I'll have more to say about this in the future, but for now, some
good news for those who oppose free trade deals that sacrifice national sovereignty and jobs so corporations can be further enriched:
Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland has walked out of negotiations to salvage a major trade deal with the European Union, saying she is returning home because she feels the 28-member bloc is unable to reach an accord with Canada.
In fact, she said she considers it “impossible” for an agreement to be clinched.
The development throws the future of the Canada-EU trade deal into doubt and, coming only months after the United Kingdom voted to quit the European Union, is a blow to the EU’s efforts to demonstrate it is still moving forward as a viable entity.
The European Council has been unable to reach a consensus on approving the Canada-EU deal because Belgium is unable to give its assent. Politically-decentralized Belgium requires the approval of regional governments on major international agreements and the French-speaking Wallonia region has opposed signing the agreement with Canada.
The bad news is that if Hillary is elected, we're going to get hammered with the TPP, which is much worse than CETA. None of the oligarchs that own undeveloped Asian countries (some of which are involved with slavery) are going to stand in the way of that big payday.
ReplyDelete(Obama is trying to do Hillary a solid with plans of ramming it through the post-election lame-duck session, with a lot of help from his Republican friends. Hillary is in love with the TPP according to Wikileaks. She'll do the dirty work herself if she has to.)
Hillary's recent TPP opposition fools few, Anon. It is certainly a very bad deal, but at least the failure of CETA offers a bright light on the blighted trade landscape.
DeleteWe need to understand TPP not as a trade deal but as a geopolitical alliance aimed at getting the Asia Pacific nations tied to the US for the purposes of isolating and containing China. This is a very high stakes gambit on Washington's part, one bound to stoke the resentment of China's military commanders who already vow to avenge their country's "century of humiliation" at the hands of the white nations, Europe and North America.
ReplyDeletehttp://the-mound-of-sound.blogspot.ca/2016/10/think-of-yourself-as-collateral-damage.html
I'm left wondering if there isn't a similar, ulterior motive to CETA and the companion US deal with Europe. Lately there's been growing concern in Washington over Moscow's increasing influence with the European states, particularly Germany. Are these trade deals really intended to shore up our bonds with Europe?
I wouldn't expect our federal government to admit it if that was the case.
I did read your earlier post about the possible motivations behind the TPP, Mound. If this is true, as Rural suggests below, take out the investor state provisions to make such pacts even remotely palatable. here in Ontario we are suffering once more under NAFTA; the government has put a moratoriium on off-shore wind turbines, and the company that had been awarded the contract, Windstream, just received $25 million in compensation for the delay. However, the agreement is still in force and may lead to much greater compensation under the investor state mechanism. https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/10/20/windstream-pushes-to-finish-stalled-wind-farm-in-ontario.html
DeleteThis is basically good news brought on by one small region of Belgium who have refused to be dictated to by the corporations who have hijacked trade deals (with the help of numerous governments) with their "investor state provisions". Want to make a deal: simply dump these provisions that give corporations 'the right' to sue governments if they don't get their own way. Thank you Wallonia!
ReplyDeleteIf only Canadians could be as passionate and as well-informed, Rural, as the Wallonians!
DeleteFinally Lorne someone showed some guts and said no and I feel very grateful to Wallonia.
ReplyDeleteTrudeau and Freelands insistence that the deal go through really exemplifies their complete disregard for supporting policy that is in the interests of Canadians.
Words from Trudeau at a news conference on Oct.13th, when France's PM came to visit. "Trudeau issued a blunt warning to European law makers today." "Sign off on a free trade deal with Canada, or risk reducing the European Union's relevance."
Some Europeans, especially in Wallonia, must of rolled their eyes at such arrogant bullying, coming from a man who actually thinks CETA is about free trade.
I think Canadians are pretty well informed, but we have a government who could care less what Canadians want. I think we need to be more peacefully assertive in showing our disagreement with these "trade" deals.
I also think Trudeau, Freeland and the Liberals have shown their hand in pushing for this deal to be signed and ratified.
It is neoliberalism domestic and global that is at the root of their economic/political policy making.
Stopping the TPP will be an even bigger challenge.
I agree completely, Pamela. I am heartened by a jurisdiction that is willing to think for itself and challenge the orthodoxy that has been imposed from above.
DeleteI'm not sure if I agree that Canadians are well-informed as a nation. Certainly, there are segments of the population that are passionately devoted to, and knowledgeable about, causes of national interest, but those people, I believe, are in the minority.
If you are right about Canadians overall not being well informed and you may very well be right, then we are in deep trouble. Thinking that Canadians are well informed is probably wishful thinking on my part.
DeleteI just find it too painful to watch our sovereignty being sacrificed for Trudeau's neoliberal policy agenda, but this is reality and reality must always be faced.
When I attended Word on the Street last month, Pamela, I asked a question of The Star political panel about things that might disrupt Trudeau's popularity, including pipelines and CETA. The moderator thought I was referring to CIDA, but Chantal Hebert understood my reference. She thought that CETA is not something most people know much about, and judging by the public discussion, it seems only certain individuals and groups like Council of Canadians have been following it closely.
DeleteIf this bump scuttles the deal or at least induces a public awareness that prevents it from being ratified as it stands, it would be a good start. The free world is in debt to the Council of Canadians.
ReplyDeleteI listened to Ed Fast carrying on about all the time and discussion that went into the negotiations. Let's see the backgrounders and minutes.
It is high time that people like Freeland and all the other free-trade enthusiasts explain why things like investor dispute settlement is a good thing for citizens, John. As well, the opening of our borders, while in theory a two-way street, often seems to be a one-way route to job cannibalization and corporate enrichment, for which the public is supposed to be strangely grateful. Let's talk about these issues, rather than the boiler-plate praise that comes from neoliberal governments.
DeleteAnd we have just seen the latest 'loser' reject a Free Trade deal. The people of Walloon realized they would be on the losing end of the CETA agreement and as such said no.
ReplyDeleteThankfully for average Canadians the EU respects that NO and the deal is off. And why would I say that? Because if only Walloon felt they were going to be the 'losers' in this deal then the rest of the EU must have felt they would be the winners and Canada would be the 'losers'.
But at the same time I'm sure the EU 'winners' are talking to Walloon and trying to make a deal with them to also become the winners and ratify the deal which into makes Canada the 'losers'......
In the letter, Juncker said the EU is sensitive to Walloon concerns — which are focused on the region’s agricultural industries, perceived to be disadvantaged by the deal with Canada.
http://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/canada-trade-minister-chrystia-freeland-walks-out-of-talks-on-eu-free-trade-deal
Anon2
There is little doubt that tremendous pressure will be exerted by the EU to have Walloon fall into step, Anon2. It is heartening at this juncture to know that at least some people resist the group-think required these days by the free-trade forces, but how long this will be so is anyone's guess.
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