Municipalities are continuing to question and oppose the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union.
Local governments in Oakville, Niagara Falls, Peterborough and Caledon, Ontario have all recently passed resolutions calling for greater transparency or clear permanent exemptions from CETA.
The city of Mississauga, which passed a resolution expressing concern about CETA last December, recently strengthened its opposition to the trade deal, calling for an exemption.
Together, nearly 50 municipalities have expressed concern about CETA’s impact on local decision-making powers.
The far-reaching deal would for the first time bind municipalities to controversial international rules affecting how local governments spend public money. Local content or local hiring policies attached to contracts, or occasional “Buy Canadian” rules would be banned outright.
Other municipal councils are considering motions on CETA in the coming weeks.
There’s a toolkit for CUPE activists to learn more about CETA and raise awareness with your municipal government. Check it out, and add your community to the map of cities and towns speaking up about the dangers of this new trade and investment deal.
Read CUPE National President Paul Moist’s comments on CETA in this Vancouver Observer article