To the Editor,
I am embarrassed that I was oblivious to the fact that our government is negotiating away more of our rights and liberties as Canadians.
Are you aware of the free trade agreement that is being negotiated between the current federal government and the European Union? I am dismayed by the provisions it includes, such as:
Forced “joint” public/private ownership of public services: health care, education, social programs, postal service, even water treatment;
No discretion on the part of government for local procurement of goods and services;
Farmers, of course, are liable to being sued for infringement of genetically modified patents;
Environmental protections overridden when the economic interests of transnational corporations are impacted;
Corporations would have the right to sue our government whenever they deem to have suffered an economic loss due to our regulations;
Our government sells this as ‘creating economic opportunity’ for Canadians.
It saddens me that within our democracy we cannot separate out issues and make decisions based on outcomes in individual cases. We’re either ‘pro-business’, read federal Conservative, and Liberal; or for protecting the rights of citizens, read NDP; or for protecting the environment, read Green.
We can see by results where our values lie.
Why can MPs not think of the interests of their constituents and the world we are leaving our children before the interests of their parties? Why does every MP not vote according to his or her conscience on every matter?
These are rhetorical questions. I know why. It is the nature of the political animal, and party discipline.
In any case, I will let my MP know that if he has the interests of Canadians at heart, he will speak up within his party and put the brakes on this ill-conceived trade agreement.
V. Lynne Stafford
Nanoose Bay