New Trade Deal

[madmax]

I wonder if there is a reciprocal agreement for Canada.

Layton slams 'kill-a-unionist-pay-a-fine' deal with Colombia

Outrageous idea will be issue when Canadian Parliament reconvenes this fall, NDP says

Ottawa (11 July 2008) - Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton says it's "simply outrageous" for Ottawa to sign a trade deal with Colombia with a clause calling for the South American nation to pay a fine to a special fund whenever a union activist is murdered.

It's not clear how the fund would work and the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not released any details on the payment scheme, negotiated with the government of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

"This shouldn't have even been allowed to cross the first bureaucrat's desk," said Layton. The NDP has launched a petition against the trade agreement. In Colombia, where the army has been linked to the death squads, 28 trade unionists have been reported murdered so far this year.

Edited July 11, 2008 by madmax

[SuperFreak]

I don't get it. A labour party is outraged because the conservative party is doing something to help unions in another country. Would he have prefered that they kept it out?

[jbg]

I don't get it. A labour party is outraged because the conservative party is doing something to help unions in another country. Would he have prefered that they kept it out?

Typical knee-jerk stupidity, though I'll freely admit that were I a Canadian I'd be a "New Democrat".

[madmax]

Typical knee-jerk stupidity, though I'll freely admit that were I a Canadian I'd be a "New Democrat".

I think that a bureaucrat put this together and botched it up. I would expect CPC minister was unaware of the implication of the clause if not brought to his attention. Someone probably thought this was a "good deed" on our part.

On a side note you would probably feel more comfortable in the CPC/LPC. Unless you are really close with Stephen Lewis. You would still have to learn to spell "COLOUR" properly

[jbg]

On a side note you would probably feel more comfortable in the CPC/LPC.

You don't think I would fit in with the 'dippers?

Unless you are really close with Stephen Lewis.

Who is?

You would still have to learn to spell "COLOUR" properly

Our spellings are English. Yours are "officially bi-lingual" and multicultural.

[madmax]

You don't think I would fit in with the 'dippers?

The Big Dippers, or the Little Dippers, but I don't know about the "New" Dippers.

Who is?

A former Leader of the Ontario NDP. His father was leader of the Federal NDP. He was known for his social justice stance, leadership in African issues, and general dislike of the United Nations, while serving for them.

http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Lewis

Now, if these don't interest you, you can note that he is Jewish and would likely not support the clause to pay fines for killing union leaders.

Regardless, I don't think you would feel at home with the dippers, but I could be wrong. That doesn't mean you wouldn't have a tendency to respect Social Justice issues, you just might feel more comfortable in a non socialist environment. Even though many would argue that the dippers are to the right of the LPC platform, the LPC, govern fiscally to the right of the CPC. (Short of smaller government)

Our spellings are English. Yours are "officially bi-lingual" and multicultural.

LOL

[jbg]

The Big Dippers, or the Little Dippers, but I don't know about the "New" Dippers.

LOL.

A former Leader of the Ontario NDP. His father was leader of the Federal NDP. He was known for his social justice stance, leadership in African issues, and general dislike of the United Nations, while serving for them.

http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Lewis

Now, if these don't interest you, you can note that he is Jewish and would likely not support the clause to pay fines for killing union leaders.

Those links actually were interesting. Are you saying he would favor "killing union leaders"? I think not.

Regardless, I don't think you would feel at home with the dippers, but I could be wrong. That doesn't mean you wouldn't have a tendency to respect Social Justice issues, you just might feel more comfortable in a non socialist environment. Even though many would argue that the dippers are to the right of the LPC platform, the LPC, govern fiscally to the right of the CPC. (Short of smaller government)

LOL

In the US, Clinton formed the "Democratic Leadership Counsel" or "DLC" in 1986 to promote centrist to conservative ideas within the Democratic Party. That group and their allies were usually called the "New Democrats". I would assume that a "New Democratic Party" or NDP would be similar in views.