No security and no prosperity
The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, August 28, 2007
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/letters/story.html?id=d40a2d...
On Aug. 22, there was a community forum on George W. Bush and Stephen Harper's "Security and Prosperity Partnership". The guest speaker was Peter Julian, NDP member of Parliament for Burnaby-New Westminster and critic on international trade.
This "security and prosperity partnership" doesn't offer security or prosperity for the majority of Canadians -- quite the opposite.
It's only a partnership for the political leaders of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico and 30 major corporate chief executives gathered around them as their exclusive advisors.
Everyone else, including the elected legislatures of the three countries, has been systematically excluded.
Why is this largely secret, unaccountable and antidemocratic exercise a concern to ordinary Canadians?
Julian set out in detail 10 reasons; I will highlight three points.
- First, efforts to harmonize standards and regulations between the three countries have consistently reduced those standards.
An example was the recent lowering of standards for pesticide use in food production: U.S. standards have now been adopted and applied to all agricultural products produced here or imported into Canada. This change exposes Canadian consumers to chemical toxins in their food that had previously been banned. The reduction in food safety standards can hardly be described as increasing "security".
- A second point is that energy negotiations are a major focus within these discussions.
At issue are the Canadian tar sands, with the desire of the U.S. to lay priority claim to the expanding supply of tar sands oil production.
Sovereignty over natural resources, including recent oil and gas expansion, is being further compromised even beyond the giveaways of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Fresh water resources, excluded in the provisions of NAFTA, are also now believed to be back on the table in the SPP discussions.
- A final point is that first ministers and the business-led working groups are free to negotiate away the rights and jurisdiction of provincial governments, as well as the federal government, over natural resources, health care, and social services. Neither parliament nor the provinces have a voice at the table.
This should be a great concern for citizens, but the provinces collectively haven't yet even challenged the process.
Harper has aggressively taken up the arrogance and lack of accountability of Paul Martin and the Liberals, who took us into the SPP. The corrupting influence of power has been swift and deadly.
On a final note, it's unfortunate that the local news media failed to accept the invitation to attend this forum. Regina residents, like Canadians from coast to coast, continue to be left too much in the dark on this important and timely issue.
Don Mitchell
Mitchell is the NDP candidate in Palliser federal constituency.
Moose Jaw
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
