Canada's Integration with Europe
I want to know why the Canadian government has not released
the details of the agreement, how about even the title?
I'm not opposed to "cooperation" but lets see what this cooperation
means for Canadians, don't we have a right to know who will be
coming to Canadato work? What other pieces of "cooperation"
has Harper signed Canada upfor? What is this about an "open skies"
agreement? What does this meanand how will it impact our lives
as Canadians? Will we retain the right to regulate our goods, services
and industries? Or will that too be sacrificed to the lowest common
denominator?
What kind of "harmonization" can Canadians expect in our:
health care, labour standards, border security, military procurement
policy, bulk water exports, and corporate licensing?
How about our economic regulatory and financial systems?
Is this really the right time to be tying Canada to nations where
banks are going under across the EU? Or being nationalized in
the name of "stability."
What does Harper and his neoCon government have to
hide from Canadians?
Why the secrecy and lack of transparency if this is all
so great for Canadians?
Here is what we know just from different media reports:
- The Harper government did not bring this up during the election,
nor has he provided any details to Canadians about what changes
this will introduce to our country and our sovereignty.
- Harper has not allowed Canadian citizens to see the
study or the draft text, but he has shared this with large
corporations: "Proponents, including all of Canada's major
business-lobby organizations, are in favour of the deal..."
I bet they are, they have much to gain, what do Canadians
have to gain and lose?
Who is really running Canada, because apparently
Canadian citizens rate far lower than CEO's in Harper's
Canada?
Canadian American Business Council (CABC)
Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE)
The Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) is a not-for-profit,
non-partisan organization composed of the CEOs of Canada's
leading enterprises. We engage in an active program of public
policy research, consultation and advocacy.
CCCE Chairman Gordon M. Nixon, our CEO members
- Labour mobility will open up - Europeans will be able to come to
Canadato work and possibly Canadians will be able to go work in
Europe. What are the processes, parameters, policies around this?
Where do people apply and who will have responsibility for scrutinizing
people coming to Canada? Do people have to have jobs lined up before
they come? Will these be temporary foreign workers? What citizen
status will they have? What access to Canadian programs, such as
Employment Insurance, welfare, CPP,provincial medical programs...?
- Canada, probably THE most stable economic system amidst a stormy
sea, is going to be tied to the European Union, which is steeped in
economic chaos and instability.
- Canada will be opening up "new markets."
For what? Why hasn't Canadabeen able to successfully offer our products
to the EU prior to this agreement?
- Bilateral trade and investment will increase by at least $40 billion
a year, mainly in trade in services.
What services? Where? In Canada, in Europe?
- Unrestricted trade in goods, services and investment
and the removal of tariffs
What goods, service, investment? Does the agreement have any
caps on foreign investment? Tariffs on what? Is that both ways?
Say goodbye to our natural resources. When we look back
and wonder what happened toour oil, our gas and our water and
why our children can't afford heat, we can look back and remember
when our government actually operated in our nation's best
interests, not those ofthe global corporate elite.
- The free movement of armies, and navy
Does this mean Canada will now have foreign military forces with
open permission to be operating in Canada whenever they want?
Many Canadians missed it, but Harper signed the Civil Assistance
Plan (CAP) with the United States, so American and Canadian
armed forces can go back and forth across the border in times of
civil emergency, hmm, martial law anyone?
- An open market in government services and
procurement
Now any corporation from the EU can bid on providing provincial
government services in Canada. How much do you want to bet that
there will be a clause that the corporationc an sue the province if
they award contracts locally.
Excerpt:
Canada, EU working towards 'historic' agreement: PM
Updated Fri. Oct. 17 2008 9:27 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that Canada is working
towards a "comprehensive and truly historic" economic partnership
with the European Union.
Harper made the comments at a press conference Friday, after
meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the president
of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.
Harper said that Canada and the European Union had agreed
"to define the formal mandates for an ambitious, deeper and
comprehensive and truly historic economic partnership agreement."
"Without question, these times call for closer economic co-operation
among key players in the global economy," Harper added.
No details were given on the plan.
Transportation Minister Lawrence Cannon told Mike Duffy Live
that Canada "has to seek out new markets" in these times of
economic uncertainty.
Cannon said they are working on an "open-skies" agreement
with the EU.
... the French leader has cut short his visit and will not attend the
closing ceremonies of the summit -- a first for any French president.
Instead, Sarkozy will travel to Camp David in Maryland on Saturday
for meetings with U.S. President George Bush.
***************************************
CANADA SECRET AGENDA TO JOIN THE EU!
The pact would "increase bilateral trade and investment by at least
$40 billion a year, mainly in trade in services," This will ne collected
by the Ultra Elite. An agreement to integrate Canada's economy
with the 27 nations of the European Union, with preliminary talks
be launched at 17 summit in Montreal three days now after the
federal election."
"The proposed pact would far exceed the scope of older agreements
such as NAFTA by encompassing not only unrestricted trade in
goods, services and investment and the removal of tariffs, but also
the free movement of skilled people, army, navy and an open market
in government services and procurement – which would require
that Canadian governments allow European companies to
bid as equals on government contracts for both goods and
services and end the favouring of local or national providers
of public-sector services.
For more, see this:Election Issue Alert: Canada's Integration
with the EU & United States
Vancouver-Kingsway 2008
Canada-EU trade proposal rivals scope of NAFTA
DOUG SAUNDERS. On-line 18/09/08 02:00 AM
Ottawa officials say they have overcome what they see as their
biggest hurdle: the resistance of provincial governments to an agreement
that would force them to allow European corporations to provide
their government services, if their bids are the lowest.
ACTION ALERT: Release the Canada-EU 'deep economic
integration' text!
DEAL WOULD EXCEED SCOPE OF NAFTA
The article states, "The proposed pact would far exceed the
scope of older agreements such as NAFTA by encompassing
not only unrestricted trade in goods, services and investment
and the removal of tariffs, but also the free movement of
skilled people and an open market in government services
and procurement – which would require that Canadian
governments allow European companies to bid as equals on
government contracts for both goods and services and end the
favouring of local or national providers of public-sector services."
BIG BUSINESS BACKS THE DEAL
While the public has not been allowed to see the study
or the draft text, apparently large corporations have.
The article notes, "Proponents, including all of Canada's
major business-lobby organizations, are in favour of the deal..."
Integrate This: Stop the Security & Prosperity Partnership (SPP)
Council of Canadians
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