I have to confess to feeling a small measure of guilt each time I reproduce someone else's words with little editorializing on my part. Yet my ego is sufficiently robust to be able to acknowledge the fact that there are many others with views that merit space in this blog, views that are in many cases expressed more elequently and succinctly than mine.
Such is the following letter from today's Star by Judy Ward of Oshawa as she opines on CETA, about which I have written in the past. Ms Ward speaks for many as she strongly objects to the Harper cabal's obsession with keeping Canadians ignorant about a trade deal that could have devastating domestic effects:
Canada-EU trade deal is wishful thinking, Business June 20
We read day after day about our prime minister travelling about the world and talking free trade. Why doesn’t he talk to Canadians? He wants a free-trade pact with the EU. What is he planning to trade away in order to secure this agreement? Why doesn’t he let Canadians know what is on the table in these talks? We have a right to know.
It is rumoured that the EU wants to change our banking rules. Why? So we can end up like Spain or Greece or Portugal or Cyprus or even Ireland? It is also rumoured that if businesses didn’t like our rules they could sue us for loss of income.
But what frightens me is that our prime minister may be trading away our health care. We have a right to know what is on the table and health care should not in any way, shape or form be on the table. No hospitals, drugs or any aspect of health care should be bartered in the name of free trade.
The secrecy surrounding these talks is frightening. This information should be available to Canadians. We are the ones who have to live with the decisions made by the government. We have a right to know what its plans are. If the opposition parties know what is happening with these talks, then they should make it public.
This is the most secretive government I can ever recall. Tell us what is being bartered in these talks before an agreement is signed.
We should have learned from the omnibus budget bills, Lorne, that the reason Harper doesn't tell us what's in the text is because he knows that the majority of Canadians would object.
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder if some members of his own caucus might also have misgivings if they had all of the details, Owen, especially if the rumours about more sell-outs of our sovereignty are true.
DeleteUnderneath there? Harper is giving birth to money so that CPC and Con Senators could have time of their lives.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it is taxpayers money that Harper Swallow when he got majority.
As well, LeDaro, he would also like us to swallow the myth that he is doing a good job for Canada. Kind of gives the concept of trust a bad name, doesn't he?
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