SPP removes our sovereignty, say NDP

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The federal NDP has toured the country since last August to challenge the Harper government’s assumption of prosperity through continental trade deals.

British Columbia MP Peter Julian said last week that free trade has led only to increasing disparities of wealth and power in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) could have profound consequences on Canada’s existence as a sovereign nation, he said, and its ability to adopt independent and sustainable economic, social and environmental policies. The Conservatives will only demonstrate further submission under the so-called partnership, Julian told a Wolfville audience of 70 people.

It’s not a partnership, but a series of concessions started by the Liberals and accelerated by the Conservatives. What concerns Julian is these discussions take place beyond the reach of parliamentary approval, since it is not an official agreement. "It’s anti-democratic by design," he said.

This means the opinions of Canadians don't need to be taken into consideration when deciding priorities and investments. Both the federal Conservatives and Liberals have supported the SPP, while the NDP and Green parties oppose it. The Conservatives and Liberals will pay the price for their sellout of Canada, Julian said.

A profound secrecy shrouding the SPP has done nothing to soothe concerns. He explained national media has neglected to cover the issue thoroughly. "In a sense, we have a tacit acceptance of soft censorship on an issue that’s fundamental," he said.

Documents attainable through the Freedom of Information Act have had heavy censoring, if they're even available, complained Julian, holding up a blacked-out page.

He told the NDP-sponsored forum that the SPP will lead to the surrender of Canadian energy, health, food safety, immigration, environmental, military and security policies to American decision and control.

The 1989, Canada-U.S. free trade agreement was supposed to bring prosperity to Canadians, however, Julian is skeptical.

"Stats Canada figures show that for two out of three of Canadian families, their real income has gone down since 1989 and that's most dramatic with the poorest of Canadians," he said. "The wealthiest 20 per cent have seen their incomes go up 20 per cent. That's the six million in the highest income bracket. They now take half of all income in Canada."

Fears SPP threatens water resources, oil

Julian fears that the SPP threatens Canadian water resources, Canadian control of oil and our foreign policy. Though water is not considered a commodity under NAFTA, Canada has nothing to prevent such a sanction from taking place.

He said Prime Minister Stephen Harper has denied accusations that SPP plans on exporting bulk water to the U.S., however, the Council of Canadians claimed a leaked document pertaining to a 2007 private SPP meeting in Calgary revealed aims for bulk water exportation.

Equally necessary to America's depleting resources is Canadian oil. Under NAFTA, Canada must continue to supply the States 65 per cent of its oil and 61 per cent of its natural gas, even in the event of a national crisis. This could require Canadians to import more oil from other countries to fulfill commitments to NAFTA while, as Julian quoted Alberta professor Dr. Gordon Laxer, eastern Canadians freeze in the dark.

He described the PM’s attempt last summer to convince Canadians that the SPP is about nothing more harmful than jellybeans. “Unfortunately, his government's own internal documents tell a different story about a wide and dense agenda. The SPP involves the giveaway of Canada's energy resources and water resources and the dumbing down, the worst thing, on lowering of regulatory standards in over 300 areas, including transportation safety, food safety, consumer and environmental standards. So much for jellybeans.”

Julian pointed to lax pesticide regulations in the U.S. and Mexico that could undermine the health of Canadians and diminish our own producers.

Canadian foreign policy will become increasingly dependent on American policy, dictating where we send our troops and reducing peacekeeping operations, said Julian. "(The SPP) essentially takes away what sovereignty we have as Canadians," he said.

Crunch is coming

Scott Burbidge, a former federal policy advisor on policing, said that since 9/11 there has been a blurring of security lines. He said there used to be distinction between criminal and national security. “Now there’s just security. Now there’s anti-terrorism legislation in the Criminal Code.”

Political scientist Andrew Biro of Acadia University suggested that the notion of a ‘fortress North America’ needs to be balanced with an alternative vision.

He added that with exports to the U.S. dropping, even in this decade, the rising price of oil and the loss of manufacturing jobs in Canada ought to concern us.

The crunch is coming. The era of cheap energy is over, Biro said, and Canada needs to shape the contours of its markets.

Questions asked

Dwight Grant of Wolfville asked if imports from China and manufacturing jobs disappearing in Canada isn’t a bigger problem.

Julian responded by saying that if the Canadian government can’t stand up for Canadian rights then we will see toxic and dangerous products coming into the country.

Andrea Lynn commented that issues of sustainability and the environment will eventually trump the SPP and Carol Harris, NDP candidate for Kings-Hants, added, “environmental issues will bring us together.”

Julian noted, while protectionism has a bad name, in Europe it has protected agriculture and in Korea the movement has sustained their auto industry.

Wolfville resident Pam Akerman questioned the accountability of the national police force and corporations behind the SPP who are only accountable to their shareholders.

Julian concluded by speaking to the students in the audience, saying that their vote matters. “Only one in four Canadians between the ages of 18 and 24 votes. That’s exactly what the corporations want. The political involvement of youth is what is going to make the difference.”