TPP Ratification Process Grinding To A Halt As Canada Launches 'Widespread Consultations' On The Deal
from the vicious-circle dept
As we noted recently, the arrival of a new government in Canada has meant that the corporate sovereignty provisions in CETA, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU, might be re-examined, even if they are unlikely to be dropped completely. The other major trade deal involving Canada, TPP, is much more complex, since there are 11 other nations to consider. Although that limits the Candian government's scope for changing course, it appears that it is nonetheless taking a radically different approach compared to its predecessor. Where Stephen Harper's government was unwilling to involve the public in any way, Justin Trudeau's team seems willing at least to ask for their views:
The Liberal government, under pressure from labour unions fretting about what they fear will be big job losses once TPP comes into effect, have launched widespread consultations on the deal. This could take considerable time, said the government, which strongly advocates the idea of free trade.
As that paragraph from an article in The Globe and Mail makes clear, the Canadian government is still keen on TPP, and aims to pass it, but it does seem that the process is going to take far longer than originally envisaged. According to The Globe and Mail, Canada aims to sign soon, but not ratify it -- the final part of the process. That's in part because it's not at all clear when the US will get around to its own ratification. Doubts about the US timetable have increased after The Washington Post published the following:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dealt a significant blow to President Obama's global trade agenda Thursday, declaring that a sweeping pact with 11 Pacific Rim nations should not be sent to Congress for approval until after the 2016 elections -- and maybe not until after Obama leaves office.
That uncertainty is unnerving other TPP nations, as The Globe and Mail notes:
McConnell, who previously supported efforts to enhance Obama's trade negotiating powers, signaled that he was undecided on how he would vote on the deal, but he was clear that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would be defeated if it were sent to Capitol Hill next spring or summer, as the administration was planning to do."Why would you expend any political capital on ratification if the whole process isn't going anywhere?" said an official from a third TPP nation.
One consequence of the other TPP parties not ratifying the agreement quickly is that it makes it even harder to pass the agreement in the US -- a classic vicious circle:
“It would certainly be helpful if other nations moved to ratify,” said a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
That's clearly not going to happen anytime soon in Canada, as the government there makes good on its promise to consult the public on the deal. TPP may be done, but it's by no means dusted.
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Filed Under: canada, justin trudeau, ratification, tpp, us
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Mixed feelings
On the one hand, I'd love to see it voted on and shot down. On the other hand, might be safer for it to just stall out, with each country waiting for the others to go ahead in screwing the public in their respective countries first, resulting it in just dying out.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dealt a significant blow to President Obama's global trade agenda Thursday, declaring that a sweeping pact with 11 Pacific Rim nations should not be sent to Congress for approval until after the 2016 elections -- and maybe not until after Obama leaves office.
This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. By delaying it until after the elections, those running can say whatever they want, lie as much as they feel like it to match what they think will help them the best, without actually having to worry about holding to their promises. Once they're in office they can vote however they want, safe in the knowledge that by the time re-election comes back around, most people will have completely forgotten about their particular involvement in it.
“It would certainly be helpful if other nations moved to ratify,” said a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
Here's hoping none of them do then, making it that much harder to pass the rotten thing in the US.
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Thats definitely a risk, but the idea that TPP could stall out is also possible. Besides, while Canada subjects it to widespread scrutiny, it gives us a window to do the same. TPP was always meant to be snuck through without much public vetting. This delay makes that much harder for them.
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You spelled "virtuous" wrong.
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How about we do a Free Trade agreement?
Instead of taking this rushed-through, secretive power transfer, why not start over and negotiate (publicly) the media-reported version?
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Finally...
Too bad it's not the US government.
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Re: Mixed feelings
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How much is 'The Submission' to The Supreme Court of Canada delaying the TPP, et al?
Hormone treated milk production banned in Canada for health reasons (Corporate Canada pays milk farmers Compensation for their TPP demise & Compensation to milk consumers for health risks), or, was production banned to protect the milk farmers & industry (Corporate Canada may be off the hook if Foreign milk Labelled ‘Hormone Treated’ & with Health Tax)?
Has Trudeau Read & Understood the TPP, et al? When will he be prepared to answer the Questions re; TPP & its relationship to The WAD Accord's Compensation & the Corporations of the TPP's Contribution to it?
