Turning up the heat on the Security and Prosperity Partnership

NELSON—CUPE and other union activists will soon be hearing more about the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), an agreement signed in 2005 by Presidents Bush and Fox, along with then-Prime Minister Paul Martin, that could have a profoundly negative impact on Canadian sovereignty.

On January 18, federal NDP International Trade Critic Peter Julian will be speaking in Nelson as part of a cross-country tour to help raise awareness about the (SPP). Julian hopes to hear from as many individuals and organizations as possible, in communities across the country, about how they are being affected and will be affected by this Agreement. He will take people’s comments back to Ottawa. The evening will be hosted by Alex Atamanenko, MP for B.C. Southern Interior.

The SPP will have profound consequences on Canada’s existence as a sovereign nation and its ability to adopt autonomous and sustainable economic, social, and environmental policies. The tour challenges the Harper government’s assumptions of prosperity, which have led to increasing disparities of wealth and power in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

The Council of Canadians, the Canadian Labour Congress and many other organizations in Canada have pointed out serious concerns around many facets of this Agreement being instituted through regulatory changes, changes in standards and secret agreements outside the public’s and elected respresentatives’ control or view.

In brief, watchdogs are saying the SPP seeks to affect our communities and country by:

• Securing U.S. control of our water and resources
  
• Lowering working standards and wages
  
• Endorsing U.S. foreign policies, wars & security measures
  
• Harmonizing regulations to hurt our health, food & environment.