Today Canadian sovereignty is threatened by the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (FIPPA). This so-called free trade agreement would force Canadians to give control of natural resource legislation to secret and unaccountable trade commissions. If Canadians want higher standards for oil or gas development, or any other new regulation affecting the profits of Chinese businesses in Canada, we have to pay them to follow our own laws.
While the agreement makes overtures to the protection of the environment and workers, trade law has shown that corporate profits are protected far more often than the land, workers and the public interest. This is evidenced by the myriad of pro-corporate rulings of the NAFTA dispute commission under Chapter 11.
Furthermore, the Harperites, rather than living their slogan of "stand up for Canada" are quickly giving the Canadian people and businesses a raw deal. Under this agreement the Chinese will be able to demand that a certain percentage of Chinese content in their agreements, Canadians however can not. This is economic treason by the so-called conservatives.
Canadians benefit when Canadians control our natural resources and economy, not faux-marxist plutocrats thousand of kilometers across the sea. I am asking for the Quinslings in Ottawa to stand up and protect our national interests and democratic governance.
Thomas Cheney
Prince George
