper Institute; CUPE (PEI Division); PEI Federation of Labour; Prince Edward Island Public Transit Coalition; McKillop Center for Social Justice; PEI Health Coalition; Citizens' Alliance of PEI; ALERT; Latin American Mission Program; Don't Frack PEI; Prince Edward Island Food Security Network; PEI Nurses Union; CUPW Charlottetown Local 030; United Food and Commercial Workers;  Public Services Alliance of Canada; Save Our Seas and Shores, PEI Chapter.

 

(The above article is from the March 16-31, 2014, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)