CUSJ President Margaret Rao wrote today to the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade, to express grave concerns about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a so-called “free trade” agreement currently under negotiation between Canada, the US, Australia and several other countries. In her letter, Rao explains that CUSJ opposes the TPP, as ”a detriment to the economy, to jobs, and to Canadian sovereignty, that will negatively affect our ability to live up to our commitments on carbon emissions and climate change.”
The TPP would allow corporations to sue the Canadian government for any legislation that they feel adversely affects corporate profits, through the ”Investor-State Dispute Settlement” (ISDS) process. These trials would usurp the democratic process, in that they would allow corporate lawyers to overturn legislation created by Canada’s democratically elected leaders. To view the letter in full, click here.