Much More Taxpayer (non-Corporate America/Canada) paid for Litigation on the Way as Native Canadians, et al, look to Courts for Certainty (see; ‘Nexen’) re; Global Corporate ’Arrangements’ (treaties). Liberals (Canada) swear that they may not have had part of the Planning & Cover-up of The Residential Schools’ Native Canadian Cultural Genocide & Ordained Pedophile Rings?
New PM Trudeau denies depriving Global Corporate Associates, et al, of Due Diligence info & questions in The WAD Accord’s Compensation? Contributions to WAD Compensation by Global Corporate Associates & citizens of TPP, China & EU nations with ‘informed consent’?
But, which international stockbrokers have not protected their clients from ‘The Submission’ to The Supreme Court of Canada? Another ‘unregulated’, designed, Wall St. ‘meltdown’, but, global via Treaties/’Arrangements’? And, who will protect the ‘harmless’ taxpayers?
***
PRESIDENT OBAMA, PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU (CAN.), the leaders of the other political parties operating in Canada, the executives of the parties, Leaders & citizens of the EU, China, the Trans-Pacific nations, et al;
After serving you with; "NOTIFICATION of Pre-existing CHALLENGE(s) to the TPP, C-CITreaty (FIPPA), the CETAgrement, the TPPartnership, et al" on, or, about, 2015,
do you think that it would prudent for both; Canadians & non-Canadian who are the potential shareholders & non-shareholders of the businesses, industries & enterprises that will be generated by, or, effected by, the aforementioned agreements, treaties, &/or, partnerships, to wait for the findings regarding:
'The Submission' to The SUPREME COURT of CANADA:
‘The SHAREHOLDERS & Corporations of AMERICA, China, Canada, the EU, the Trans Pacific nations, et al
v.
the (harmless) Canadian NON shareholders, both; Native & non Native, et al’
(Excerpts of ‘The Submission’, see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com)
including
'The MERKEL (Chancellor of Germany) Letter; To Sue, or, Be Sued?'
(see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com)?
And, what, if anything, have you & the other leaders done that will ensure that those voters that have not been privy to the aforementioned agreements, treaties, &/or, partnerships, have the same, or, more time (ie. 10 years for non-lawyers) to read, consider, discuss, improve upon, &/or, reject, or, accept (with funding by corporate Canada to pay the requisite contingent of lawyers to work out; a) the dollar impact for the harmless taxpayers & the designers of the ‘original’ draft; corporate Canada and b) alternatives.
Furthermore, what is the schedule of punitive penalties that the voters will receive from Corporate Canada & the federal government if/when the TPP, et al, Tribunals try to take trade penalties from the top of the taxpayers budgets in order that the Tribunals’ penalties don’t interfere with expanding our spending for health care, education, CPP & other services. That is to say; the TPP penalties need to be at the bottom of the ‘balanced’ federal, et al, budgets; after all other payments, compensations & suits by the provinces/municipalities against corporate Canada & the federal government as per ‘The Submission’ to The Supreme Court of Canada (see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com) & ‘The MERKEL (Chancellor of Germany) Letter’ (see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com)?
And, ‘finally’, Canadian provinces, such as, Alberta, that allow Canadian corporations to pollute, frack for LNG, etc., do not set precedents for all of Canada, it merely allows foreign/global signatories to do pollute, frack for LNG, etc. in the jurisdiction of Alberta, but, these foreign corporations must maintain rigorous environmental standards that will not challenge the neighboring provinces, &/or, the other effected jurisdictions. Under these & other circumstances the corporations are deemed liable & fit to be sued by all of the effected jurisdictions of Canada.
Please also remember Mr. Trudeau, et al, that if all of the harmless voters/taxpayers demand shares in the aforementioned businesses, industries& enterprises as a consequence of the encumbrances of their rights,& /or, the future marginalizing of their rights, the entire TPP & the other Global Corporate Treaties/'Arrangements' come tumbling down as the cross-suing global corporations will be placed in the situation that we've discussed before whereby, the corporations will be in fact suing themselves without being able to totally pass along their liabilities, such as the secret Tribunals' punitive penalties, to the harmless, voters/taxpayers.
