http://www.londontopic.ca/article.php?artid=7393

Mathyssen to host campaign meeting to stop controversial SPP

LondonTopic.ca 02/06/2008


London-Fanshawe MP Irene Mathyssen
NDP Status of Women Critic and London-Fanshawe MP Irene Mathyssen (London-Fanshawe) will host NDP International Trade Critic Peter Julian in London Friday (Feb. as part of the federal party's national campaign to halt further implementation of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) agenda.

The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America was created in March, 2005 to boost co-operation on security, trade and public-health issues between Canada, the United States and Mexico. However, staunch criticism of what some see as a closed-door agenda has raised concerns among people on both sides of the border.

In Canada, The Council of Canadians, a group that opposes what they call "deep integration" with the United States, calls the SPP "the political manifestation of a corporate plan for economic and security integration that was never voted on in any country."

They say the SPP is anti-democratic, makes Canadians less secure and ties Canada to the U.S. "war on terror." The Council is also concerned about the SPP discussions about bulk water exports from Canada to the U.S. The NDP has said it has concerns about the SPP's "lack of transparency and democratic oversight." Julian has tabled a motion calling for public consultations and full Parliamentary oversight of the SPP.

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion has demanded that Harper reject trade deals involving bulk water exports and insist that the U.S. crack down on gun smuggling into Canada.

Julian has been energetically taking the message across the country. He has already lead forums in Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, and Winnipeg among many others, and additional forums are being organized in communities across the country.

Julian's public forum in London stop takes place at the Wolf Performance Hall from 7-9 p.m.

"I'm pleased to host this public meeting, with the support of the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Labour Congress, to provide a group of expert panelists to answer questions from the public. I believe that Canadians have a right to know what the SPP is really about," said Mathyssen. "Mr. Harper wants SPP to be discussed and decided behind closed doors, but the NDP wants to give the public a voice."

"I've been impressed by the hundreds and hundreds of Canadians who have come out to the NDP's SPP public meetings. We've had standing room only crowds in many places. Each Canadian who comes out is saying clearly that they care about the future of our country", said Julian.

Mathyssen and Julian will be joined by Eduardo Sousa from the Council of Canadians, Hassan Yousseff, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress, and London District Labour Council President Patti Dalton.

According to background provided by CBC.ca, the SPP identifies two separate agendas: The security agenda and the prosperity agenda. In Canada, these are led by the public safety minister and the industry minister, respectively. The foreign affairs minister, meanwhile, oversees Canada's relationship with the rest of North America, including the SPP.

The Canadian government's FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) says the "SPP is not an agreement or treaty" but a "dialogue," and on that point, the government and its critics agree.

Because the SPP is not a treaty, like the North American Free Trade Agreement, it doesn't require changes in law or a vote in Parliament.

The Canadian government SPP website says that "consultations occur at many levels," although the only specific group it mentions having presented recommendations to it is the North American Competitiveness Council.

On the Canadian government's website about the SPP, some of the agreement's accomplishments are listed:

Initiatives that make it easier to ship goods across the border.
Strategies to limit the impact of disasters and allow for a more co-coordinated international response and a faster recovery.
International co-operation on intelligence, law enforcement, transportation security and border management to help reduce criminal activity and terror risks.
Reduction of transit times by 50 per cent at the Detroit-Windsor gateway, the largest border crossing point between Canada and the U.S.

Not listed is a planned "harmonization" of pesticide limits between Canada and the U.S., which would raise the acceptable level of pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables.

The SPP's 2006 prosperity report identified "differences in pesticide maximum residue limits" as "barriers to trade."


WEB: SPP: From Behind Closed Doors Into the Public Light


Comments: I think this whole SPP thing stinks to high hell! I'll be doing more research and the next time a SPP protest comes this way, I'll be there and I'll be bringing all my friends and family too! I suggest you do the same. I encourage everyone to talk, email and read as much as you can about about the SPP. It may be the only chance you get to help stop the continued demise of our country.....Canada. Ever read about the softwood lumber fiasco? That's just the beginning. Do you love Canada? I do. If you do, then help. Do something. And open your eyes. Your future and your kids' future is being stolen from you in your sleep.
By: pessy on 02/08/2008
Yes S, Peckinpaw, the Canadian Action Party is not a rael party in that it gets very little support, but still they have always been opposed to the SPP, which the NDP are finally figuring out is a bad idea. Free trade destroyed the mexican farmers, as they could not compete with Americans in growing corn, whcih is a staple of their diet, resulting in the displacement of many of them. The Federal budget for immigration is $7 billion per year for 250,000 immigrants which works out to over $25,000 for each immigrant, money that would be better spent in foreign aid, to get them out of poverty in their own countries.
By: bob on 02/07/2008
bob -- Canadian Action Party?I'm sorry, but that's not even a real political party in my opinion, and never will be for that matter. SSP could be a good thing -- the real problem lies in the lack of transparency. I mean if the entire "dialogue" is only getting input from big business and their lobby groups then that's problematic. Their interests don't lie in the general populace of Canada the U.S. or Mexico -- their interests are fueled purely by the bottom-line mentality. I oppose the exporting of bulk water -- and so do most level-headed Canadians. I oppose the increased use of pesticides. And, as it stands, I oppose the SSP -- that's my bottom line.
By: S. Peckinpaw on 02/07/2008
The NDP is not the only party that has been opposed to this. The Canadian Action Party also has been against this their website is WWW.CANADIANACTIONPARTY.CA We have free trade goods and money and will soon have a free trade in people which will drive down wages for working families. Canada lets in 250,000 immigrants a year, this is way too many.
By: bob on 02/07/2008
Has NAFTA benefited anyone other than US and Canadian Corporations through Mexico? What does it do for Canada other than loss of jobs? You have to be stupid to agree to be in a union with a country that has a currency worth 11 times less than yours, unless you own a corp and take advantage of it. Good for the rich, bad for the working class. Open your eyes people.
By: Crafty Kate on 02/07/2008
The NDP is the only party actively dealing with SPP. The Liberals started it, the Conservatives love it and the greens . . . well, they are a one-issue party.
By: Kayle on 02/06/2008
Here's a clue eh? The SPP benefits the major corporations than would hope to have a NAU (North American Union). Damn those pesky borders they say. They can dismantle a factory in Detroit, move production to China, ship direct to the new SuperPort in Mexico then transport the goods directly to consumers in America & Canada over the NAFTA "SuperHiway" and made a ton on money while avoiding the Longshoreman & Teamsters unions in the Long Beach & Seattle-Tacoma ports. As an example, NAFTA has failed to deliver on any of it's "pie on every table" promises for either America, Canada or Mexico so why should we believe them this time? The "New World Order" is not a given if the people are aware of the facts and act to stop it. Mark in Boise, ID.
By: ZMAN738 on 02/06/2008