Canadians Have Reason to Be Wary of TPP Trade Deal
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 3:43 pmCanadians Have Reason to Be Wary of TPP Trade Deal
[ http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2015/06/03 ... ign=080615 ]
Details of the biggest negotiations on the planet still shrouded in secrecy.
By Michael Geist, 3 Jun 2015, TheTyee.ca
EXCERPT:
The TPP cheerleading from business groups is somewhat puzzling given that the full text of the deal remains shrouded in secrecy. In other words, business groups are advocating for a deal they haven't actually read or seen.
The concern is not just that the public has not had the chance to read the fine print of a deal that will affect every aspect of the Canadian economy. Rather, it is that the lack of transparency associated with the TPP virtually guarantees that it will be presented to Canadians on a "take it or leave it" basis with no informed public discussion or advance debate about the substantive terms.
Leaks should raise flags
Where elements of the agreement have become public through a series of high-profile leaks, there has been ample reason for concern. The investor-state dispute settlement provisions could lead to a proliferation of lawsuits against the Canadian government by companies.
For example, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is suing Canada for hundreds of millions in damages due to Canadian patent law. The cost to the health care system of an expanded investor lawsuit system could be enormous as claims from other pharmaceutical companies could soon follow.
Similarly, leaked versions of TPP intellectual property text point to the extension of the term of copyright, which would mean that no new Canadian works enter the public domain for decades. Moreover, e-commerce rules may block countries from enacting domestic privacy protections that mandate that personal information be stored locally.
In short, the TPP hype doesn't meet the reality. The new market access to a few countries comes at a significant cost, suggesting that Canadians should be skeptical about big claims on the still-secret deal. [Tyee]
- - - -
Michael Geist holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. He can be reached at mgeist@uottawa.ca or online at http://www.michaelgeist.ca.
[ http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2015/06/03 ... ign=080615 ]
Details of the biggest negotiations on the planet still shrouded in secrecy.
By Michael Geist, 3 Jun 2015, TheTyee.ca
EXCERPT:
The TPP cheerleading from business groups is somewhat puzzling given that the full text of the deal remains shrouded in secrecy. In other words, business groups are advocating for a deal they haven't actually read or seen.
The concern is not just that the public has not had the chance to read the fine print of a deal that will affect every aspect of the Canadian economy. Rather, it is that the lack of transparency associated with the TPP virtually guarantees that it will be presented to Canadians on a "take it or leave it" basis with no informed public discussion or advance debate about the substantive terms.
Leaks should raise flags
Where elements of the agreement have become public through a series of high-profile leaks, there has been ample reason for concern. The investor-state dispute settlement provisions could lead to a proliferation of lawsuits against the Canadian government by companies.
For example, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is suing Canada for hundreds of millions in damages due to Canadian patent law. The cost to the health care system of an expanded investor lawsuit system could be enormous as claims from other pharmaceutical companies could soon follow.
Similarly, leaked versions of TPP intellectual property text point to the extension of the term of copyright, which would mean that no new Canadian works enter the public domain for decades. Moreover, e-commerce rules may block countries from enacting domestic privacy protections that mandate that personal information be stored locally.
In short, the TPP hype doesn't meet the reality. The new market access to a few countries comes at a significant cost, suggesting that Canadians should be skeptical about big claims on the still-secret deal. [Tyee]
- - - -
Michael Geist holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. He can be reached at mgeist@uottawa.ca or online at http://www.michaelgeist.ca.