H/t The Toronto Star While our prime minister claims, when attacking the niqab, that Canadians hold openness and transparency as societal values, he is happy to keep us in the dark about all of the secret negotiations going on to conclude the highly controversial Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, leaked elements
Continue readingTag: free trade
Writings of J. Todd Ring: Free Trade, CETA, TPP, and the US and Canadian Federal Elections: Some Critical Perspective
The following is critical to understand – for the people of Canada, the US, Europe and the world: “free trade” deals such those already signed (NAFTA), and those being pushed through with great secrecy now (CETA, TTIP and TPP), are agreements which grant supra-national powers to transnational corporations, powers over
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: TPP: Renegotiating NAFTA, By the Back Door
For years, trade and justice activists have proposed renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement to address some of the deal’s most damaging features: for example, by removing the anti-democratic investor-state dispute settlement provisions of Chapter 11, linking trade benefits to genuine protections for human and labour rights (all the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: TPP talks fail: Part of Harper’s disastrous economic project ends, says Council of Canadians
The recent failure of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations spoils Harper’s agenda promoting the corporate takeover of the Canadian public good, says the Council of Canadians. The post TPP talks fail: Part of Harper’s disastrous economic project ends, says Council of Canadians appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Putting A Stake Through The Heart Of Harper’s Lies
As a youngster, there were few things I enjoyed more than vampire films starring Christopher Lee, in my view the best cinematic vampire there ever was. Usually, at the end, either a stake through the heart or exposure to the rays of the sun ended his evil hold on people.
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Huffington Post: Did you know Canada is the most sued nation under free trade agreements?
Now Canada wants to sign on to another massive, secretive agreement that will exploit our ‘partners’ and establish unaccountable supra-national tribunals to further erode democratic decision-making at the national level. Article by Sunny Freeman for the Huffington Post Canada is the most-sued country under the North American Free Trade Agreement
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: WikiLeaks reveals TPP proposal empowering corporations to sue nations
WikiLeaks says the “Investment Chapter” of the secret TPP agreement is “an unaccountable supranational court for multinationals to sue states.” The post WikiLeaks reveals TPP proposal empowering corporations to sue nations appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Primer on Investor-State Dispute Settlement
In light of the latest NAFTA Chapter 11 decision to go against Canada, I was asked to put together some background notes for our Unifor leadership on this bizarre quasi-judicial kangaroo courtsystem. Here they are, in case they are useful for anyone else getting up to speed on the whole
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Free trade to blame for growing income inequality in Canada
A study recently released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found that the modern free trade era has exacerbated income inequality in Canada. The post Free trade to blame for growing income inequality in Canada appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Council of Canadians’ Maude Barlow asks new Greece government to reject CETA
The chairperson of the Council of Canadians has asked the new Syriza government in Greece to reject the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The post Council of Canadians’ Maude Barlow asks new Greece government to reject CETA appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Another Compelling Video From Operation Maple
Operation Maple (Take Canada Back) is continuing its fine job of reminding us of the terrible way we are governed, offering us frequent and compelling evidence that demonstrates how the neo-liberal agenda, pursued with such diabolical glee by the Harper regime, is continuing to undermine our country. I suspect its
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: The Troubled Economics, and the Curious Politics, of the Canada-Korea Trade Deal
There are many motivations to explain the Harper government’s rush to sign free trade deals. Since coming to power, the Conservatives have implemented 6 FTAs, have “concluded” 2 more (with Korea and, purportedly, with the EU), and have fully 14 other FTA negotiations on the go. To some extent Conservatives actually
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Who’s afraid of free trade with Europe?
The prospect of freer trade with European nations is generally popular among Canadians. And why shouldn’t it be? Doesn’t the Canadian left repeatedly point to the advantages of many European social and economic institutions? Who could argue with lower prices for European cheese, wine, or chocolate? After all, we’ve been
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: This Just In
According to a CBC report, EU lawmakers are threatening to block a multi-billion dollar trade pact between Canada and the European Union — a blueprint for a much bigger EU-U.S. deal — because it would allow firms to sue governments if they breach the treaty. The agreement with Canada, a
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Important Challenges to Investor-State Dispute-Settlement
In my many years documenting and critiquing the overblown claims of free trade proponents about the supposedly self-regulating efficiency-promoting mutually-benefiting effects of globalization, I’ve encountered some real doozies. (My Ph.D. dissertation consisted of a critique of the theoretical and empirical basis of neoclassical CGE trade models, and the construction of
Continue readingTHE CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE: Unpacking the undemocratic Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
Jeremy Malcolm argues that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) repeats the errors of ACTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and imperils democracy and the broader public interest. The post Unpacking the undemocratic Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership appeared first on THE CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE.
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Free Trade Is Not Fair Trade
Stephen Harper has been travelling around the world, signing “free” trade deals like a hockey player signing autographs. But those deals have been particularly detrimental to Ontario’s economy — and The Great Recession has put the province’s manufacturers on the ropes. Tom Walkom writes: The North American economy is being
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Mel Clark 1921-2014
Mel Clark, a long time trade negotiator for Canada, passed away on March 14. His Notice of Death in the April 24 Globe and Mail describes him as “an independent and progressive thinker with a strong sense of social responsibility.“ “Mel`s decades of experience in the world of international trade
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: What Occupy Vancouver Could Be Up To
While the worldwide reboot of the Occupy Movement is afoot, Occupy Vancouver version 2.0 is still notional. However, if you want to see a little bit of what it could be doing today if it had coalesced yesterday, you’d show up this afternoon at one of the 1%’s tree forts.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Did the US Take a Bite Out of Canada-Korea Trade?
On last night’s The National, Terry Milewski introduced the Canada-Korea trade deal as follows: The truth is that Canada is a latecomer to free trade with South Korea. The European Union and the United States both got there first, and their free trade deals took a big bite out of
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