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Peace Arch Arch News News Thursday, March 1, 2012 Peace
lifestyles
Transparency needed for CETA talks
I
wonder how many readers challenge our environmental know what the initials regulations, make it difficult CETA stand for. It is the to introduce new or stricter Comprehensive Economic controls and would encourage and Trade Agreement which extractive industries. There is now being have been assurances negotiated between that CETA will differ Roy Strang Ottawa and the from NAFTA, which European Union, has made it possible and which officials for corporations hope to finalize in to institute legal 2012 – though with proceedings against the current fiscal public environmental turmoil in Europe regulations, but how discussions may well good and meaningful be delayed. are those assurances? Although Last year saw U.S. negotiations have investor T. Boone been anything but Pickens challenge open and transparent, Ontario’s Green enough is known to Energy Act and a cause real concern, especially at U.S.-registered Brazilian the municipal level. company attempt to overturn There are at least four good Ontario’s decision preventing reasons for this concern. development of a quarry Under CETA, transnational that would have impacted corporations could farmland and water resources.
enviro notes
Great selection of
In other words, outside bodies were attempting to dictate how and by whom we should be governed. We need clear and unequivocal wording that will eliminate the possibility of any such actions if CETA is to be acceptable but, given the secrecy surrounding negotiations, we have no guarantee that this requirement will be met. It appears, too, that, if implemented, CETA will restrict how our governments can control private water corporations (Europe is home to the world’s largest) and allow them access to our drinking water for their profit. Sanitation services could also be affected. Besides these environmental worries, there appear to be threats both to our jobs and to local decision-making powers.
If European corporations are given unrestricted access to government purchasing contracts, this will deny municipalities the freedom to obtain goods and services locally. If, as the European Union (EU) wants, all of our public services come under the agreement, then medicare will be subject to increased pressure for privatization and generic drug costs could rise. Given these possibilities, it is deplorable that CETA has not been opened to public scrutiny and discussion. Keeping them from the public view heightens skepticism and fosters unfortunate suspicions that there’s something to hide. Why are we not being told what’s involved? Dr. Roy Strang writes monthly on the environment for the Peace Arch News. rmstrang@shaw.ca
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