Please help notify friends and family about the Government’s consultations on the Trade Deal. Edmonton Jan 11th, Vancouver, Jan 12th. …
I would definitely have made the trip to Vancouver to attend, had I had sufficient advance notice.
In lieu of, I
- Posted to Facebook page for Minister for International Trade, Chrystia Freeland:
The “investor-state dispute resolution” mechanism, like NAFTA Chapter 11, is so intensely pro-Corporate and against the public interest that I am motivated to join whatever Revolutions there are to stop the TPP.
If Canadians are not sufficiently informed, to put an end to the TPP, it is my hope that the Parliaments of the co-signatories will refuse ratification. It will then be dead-in-the-water here, too.
2. I will Comment by email, as invited by International Trade:
Canadians are invited to visit this page frequently for consultations activities and regular updates. You can also send your comments at any time via email:
TPP-PTP.consultations@international.gc.ca.
BACKGROUND:
- 2015-11-16 YouTube: German Public TV showing Europeans re ISDS (Investor State Dispute Settlements). Canada? U.S.? What are we seeing?
- http://ipolitics.ca/2015/11/05/with-text-published-freeland-promises-serious-tpp-consultation/
- http://canadians.org/blog/council-canadians-joins-mexican-civil-society-fight-updated-nafta
- Exposing the new global legal and economic system Thanks to Elaine: While you are all familiar with the various investor protection agreements (deceptively referred to as “free trade” agreements) this short video is an excellent addition to the analysis and explains the US strategy to create a new global legal and economic system using the TPP, TTIP, TISA. Please circulate widely.
WHO ARE THE CONSULTATIONS WITH, SO FAR?
HELP GET WORD TO PEOPLE RE VANCOUVER CONSULTATION (Scroll down for Edmonton):
EVENT: Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade, on TPP Tuesday Jan 12 – Liu Inst, UBC –
Who benefits? Canada and the TPP,
a discussion with Federal Minister Freeland and 3 panelists
January 12, 2016 6:30 PM
Please join us for a panel discussion on the Trans-Pacific Partnership with The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade and MP for University-Rosedale. This is part of a national consultation tour.
Location: Liu Institute for Global Issues – Multipurpose Room
University of British Columbia
Address: 6476 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC
Light refreshments will be offered. Download the invitation.
[ http://www.ligi.ubc.ca/sites/liu/files/Events/2016/InDiscussionwithChrystiaFreeland_Jan.12.pdf ]
Please RSVP:
Welcome by Moura Quayle, Professor and Director, Liu Institute for Global Issues, Co-Director, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs
Moderator and Panelist Yves Tiberghien, Associate Professor, Political Science & Director, Institute of Asian Research, Co-Director, Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs
Panelist John Ries, Professor, Strategy and Business Economics Division, Sauder School of Business
Panelist Matilde Bombardini, Associate Professor, Vancouver School of Economics
Speaker’s Bio: The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade and MP for University-Rosedale was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre in a by-election in November 2013, and then as the Member of Parliament for University–Rosedale in October 2015. She was the Critic for International Trade in 2014.
She was born in Peace River, Alberta, received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and continued her studies on a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University.
After cutting her journalistic teeth as a Ukraine-based stringer for the Financial Times, The Washington Post, and The Economist, Chrystia went on to wear many hats at the Financial Times, including deputy editor, UK news editor, Moscow bureau chief, Eastern Europe correspondent, editor of its weekend edition, and editor of FT.com.
Between 1999 and 2001, she served as deputy editor of The Globe and Mail, before becoming a managing editor at the Financial Times. In 2010, Chrystia joined Canadian-owned Thomson Reuters as editor-at-large. She most recently worked as Managing Director and Editor of Consumer News. Chrystia was a weekly columnist for The Globe and Mail, writing extensively about the challenges facing the middle class.
Her books include Sale of a Century: The Inside Story of the Second Russian Revolution (2000) and Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else (2012).
Chrystia is married and a proud mother of three children.
Panelist Bios:
Yves Tiberghien (Ph.D. Stanford University, 2002) is the Director of the Institute of Asian Research at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Executive Director of the UBC China Council, Co-Director of the UBC Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA), and Associate Professor of Political Science. He is also a Harvard Academy Fellow and a Senior Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Foundation. He is a specialist in global economic governance and Asian political economy, including global trade governance, G20 issues, GMO politics, and global climate politics.
John Ries is a Professor and Senior Associate Dean, Research at the Sauder School of Business at of the University of British Columbia. He holds the HSBC Professorship in Asian Business. He teaches courses on international business, international trade policy, and government and business. He has a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley and received a Ph.D. of Economics from the University of Michigan. Professor Ries’ primary research interests are international trade and business. He has published over 25 articles in academic journals and has contributed articles to numerous conferences sponsored by the Canadian government. He served a co-editor at the Canadian Journal of Economics from 2011-2015. Professor Ries His current research assesses the importance of idiosyncratic factors in the matching of Chinese importers and foreign export sources.
