Despite this high number of Canadian wanting to retain our resources for Canadians, now and in the future, it appears the Harperites don't care.
So what could possibly motivate some politicians to sell Canadians out?
more
The Tyee – China Trade Deal a '31-Year Ball and Chain' on Canada
poll
Three of four Canadians against ceding control of resources to foreign governments: poll | The Hook
So what could possibly motivate some politicians to sell Canadians out?
The new China investment deal that Prime Minister Stephen Harper inked in Russia and that will become law by Nov 1 could be "a 31-year ball and chain on Canada," without critical changes says Gus Van Harten, a Toronto-based global legal authority on investment trade deals.
Moreover the agreement, part of Harper's aggressive agenda to sell Canadian energy and mining resources to the world's second largest economy, will make it easier for China's powerful state-owned enterprises (SOE's) such as Sinopec, (Asia's largest refiner) the Kailuan Group (a coal conglomerate) and CNOOC (a national oil company) to control the pace and scale of resource development in Canada.
The Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) also gives China's state owned enterprises, already under fire for corruption and inefficiency, the right to contest any Canadian standards that might stipulate the use of Canadian labour and materials in resource projects.
"The deal in effect gives risk insurance to Chinese companies borne by Canadian taxpayers. Taxpayers assume major liability for business losses of Chinese investors due to legal or regulatory changes in Canada," explains Van Harten, who has sent a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper (published here on The Tyee) and another to British Columbia Premier Christy Clark laying out his critical ****ysis.
Given its fast tracked approach to finalizing the deal, the Harper government will not have completed an assessment on the treaty's environmental impacts on resource development until a week after the treaty is approved without parliamentary debate.
more
The Tyee – China Trade Deal a '31-Year Ball and Chain' on Canada
poll
Three of four Canadians against ceding control of resources to foreign governments: poll | The Hook