SPP: Cease & Desist - Letter to Prime Minister Harper

[Oscar]

SPP: Cease & Desist - Letter to Prime Minister

----- Original Message -----
From: Elaine Hughes
To: Prime Minister Harper
Cc: Fogal, C. CAP ; Dion, S. LIB ; May, E. GPC ; Layton, J. NDP ; Breitkreuz, G. MP
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 10:45 AM
Subject: SPP: Letter to Prime Minister - Cease & Desist

July 13, 2007

Prime Minister Harper,

I am outraged to read that a public forum near Montebello, with writers, academics and parliamentarians wanting to speak on this issue, was blocked because the police and U.S. army wanted the community centre it was to be held at as a base of operations for the SPP summit security.

I am opposed to the SPP – the corporate-friendly, behind-closed-doors, unlegislated backroom deal - which includes, among many other insults to the Canadian public, such issues as:

- the no-fly list (the SPP states, "Develop comparable standards and procedures…for passenger screening");

- pesticide residues (it says, "Work to resolve differences in pesticide maximum residue limits that may be barriers to trade…");

- the tar sands (it calls for, "Greater economic production from the oil sands");

civil rights (it calls for, "sharing of terrorist watch list data and the establishment of appropriate linkages between Canada, the United States and Mexico.")

I also believe that the North American Competitiveness Council should be disbanded. Corporations such as Manulife Financial, Home Depot and Wal-Mart should not be shaping economic policy between Canada and the United States.

I urge you to keep the promise you made in your Throne Speech that "significant international treaties will be submitted for votes in Parliament." I believe that the Security and Prosperity Partnership should be subject to public hearings, as well as brought to the House of Commons for a full debate and vote.

In a democracy, elected representatives run the country – NOT big business….

As a member of the Council of Canadians, I am calling on you to stop talks on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, including the upcoming leaders summit this August 20-21 in Montebello, and to consult with Canadians on this critical issue.

I look forward to your response indicating that common sense will rule, and that you will cease and desist further activities to push the SPP into deeper integration with the USA and Mexico.

Sincerely,

Elaine Hughes
Box 23, Archerwill, SK S0E 0B0
Telephone: 306-323-4938
Email: tybach@sasktel.net

Cc:

G. Breitkreuz, MP
S. Dion, Leader of the Official Opposition
E. May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada
J. Layton, Leader of the NDP of Canada
C. Fogal, Leader of the Canadian Action Party