Matilde Bombardini’s research covers various aspects of International Trade and Political Economy. In particular, she has worked on the link between skill distribution and comparative advantage, the lobbying decision of firms and the behaviour of lobbyists. Bombardini is currently investigating the impact of export expansion in China on pollution and health outcomes across different Chinese regions.
Supported by: Policy@UBC, Liu Institute for Global Issues, Institute of Asian Research, Vancouver School of Economics, Sauder School of Business, and the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs
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EDMONTON
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/comm/advisories-avis/2016/01/10a.aspx?lang=eng
International Trade Minister to visit Edmonton as part of trade consultations
January 10, 2016 – The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of International Trade, will visit the University of Alberta’s Agri-Food Discovery Place following her consultations with provincial leaders, local industry representatives and academics on the Trans-Pacific Partnership and on international trade.
Event: Media availability and photo opportunity Date: Monday, January 11, 2016 Time: 3 p.m. MT Location: University of Alberta, Building F83, 6020 118 Street N.W., Edmonton, Alberta
Contacts
Alex Lawrence Press Secretary Office of the Minister of International Trade alex.lawrence@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office Global Affairs Canada 343-203-7700 media@international.gc.ca Follow us on Twitter: @CanadaTrade Like us on Facebook: Canada’s international trade – Global Affairs Canada
From: Jim
Sent: January 10, 2016 7:00 PM
If you didn’t know about it Sandra, then what chance does the ordinary ‘man in the street’ have? This is being played too low key for almost everyone! Deliberate? You bet!
From: Sandra
Sent: January 10, 2016 7:24 PM
To: Jim
Yes – – I agree entirely that it’s deliberate that “the public” isn’t aware of the “public consultation” events.
The bureaucrats in International Trade are running the show. I suspect in this case, that the Minister condones it.
From: Elaine
Sent: January 10, 2016 6:35 PM
Good posting, Sandra.
I sent the announcement to my BC addressees within the hour of receiving it myself – had been outside shovelling off my parking pad.
From: Sandra
Sent: January 10, 2016 7:43 PM
To: Elaine
I think deliberate lack of notification of “public consultations”.
I tried to find an itinerary for consultations in other cities. Could not find.
I added the link to the video you sent out, to the posting. Many thanks!
A run down of the photo list of the TPP “Consultations” already done by the Minister does not signal confidence that the public interest will be served.
I will put the email address for input to the Govt on recall and send out reminders. Also need to use Facebook capability. OH God! I think you are right – – we have not really emerged from anything. Continuation of same.
Page 263 of Trudeau’s book, “Common Ground”:
We decided instead to lay out major policy markers during the campaign. We would make it clear that a party led by me would be pro-growth. That it would favour free trade, practice fiscal discipline, and support foreign direct investment.
The remainder of the paragraph centres on
… a strong economy was one that created the largest number of good-quality jobs for the largest number of people possible. (the middle class has been slipping)
From: Gail
Sent: January 10, 2016 6:12 PM
how is this panel at UBC a consultation ?
From: Sandra
Sent: January 10, 2016 7:44 PM
To: Gail
In your imagination.
/S
From: Jack
Sent: January 10, 2016 8:06 PM
Let’s hope some Government says “No”
From: Gerry
Sent: January 10, 2016 6:09 PM
Sandra. I think an issue for criticizing government is the short notice for the consultation. Those attending to make presentations need time to prepare let alone make travel arrangements to get to the meeting.
This could be a deliberate bureaucratic underhanded tactic to be able to say that an opportunity was presented but in fact not in an effective way.
It is worth raising this point even if it is only for the record. Future historians may find your criticism important.
From: Sandra
Sent: January 11, 2016 2:14 PM
Your point about short notice is well-taken, Gerry. Some others also raised it.
In the email submission I make to the Govt I will register it.
Thanks for your input.
From: Gerry
Sent: January 12, 2016 10:28 AM
Sandra. I have not kept up with the trade negotiations. However, when evaluating the government’s response, consideration should be given to what would seem the logical approach rather than just the government’s actions.
The elites behind the sell-out of Canada control the Canadian government so we have to carefully analyze what the underlying logic is and examine all alternatives. Something which we assume the government does. In my opinion, the government is an implementer of the ‘elites direction and all party leaders have been compromised. We need a new grassroots movement where We the 99%ers define what We want from governments.
I am not feeling well so will close at this time. However, the definition of what We the 99%ers want, is the most fundamental approach to defining a new system of empowering We the People within the current system.
Gerry
From: Sandra
Sent: January 12, 2016 12:04 PM
I agree Gerry. The empowerment of individuals and groups of people, in its many forms, is fundamental to driving the change that has to happen.
Take good care of your self.
/Sandra