Global TV, Saskatoon

Group calls for more transparency in European trade negotiations

By Rebecca Lindell, Global News

15 July 2011

A group of concerned citizens is warning Canadians don’t know what they are in for as Canada inches closer towards a free trade deal with Europe.

“We think that if Canadians could take a look at what was on the table and what was being offered and given up, that they would have a very different view of whether it was a good deal or not, so we are calling for transparency,” said Stuart Trew of the Council of Canadians.

Canadians need to know the details of the deal because it promises to get “personal” and could impact public services like water, transit, energy and health care, he says.

Canadian negotiators wrapped up the eighth round of negotiations with the Europeans on Friday making headway on a deal that could be finalized by 2012.

The government did not disclose the details of the negotiations saying only that the Canadians exchanged ambitious offers on goods and government procurement with the Europeans, which would boost two-way trade and create jobs throughout Canada.

A 2008 Canada-EU joint study suggests that an agreement could boost Canadian GDP $12-billion and benefit Canadian aerospace, chemicals, plastics, manufacturing and resource-based industries.

“While some issues still need to be resolved, our government is vigorously defending Canada’s interests to ensure that any agreement we sign benefits Canadian workers, businesses and their families,” said Fast in a statement.

Calls for more transparency

“That may be the case,” said Robert Chisholm, the NDP critic for international trade. “What we would like to do is encourage them to have that discussion with us and other Canadians so that we can examine the basis upon which they have come to these conclusions … and whether those are tradeoffs Canadians can agree with.”

Conservative M.P. Rob Merrifield, who chairs the parliamentary committee on the agreement, said the government crystal clear about what its plans, which were included in its election platform this spring.

As for calls to include citizens in the process, he said Canadians will get their chance.

“Once the agreement is reached then it has to be debated in Parliament so everyone will have a chance to have their voice heard,” says Merrifield. “We have a mandate to do what is in the best interest of Canadians. Canada will win or we won’t sign.”

Winners and losers

But the negotiations have sparked a debate about just who will win.

Business leaders have consistently supported of the trade deal saying that it will create increased opportunities and investment gains in the billions of dollars.

Trew says big business will see benefits, but communities will lose.

“It’s really about constraining what our cities can do to develop in the ways they want to and how they run their economies,” he said.

According to Trew, leaked versions of the deal show that it could open the door for the privatization of water and sanitation services, the elimination of local-purchase requirements by governments and higher prescription drug costs.

He also disputes the job creation argument behind the trade agreement, citing a Centre for Policy Alternatives report suggesting the deal could result in 28,000 to 150,000 jobs.

Trade deals a Conservative priority

The Conservative government has been aggressively pursuing trade deals since coming to office in 2006 as a way to decrease Canada’s economic dependence on the U.S. It has negotiated deals with Colombia, Jordan, Panama, Peru, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

A European deal would be the crown jewel of the Conservative record as the biggest since the North American Free Trade Agreement. Negotiations are also under way with India.

The next round of negotiations is scheduled for October and the two countries will exchange offers on services and investment.