LETTER

What’s in the Trans-Pacific deal?

 

All Canadians should familiarize themselves with the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement (TPP). I was thrilled that the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade has invited everyday Canadians to get involved. Canadians can request to appear during one of the Committee hearings across Canada.

Solid cases against various aspects of the TPP—by reputable individuals and groups—have been well documented. These concern increased health-care costs, intellectual property and privacy breach issues, threats to human and labour rights, lower food safety standards and threats to each country's sovereignty and democratic functioning as a result of the Investor State Dispute Settlement provisions (ISDS) of the agreement.

My brief to the Committee expressed support for these concerns. It also suggested that the Committee examine how trade can increase between continents without jeopardizing efforts to combat climate change. With additional trade agreements, more goods (and more people delivering services) will travel more frequently and for longer distances. Canada signed on to a historic Climate Change agreement last December. Given the distances at play for the TPP and that the intent is to facilitate the exchange of goods and services between continents, I am concerned that Canada's and other countries' ability to combat climate change will be thwarted if the agreement proceeds. Of course, if the Canada and European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is ratified, GHG emission increases would also accelerate further.

Studies show that the transportation sector is a significant contributor to GHG emissions. (The transportation industry accounts for 22% of all global emissions of CO2 from fossil fuel use according to an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 1996.) The aviation industry has a "disproportionately large impact on the climate system. It accounts for four to nine per cent of the total climate change impact of human activity," as described in a recent David Suzuki Foundation article. The article also highlights that "greenhouse gas emissions from aviation continue to grow" and that "since 1990, CO2 emissions from international aviation have increased 83 per cent."

I hope that all Canadians will learn more about the TPP and share their views with parliamentarians.

Kathleen O'Connor
Gatineau (Aylmer)