Trans-Pacific Partnership: 11 Things Harper Doesn't Want To Reveal

Big Guy · August 2, 2015

My question is what power or control does a previous government have after the writs are dropped? As I understand it, the representatives no longer represent their constituencies and the government is dissolved. If that is the case, who is representing the Canadian viewpoint during these negotiations? Why would the new government be somehow obligated to accept an agreement negotiated by a previous government?

TimG · August 2, 2015

If that is the case, who is representing the Canadian viewpoint during these negotiations? Why would the new government be somehow obligated to accept an agreement negotiated by a previous government?

Obviously, a new government could try to toss out a carefully negotiated compromise with the other parties but the the other parties might decide that having Canada in the deal is more of a hassle than it is worth. So any new Canadian government would have to decide whether to accept the existing compromises or be shut out of an important free trade agreement. Personally, I doubt the TPP parties would have any interest in accepting additional exclusions that would only benefit a small number of Canadians working in politically connected industries.

Big Guy · August 2, 2015

To TimG - For Canada, it appears the negotiations seem to have come down to Canadian manufacturing vs agriculture. One gains at the expense of the other. The negotiators would have to decide which condition would be of greater total advantage for Canada.

Not an easy decision.

jacee · August 2, 2015

Why would the new government be somehow obligated to accept an agreement negotiated by a previous government?

If Canada's word, agreements, contracts, treaties mean nothing ... why waste our money making them?

Did you not even think about that idiotic question before posting? :/

.

Big Guy · August 2, 2015

To jacee - Yes I did. That is why I posted it. Canada has signed a number of agreements and commitments which it has never honoured. These vary from environmental commitments to military commitments to foreign aid to aboriginal treaties.

Every agreement or treaty has an "out" clause.

Thank you for your concern about my state of mind while posting. It was quite normal or I might have posted some spurious remark that had nothing to do with the issue. I try to not insult other posters just because I may disagree with them.

Topaz · August 16, 2015

Wiki Leaks has put out an article says that Canada could sell crown corps. under the TPP. I wonder what else the Tories are selling out in this agreement? http://www.globalresearch.ca/wikileaks-reveals-the-canadian-broadcasting-corporation-cbc-and-canada-post-may-be-sold-under-tpp-agreement/5466629

Keepitsimple · August 16, 2015

Wiki Leaks has put out an article says that Canada could sell crown corps. under the TPP. I wonder what else the Tories are selling out in this agreement? http://www.globalresearch.ca/wikileaks-reveals-the-canadian-broadcasting-corporation-cbc-and-canada-post-may-be-sold-under-tpp-agreement/5466629

What do you think they'll "sell out"? While you're at it, what do you think the other dozen countries will "sell out"?

Icebound · August 16, 2015

What do you think they'll "sell out"?

Water.

eyeball · August 16, 2015

What do you think they'll "sell out"? While you're at it, what do you think the other dozen countries will "sell out"?

It's also who they'll sell out which are the human beings they govern - to the people and interests governments serve.

overthere · August 16, 2015

there is no Crown Corp for water.

It is long long long past time for Canada to abandon supply management, with or without TPP.

socialist · August 16, 2015

Wiki Leaks has put out an article says that Canada could sell crown corps. under the TPP. I wonder what else the Tories are selling out in this agreement? http://www.globalresearch.ca/wikileaks-reveals-the-canadian-broadcasting-corporation-cbc-and-canada-post-may-be-sold-under-tpp-agreement/5466629

There is no deficit this year. Just as PMSH promised. How many of the G7 can say the same after the greatest recession since 1929? How much larger would our debt be, and how much more would we be paying in taxes if any of the other parties were in charge?

Edited August 16, 2015 by socialist

G Huxley · August 16, 2015

Harper could continue to sell Canadian companies and resources to foreign owned country like he has been doing left right and center.

Talisman and Nexen which he sold to communist China are only a couple names among many. Utterly traitorous.

Smallc · August 16, 2015

Harper could continue to sell Canadian companies and resources to foreign owned country like he has been doing left right and center.

The government doesn't own these companies, sorry.

G Huxley · August 16, 2015

The government has to decide whether or not they can be sold to foreign interests. They sold out Canada to foreign interests including totalitarian/communist China.

Smallc · August 16, 2015

The government has to decide whether or not they can be sold to foreign interests. They sold out Canada to foreign interests including totalitarian/communist China.

Sold out? No, they allowed commerce to take place, just as the previous Liberal government did. The Harper government actually blocked some deals, something that hasn't happened in the past.

G Huxley · August 16, 2015

You can call selling out the country's resources and companies to foreign interests such as totalitarian/communist China as 'business as usual' 'commerce' if you want. More accurately it's called betraying Canada by selling off it's companies/resources.

Edited August 16, 2015 by G Huxley

bush_cheney2004 · August 16, 2015

Sold out? No, they allowed commerce to take place, just as the previous Liberal government did. The Harper government actually blocked some deals, something that hasn't happened in the past.

True....the previous Liberal governments aggressively pursued foreign investment as an economic strategy. Foreign capital was courted with many incentives.

Smallc · August 16, 2015

True....the previous Liberal governments aggressively pursued foreign investment as an economic strategy. Foreign capital was courted with many incentives.

As it should be. Only partisan hypocrites pretend that this wasn't business as usual.

eyeball · August 17, 2015

I think I read somewhere it's the way Ottawa keeps selling out Canadians to the Dairy Board that's caused our potential Pacific trading partners to tell us to piss up a rope.

The freer the trade the freer the people. I truly do believe that but if we don't practice what we preach we'll just be a joke.

G Huxley · August 17, 2015

"The freer the trade the freer the people."

Tell that to the people who live and work in "Free Trade Zones"

Arbeit Macht Frei right?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade_zone

PIK · August 17, 2015

If Canada would drop its protection of dairy products then those prices would drop by 50% to Canadians, consumers would be very happy, dairy farmers would be going broke, Conservatives would pay the price in votes in rural Canada.

Well being held hostage by 12000 dairy farmers is not right either. And the dairy farms will still do great without the protection. I have yet to see a poor dairy farmer. They all have lived well,especially when they sell their quota.

eyeball · August 17, 2015

"The freer the trade the freer the people."

Tell that to the people who live and work in "Free Trade Zones"

Arbeit Macht Frei right?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade_zone

Well, I have to assume people have the same definition in mind for the word free when they use it.

G Huxley · August 18, 2015

If being chained up to a sewing machine all day being paid 2 cents an hour and have the place burn down with no fire exits in Bangladesh means free to you then by all means.

I'm sure the people in Tianjin are enjoying their freedom right now.

Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone is the largest free trade zone in northern China.

Edited August 18, 2015 by G Huxley

eyeball · August 18, 2015

If being chained up to a sewing machine all day being paid 2 cents an hour and have the place burn down with no fire exits in Bangladesh means free to you then by all means.

I'm being facetious. Politicians are out right liars more often than not when they use the term free and trade in the same context. To them it really means paving the way for our corporations and pension funds and what have you to invest in places like Bangladesh.

I'm sure the people in Tianjin are enjoying their freedom right now.
Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone is the largest free trade zone in northern China.

And I bet there's lot's of Canadian money in Tianjin enjoying the freedom of profits from lax safety standards, liability, labour standards, pollution etc.

For the record, I've been often labelled a communistic freedom-hating authoritarian terrorist for suggesting we do something about allowing Canadians to invest in places like the above.