CIIT Committee Report

SUPPLEMENTARY OPINION OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The NDP values its relationship with the European Community and strongly believes in developing a more harmonious fair and sustainable economic trade relationship that would benefit all.

With that in mind, while the report of the Standing Committee on International Trade (CIIT) fairly reflects to a certain extent the results of the CIIT’s fact finding mission to Europe in November 2010, the NDP needs to emphasize that there are additional observations from this trip that should have been included in the text of this report.

Based on my observations while travelling with the Committee, I believe that this report insufficiently reflects some of the concerns voiced in our meetings with members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

Some MEPs expressed concerns to the CIIT that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union (EU) and Canada would increase oil production in the Alberta tar sands, which would worsen its devastating impact on the environment. Furthermore, the report states that the representatives of civil society opposed the inclusion of an investment protection plan found in NAFTA’s Chapter 11. What it needed to mention was that a number of European Parliamentarians have also openly criticized this inclusion.

In addition to the meetings that were held by the CIIT , I met personally with members of the European Parliament including the Chair of the Trade Committee and one of the leading members of the Group of the Greens caucus to talk in more detail about their concerns around CETA. It was evident that the inclusions of Chapter 11 NAFTA- style investor state provisions as well as environmental impacts were among their concerns.

I have also been in touch with European Parliamentarians interested in Canada’s supply management system, and who expressed a strong interest in seeing Canada’s supply management used more broadly across the European continent. These parliamentarians are concerned by the fact that European Commission negotiators have been pushing Canada to dismantle or water down its supply management system.

The NDP does not believe that the details of CETA, as currently negotiated, attract the “considerable support” as stated in the concluding remarks in this report. However, Canada-EU negotiations based on a Fair Trade model would most certainly attract “considerable” support from the European and Canadian public.

Given the fact that the CIIT’s trip to Europe was for fact-finding, the NDP understands why including recommendations in the report is not necessary at this stage. It would make sense however to include general recommendations that should be part of the committee’s final observations on CETA, and would be helpful to the government and to the public.

The following are recommendations the NDP thinks should be included in an eventual comprehensive report from the Committee:

Recommendation 1

That the Government of Canada establish and make public an exhaustive list of Canada –Europe Trade & CETA related issues and outcomes, and assess any negative and positive impacts of trade liberalization and proposed investment rules under the CETA on Canada’s policy space, the economy, employment and the environment. This should include full and comprehensive assessment of the impact of CETA- related policy decisions and concessions, and should lead to changes in negotiating instructions provided to Canadian negotiators that would guide the discussions towards a progressive fair trade model, rather than the right-wing ideological model used currently.

Recommendation 2

That the government of Canada consults widely and extensively with civil society, labour and environmental groups in both Canada and Europe to allow for the necessary shifting of ongoing CETA negotiations towards a Fair and Sustainable Trade model which would protect the democratic rights of Canadians and European Union citizens and Canadian sovereignty.

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada promote Canadian culture and the Canadian brand, in concert with provinces and territories, with a view to making Canadian products and the expertise of Canadian firms better known to potential partners in Europe and elsewhere. Furthermore, and in order to accomplish these objectives, The NDP has recommended for years that the government of Canada increase its efforts to support the marketing of Canadian products and services by increasing the government’s promotional budget, which is currently underfunded, to a level that establishes an equal playing field with Canada’s main competitors, including the United States, Australia and the EU.

The NDP has made this recommendation a key feature of its trade strategy, centered on the fact that the federal government has sadly underresouced the promotion of Canadian products, services and culture overseas.

Ultimately, the NDP’s main concern is to make sure that any trade agreement reached with Europe will be based on broad, fair, and transparent consultations, negotiations and favorable impact assessment outcomes.

The NDP looks forward to the ongoing broad and extensive hearings by the CIIT on CETA and reiterates its call upon the Federal Government to commit to full transparency as well as to support broader negotiations.

The NDP urges the Federal Government not to impose a secretive agreement based on backroom negotiations that reflect the interests of a handful of corporations & lobbyists. Any trade arrangement with the European Union must be the result of genuine democratic consultations. It must retain a vital policy space and preserve the ability for all governments to make progressive decisions in the public interest. 

This is what we believe is in the interest of the people of Canada and Europe.

Peter Julian, MP

NDP International Trade Critic