PM Harper a ‘smug corporate pawn’
Re Election goodies: thank only your fellow taxpayers, Opinion July 22 Stephen Harper has never met a free trade deal he didn’t like and seems ready to sign anything placed in front of him as he turns Canada from a benevolent and caring country into a corporate fiefdom. But, in doing so, he is playing a dangerous game.
Many of the agreements have little protection for Canadian rights but he doesn’t seem to care. For the almighty dollar, he is happy to give away our country and our resources to business interests despite the damage Canada may suffer. Of course, after the damage is done, the foreign investors will just move on, leaving us with the mess.
For instance, since many of these free trade agreements have investor protection clauses in them, he has exposed every Canadian citizen, through their tax contributions, to legal action if a foreign investor doesn’t realize a return on its investment because we won’t allow them to destroy or pollute our land.
Even now there is a $250-million lawsuit against the Canadian government by Lone Pine Resources Inc. (registered in Delaware), because Quebec has banned fracking for natural gas in its province. Lone Pine wants to frack under the St. Lawrence River where it says there are massive deposits of natural gas.
Farmers and others near fracking operations in the U.S. regularly show that their drinking water can be lit on fire. So, imagine the St. Lawrence River on fire.
Experts say that even if the suit doesn’t succeed, it creates a legal chill for governments, discouraging them from passing environmental laws for health and safety for fear it will upset foreign investors. In addition, Harper’s latest free trade agreement with the European Union is expected to generate even more lawsuits against our government.
Also, Harper is saying he will sue the provinces if they pass laws, environmental or otherwise, that interfere with a foreign investor’s profits and lead to an action against the federal government.
Is there no end to this smug, corporate pawn’s lunacy? J. Richard Wright, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.