June 2, 2017 — In March, the Canadian government announced that it would be consulting Canadians on a potential free trade agreement (FTA) with China. Today, the Trade Justice Network submitted a brief outlining our main concerns with a potential Canada-China FTA. These concerns include the impact on our trade relationship, enhanced rights of investors, environmental impacts and China’s poor record on labour and human rights.
In its recent launch of the preliminary public consultation process, the Government of Canada claimed that “today’s modern, interconnected economy requires a more inclusive and progressive approach to international trade.” If the government is to honour its commitment to a progressive trade agenda, a Canada-China FTA must ensure that human rights, labour rights, Indigenous sovereignty and environmental sustainability are protected (and prioritized) rather than jeopardized by the expansion of investor rights.
Read our full submission here: Submission to Global Affairs on the Proposed Canada-China FTA – June 2017