Farmers Fight Fast’sTrade Deal

By September 30, 2014Business of Agriculture

According to Radio Canada International (RCI),”Canada’s farmers are very concerned about the deal and have vowed to continue fighting against it, adding that other Canadians should be concerned about aspects of the deal as well.”

The report comes just days after an enormous fuss was made in Ottawa over a visit by European officials who, along with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, appeared intent on describing the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) deal with the European Union (EU) even though Germany has expressed deep reservations about the deal and none of the 28 EU countries have ratified it.

Canadian farmers, including those in the Fraser Valley’s dairy industry, have been concerned that the deal will damage them economically and that their interests have may be being sacrificed on the altar of Harper’s and Abbosford MP and Minster of International Trade Ed Fast’s desires to get re-elected in 2015.

Fast defended the deal in Parliament yesterday by questioning the motives of the NDP and accusing them of being anti-trade.

[excerpt] After years of closed door negotiations, the text has finally been revealed and the NFU says CETA delivers lucrative Canadian markets to European exporters, but empty promises to Canadian farmers in return.

The NFU says the “secret” negotiations were not only undemocratic, but the results benefit multinationals more than anyone else. They also say certain aspects undermine Canada’s constitution, and justice system.

It also says any programme of local procurement would be gone as any procurement is open to European suppliers.
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