Location: CGA Manitoba Room, Red River College, 160 Princess Street, Winnipeg, MB
A free event featuring
Maude Barlow, National Chairperson, Council of Canadians
Paul Moist, National President, Canadian Union of Public Employees
Canada and the European Union are negotiating a new Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) which they hope to sign by the end of this year. But it would be more accurate to call it a privatization and deregulation pact. Under CETA, large multinational corporations could take over delivery of vital public services – like water and waste disposal – whether local governments like it or not. Local governments who choose to “buy local” or to exclude for-profit European corporations from bidding on public service contracts could have their right to do so overruled by an unaccountable trade tribunal for violating CETA. CETA is also a major threat to farmers and food security, putting at risk the right to save and re-use seeds and challenging farm support programs for Canadian farmers.
Come learn more about the threat CETA poses to Canadian communities and how you can get involved in stopping it.
This event is part of a cross-country tour organized by the Council of Canadians and CUPE. The Winnipeg event is co-sponsored by the Manitoba Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
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Why is CETA a bad deal for Canada?
It’s the biggest free trade deal Canada has ever negotiated. But the public is being left in the dark about Canada-EU trade talks by the federal and provincial governments. This trade deal is not just about trade. It’s a privatization and deregulation designed to undermine local communities and give new powers to multinational corporations.
If CETA is signed it will:
• threaten our democracy by putting corporate rights first
• encourage privatization of Canadians drinking water and wastewater services
• threaten local job creation and “buy-local” policies
• cause prescription drug costs to skyrocket by at least $2.8 billion per year
• allow big corporations to ignore or challenge environmental regulation
• undermine Canadian farmers and endanger local food security
With CETA negotiations entering a critical stage, Canadians deserve a say in the scope of this trade deal with the EU. Come hear from Maude Barlow and Paul Moist, two of the deal’s leading critics, on how it would affect Canada and what we can do to stop it!
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About the speakers:
Maude Barlow is the National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. She is the recipient of ten honorary doctorates as well as many awards, including the 2005 Right Livelihood Award (known as the “Alternative Nobel”) and the Citation of Lifetime Achievement at the 2008 Canadian Environment Award. In 2008/2009, she served as Senior Advisor on Water to the 63rd President of the United Nations General Assembly. She is also the best-selling author or co-author of 16 books, including the international best seller Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and The Coming Battle for the Right to Water.
Paul Moist is national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) – Canadians largest union with more than 605,000 members. An ardent advocate for public services, Moist has led CUPE to the forefront in the fight against privatization. He’s championed the positive and vital role that public services like health care, education, and child care play in making our communities better places to live for all Canadians.
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For more information on CETA visit:
www.canadians.org/ceta
www.tradejustice.ca
www.cupe.ca/ceta
www.nfu.ca
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