Canada-EU Free Trade: Why CETA is a Bad Deal

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Latest CETA news:

- CETA could cost Nova Scotia thousands of jobs, new CCPA study (October 23, 2012 - find out more)
- CAW & Trade Justice Network group urge EU politicians about perils of investor-state dispute mechanism in CETA, March 2012 (read the letter here)
- Toronto City Council calls for exemption from CETA (read CAW response)
- Water left unprotected in CETA talks - leaked texts show (read the Toronto Star story here)
- CAW members take action against CETA (read more here)
- Over 80 European and Canadian Organizations Demand an End to CETA, read more
- Read "CETA:  A Threat to Local Democracy" by Maude Barlow (Oct 20, 2011), at Rabble.ca
- Click here to view the VIDEO: CAW Economist Jim Stanford on the CETA and why it's not a good deal for Canada
- CAW President Ken Lewenza letter (November 10) to International Trade Mininster Van Loan (view the letter here)
- New CCPA study (released October 27) says Can-EU free trade could cost Canada 150,000 jobs (find out more) 

Did you know that our federal and provincial gover nments are currently negotiating a massive bilateral trade deal with the European Union - arguably the largest, most lucrative and potentially damaging trade deal in our country's history?

If you haven't, don't feel too bad. Not many Canadians have either!

In fact, negotiations of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) are slated to be wrapped up in 2012. So far, there's been almost no public debate, no information sharing and no accountability from the Harper Conservatives who are ramming this deal forward.

This agreement threate ns nearly every aspect of Canada's social, economic and environmental policy framework, including:

  • granting private corporations full access to bid (and possibly sue) on Canadian public procurement decisions at both federal AND provincial levels,
  • opening up private investor access to public waste and water contracts;
  • threatening privatization of key crown corporations;
  • dismantling important local renewable energy schemes, including the Ontario Green Energy Act;
  • killing manufacturing jobs by increasing exports of natural resources and importing value-added goods (including autos);
  • undermining intellectual property rights;
  • many others

The CAW, along with other unions and a gr owing list of civil society organizations, have formed the Trade Justice Network - a group of progressive organizations aiming to raise public awareness and stop the deal from being signed if it provides no meaningful benefit to Canadians and our society.

Get involved and take action!

1. Follow the links below to learn more about the Canada-EU CETA.

Use this website as yo ur CETA resource page. New information will be made available frequently, so be sure to check back often! 

Learn the basics of CETA. Watch the video

2. Talk to your Municipal Councils. 

Encourage them to pass our resolution calling for a clear, permanent exemption from the deal.

Find out which communities have already spoken out! View the map.