Mum’s the main word on the Security and Prosperity Partnership By Paul Stuart

May 29 2007


Under the radar of most Canadians is the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), a 2005 accord by the U.S., Canada and Mexico for further integration.

The deal, which calls North American energy security a priority, commits Canada to ensuring American energy supplies even though Canada itself has no national plan to protect its own supplies.

The Maritimes and Quebec import 90 per cent of their supply and Ontario 40 per cent. Meantime, Canada exports 63 per cent of its oil and 56 per cent of its gas production, mostly to the U.S.

Earlier this month, University of Alberta professor Gordon Laxer testified at parliamentary hearings that Canadians will be left to freeze in the dark if the government forges ahead with plans to integrate energy supplies across North America.

Upon listening to this testimony, what was the reaction of the chair holding the SPP-related hearings?

Conservative MP Leon Benoit, ordered Laxer to halt his testimony, saying it was not relevant. Opposition MPs called for and won, a vote to overrule Benoit’s ruling. Enraged, Benoit declared the meeting adjourned and stormed out, followed by three Tory panel members. Other MPs raised concerns about recently revealed plans under the SPP to raise Canadian limits on pesticide residues to match less-stringent American rules.

Questions were raised whether the SPP would open the door to bulk water exports.

Recent behind-closed-doors SPP-related meetings in Calgary were funded in part by the U.S. government and the private sector. Background papers prepared for these sessions show the direction where deliberations are headed. The Washington-based think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, prepared a paper based on the premise: Juxtaposed to the relative scarcity of water in the United States and Mexico, Canada possesses 20 percent of the world’s water.

So there we have it. Our federal government is upset that patriotic Canadians don’t want to sell-out to the U.S. our remaining resources and halts discussion.

Much SPP policy is being negotiated quietly and without public scrutiny. U.S. and Mexican sources corroborate that the next Canada-US-Mexico summit will take place August 21 and 22 in Quebec. Abhorrently, our Prime Minister won’t confirm the meeting.

Heard little of the SPP? Shhh ... Mum’s the word.

Paul Stuart lives in Parksville





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