Trudeau should just say no to CETA

Re Trudeau returns from China with few victories, Sept. 7 If we look behind Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ”sunny ways” persona, he is perpetuating the agenda of the Harper government.

The hearings being held across the country are a sham, as the PM’s G20 remarks on European trade and the Trans Pacific Partnership show the Liberal government is right in line with the Harper regime, promoting flawed so-called trade deals.

Consultation with Canadians on the TPP has consistently raised concerns and objections over the same issue that concerns Europeans — the Investor State Dispute Settlement clauses that give corporations power above that of the federal government and bypass our judicial court system.

The PM states that Canadians are largely supportive of international trade, but, like Stephen Harper’s omnibus bills that contained lots of hidden, usually objectionable, legislation, the TPP is only partly concerned with trade. Trudeau seems intent on ignoring Canadians’ concerns over increased corporate powers as well as the relatively toothless and unequal protections the TPP offers for workers’ rights and the environment.

He misleads Canadians by characterizing those who are opposed to the “hidden” aspects of the TPP (and CETA) as being “antitrade.” In this respect, he is simply following in Harper’s shoes, albeit with a sunnier disposition, placing corporate interests above those of the Canadian people. Terry Kushnier, Scarborough Re CETA undermines our democracy, Opinion

Sept. 1 Apparently, Justin Trudeau is going to continue the foolish initiative of Stephen Harper and grant investor protection rights to powerful corporations in order to sign CETA, the Canada-Europe trade deal. These rights would allow foreign companies to sue Canadian taxpayers for billions of dollars if our elected Parliament passes laws that adversely effect their bottom lines.

What twisted ideology would inspire any thoughtful politician to undermine our democracy in this way? That he would even consider this trade-off is proof that corporations already possess too much power. And these are the same corporations that protect billions of dollars through tax avoidance and evasion.

Stop this madness. Mr. Trudeau, please refuse to sign any trade deal that would erode our sovereign rights. Cliff Lelievre, Burlington