Editor:
The Canada/China investment agreement, FIPA, is the most sweeping trade deal in years and will be implemented with no debate and no votes.
This agreement would allow Chinese state-owned enterprises the right to claim damages against any municipal, provincial, territorial and federal government decisions that it doesn’t like and that it feels limits profits of Chinese-owned companies in Canada, possibly until 2042 but definitely until 2027.
It allows China to spend billions buying our Canada’s natural resource industries. Lawsuits against Canadian governments would be held in secret tribunals outside Canadian legal channels.
Right now, Belgium is facing a $3-billion lawsuit from one of China’s companies because of a similar foreign-investment agreement to FIPA.
Many Canadians are not aware of this deal. Please research it and write to PM Harper at pm@pm.gc.ca
Canada does not need this extremely frightening sell-out of our security, sovereignty and democracy.
FIPA must not go ahead.
Dianne Carlson, Surrey
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I am writing this letter to express my outrage at Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his underhanded dealings in the FIPA negotiations.
Within days, Harper could commit Canada to the most sweeping trade deal in a generation without a single debate or vote.
If it is such a good deal why has he kept it so secret? We have just learned of fake parts being used in Chinese manufactured military aircraft parts and Harper wants to trust them for 31 years with no escape clause? How ridiculous!
Why would we let Chinese companies – government owned – challenge our governments in secret tribunals outside Canada?
Right now, Belgium is facing a $3-billion suit from one of China’s companies because of a similar foreign-investor agreement.
China is one of the ‘big boys’ in the world and it will gobble up Canada in a heartbeat given the chance.
What makes Harper think he can compete with these power players? We are a small country that needs to defend our position rigorously, not sign it away for a few pieces of silver.
This deal should be stopped now before it’s too late.
Laurence Gill, Surrey