MEDIA RELEASE
April 6, 2011

Election postpones Canada-EU trade offers; now is the time to debate the deal, says Council of Canadians

Ottawa -- The Council of Canadians is encouraged the federal and provincial governments have postponed an exchange of offers with the European Union before a seventh round of Canada-EU free trade negotiations next week. The organization is asking the provinces to make any offers public prior to bargaining away public policy with the EU, in light of upcoming provincial elections and new revelations the trade deal is worth half what the Harper government is promising.

In coming days, Canadian and European officials will intensify negotiations on a new trade agreement most Canadians have never heard of. The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement is by far the largest free-trade deal this country has ever undertaken.

If it goes through, CETA will open up the rules, standards and public spending priorities of provinces and municipalities to direct competition and challenge from European corporations. Ottawa refuses to even discuss the environmental implications, but a recent trade sustainability impact assessment commissioned by the European Commission has sounded alarms in several areas.