And, as the need to compensate Canadian; dairy farmers, auto manufacturers, fishermen, et al, has been created by corporation Canada in order for it & its shareholders to benefit directly from their secret 'arrangements', do you understand the need for the compensations to be taken from the gross earnings (trillions of dollars over the life time of the secretly growing scope of the TPP, et al) of the businesses, industries & enterprises that will be generated by, or, positively affected by, the aforementioned agreements, treaties, &/or, partnerships,
and thus, the compensations will absolutely not be paid for in any part by the harmless voters/taxpayers, &/or, any of the potentially 'indirect' beneficiaries?
As always, I look forward to reading about your thoughts, your questions, your feelings, your improvements, etc., & those of your fellow party leaders, the executives of the parties, et al, regarding the enclosed.
If you should have any questions, or, problems with this issue, &/or, any other, I can be contacted at the numbers & addresses that I’ve previously provided you with.
David E.H. Smith
- Researcher
- 'Qui tam...'
OR,
your signature
***For the FULL Letter with various sub-titles, see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com ***FULL ‘Submission’, see; The Supreme Court of Canada’,
Or, Contact DEHSmith at davidehsmith.wordpress.com
***For FULL Article; 'Well, You should have known', see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com ***For more Information & Questions re; The Relationship between Human (Nature) Rights & Economics by way of the TTIP, the CET Agreement, TPP, C-CI Treaty, et al, and The WAD Accord & List of RECENT ARTICLES, LETTERS & NOTIFICATIONS by DEHS, see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com ***Please consider sharing the enclosed information& questions with 10 friends… who will share it with 10 others...
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Happy to hear the TPP has another roadblock
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Re:
But with it stalled, nobody's going to be working on the replacement. That could buy us a significant amount of time :)
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TPP
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In theory, Canada's gov't is supposed to work somewhere along the lines of "order and good gov't" on principle. This sounds very much along that line. Good for Mr. Trudeau. Check out the fine print, yes? What's the hurry anyway?
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Re: How about we do a Free Trade agreement?
It could contain things like
- outlawing geoblocking
- outlawing price-fixing on a country basis
- outlawing the outlawing of parallel imports
- mandating maximum inter-bank transfer fees
- mandating maximum mobile interconnect fees
- mandating maximum limits in duration and scope of artificial government-granted monopolies (like copyright or patents).
- mandating minimum standards on privacy protection (like not allowing an entity to collect more data than needed for a business transaction; or like not allowing any government entity to access personal data from other entities without a warrant)
- outlawing special treatment of internet traffic on the basis of one of the endpoints.
What a nice idea. Why didn't any of these so-called "free-market" types get that idea yet?
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Re:
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Okay now, the next thint I wanna see is Trudeau do as promised and start amending the most disgusting parts of the C-51 bills, which was a campaign promise till the end. The NDP wanted to scrap it altogether, but the NDP's momentum kinda died when Jack Layton died 3-4 months after the 2011 elections where he was official opposition. That was sad.
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Re: Re:
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TPP
We must STOP the TPP at all costs. It is the greatest threat to liberty ever presented to us.
It is NOT ABOUT TRADE. It is about the dissolution of the power of nation states and the rise of a new form of government we call CORPORATOCRACY
The globalists who put this together with international corporations want to end the actions of sovereign nations and states like ours who have constitutions. Through the establishment of international courts and independent regulators all of whom are appointed by international bankers, they will have effectively end runned our Constitution. .
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Re: TPP
Great diatribe though. Have another drink.
My dad was woken up at 0430 and told to suit up and climb into the tail gun pos'n of a B-17 bomber. You and I will never find ourselves in that pos'n, but we're both the 21st century version of that guy.
Whatta ya gonna do, laddie?
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Re: Re: How about we do a Free Trade agreement?
- restrictions (fair use, personal copying, equal right to distribution) and shorter, more reasonable copyright/patent terms for ALL media.
- mandate recovery of "externalized" costs, such as environmental damages, employee health and wellness.
- taxation of overseas profits at an "equivalent" rate.
- Criminal liability to corporate board for violations of consumer rights and failure to protect personal and private data.
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