On March 26, 2009, the Harper government introduced legislation (Bill C-23) in the House of Commons to implement a Canada-Colombia free trade agreement. This was done despite widespread opposition from labour and human rights groups, as well as the opposition NDP and Bloc Québécois. They argue against the agreement on the grounds that Colombia has the worst human rights record in the Western Hemisphere. They say the free trade agreement as written can do nothing to change this problem, and might even exacerbate it.
Procedurally, the bill will be debated for 21 days in the House, followed by a non-binding vote. Then, the government will table binding implementation legislation.
That means we have one month to stop this deal, but it’s going to take a concerted effort to do it.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- Send a letter to your MP urging them to oppose the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement: The NDP and Bloc Québécois have said they will vote against the bill when it comes for a vote but many Liberals have said they will support it while others are on the fence. The Canadian Labour Congress has an e-mail action on their website that will target your MP based on where you live. We encourage you to use this link (http://action.clc-ctc.ca/en/canadian-labour-congress-action-centre/put-canada-colombia-free-trade-deal-hold) and spread it around to your friends and associates. If you need help with your letter, we have some suggested wording you could copy and paste from below.
- Set up a meeting with your MP: Parliamentarians are at their constituency offices until April 19 before they return to Ottawa to continue debating the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement. We need as many of you as possible to set up meetings with your MP this weekend and over the next week. Bring up the points in this action alert and those raised in the CLC’s “Top ten reasons why Canada should cancel Harper’s ‘free trade’ deal with Colombia,” found here: http://www.canadianlabour.ca/news-room/publications/top-ten-reasons-why-canada-should-cancel-harpers-free-trade-deal-colombia.
- Invite the media to join you at your MP’s office: There has been very little coverage of the Canada-Colombia agreement. You might consider inviting a local journalist to your meeting with your MP, or sending out a press release announcing your meeting to local radio and television stations, as well as the community press. Be sure to keep us in the loop about your meetings and the impact they had.
- Send a statement to your local co-op or community radio station: Many community radio stations will read out public service announcements for free. See below for a sample PSA on the Canada-Colombia deal, including the phone numbers and email addresses of key Liberal MPs that should urged to oppose the deal.
- Sign the petition: NDP International Trade Critic Peter Julian, who sits on the Standing Committee on International Trade, has produced a petition that can be circulated around your community and mailed back to him (postage free). You’ll find French and English versions of the petition that can be printed out here: http://peterjulian.ndp.ca/node/566.
- Participate in the Week of Action against the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Various groups, including Make Poverty History, the Council of Canadians, Common Frontiers and Canada’s largest unions, are holding a national week of action against the deal when people are encouraged to phone key Liberal MPs leading up to the Liberal leadership convention in Vancouver at the beginning of May. (More details on this soon.)
BACKGROUND: WHY WE OPPOSE THE CANADA-COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Colombia’s human rights record
There are many reasons to oppose this deal. First and foremost is Colombia’s horrendous human rights record. But as with other free trade and investment agreements like NAFTA, the Canada-Colombia deal contains more benefits for large and often environmentally destructive companies than it does for Colombia’s struggling democracy. It risks putting millions of small scale farmers out of work as Canadian imports of wheat and other products enter the country, and it will further remove democratic control over development decisions from local communities, opening up more of the country to unchecked extractive industries and the accompanying environmental degradation.
Unions and civilians targeted in government and paramilitary repression
Teachers, prison guards, agricultural, food and health care workers have been targeted for assassination by government-linked paramilitary death squads in Colombia. In fact, nearly 500 workers have been killed since President Alvaro Uribe came to power in 2002, and over four million have been displaced by the violence. According to Amnesty International, paramilitary groups responsible for most of the violence have not been demobilized as required in a 2003 law but have been “re-engineered” – and encouraged to become “civic guards” and provide military intelligence to government security forces.
There were 46 union members killed in 2008 and 39 the year before – an 18 per cent increase, with impunity rates still soaring and a tiny conviction rate of three per cent. Extrajudicial killings were also up 71 per cent over that same period. Over 60 members of Colombia’s Congress, roughly 20 per cent, have come under criminal investigation for collaborating with paramilitaries. Nearly all of these individuals are members of President Uribe’s inner circle.
But our Prime Minister incredulously states that human rights have improved in Colombia under Uribe’s reign and that whatever abuses continue can be minimized with fines against the Colombian government. While U.S. Democrats are speaking out in numbers against any deal with Colombia, our Prime Minister is stuck in the grooves of a pro-Bush policy for Latin America, which includes supporting violent anti-union governments for the sake of boosting the profits of a tiny selection of Canadian and U.S. companies.
Labour and democratic rights trumped by investor rights
The Canada-Colombia free trade agreement takes a page out of NAFTA and other bilaterals by granting companies new rights to challenge government measures that interfere with their profits – even measures designed to protect the environment or spur local development. Meanwhile, labour rights and environmental protection have been relegated to toothless side-agreements.
According to Mark Rowlinson, of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, and Sheila Katz, of the Canadian Labour Congress, a “deep-seated anti-trade union culture exists in Colombia, both within Government and among entrepreneurs, who see the autonomous organization of workers as a threat to their control in the management and administration of enterprises and to their profits.” The proposed free trade agreement does not aim to improve labour protections but to enforce current laws, and challenges from workers who do not enjoy binding supranational arbitration as investor-state challenges will. That means workers are at the mercy of the Colombian government to pursue their challenges in earnest when the government has shown itself hostile to labour rights.
What will be protected under the Canada-Colombia deal are the rights of Canadian companies, which in Colombia’s case include many mining and resource companies, to develop environmentally destructive projects with little community or government interference. That’s because in the agreement these companies gain access to an investor-state dispute process that allows them to challenge any government measure that interferes with their profit-making activity. Such rules under NAFTA have led to corporate challenges to provincial pesticide bylaws and democratic decisions against developments like a large-scale dump in Ontario or quarry in Nova Scotia. As Scott Sinclair of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives explains, “inserting these new investment rights into this deeply troubled [Colombian] context will, effectively, chill democratic dissent and tilt the scales further against already disadvantaged, excluded and victimized groups.”
OPPOSITION AND SUPPORT FOR THE DEAL IN CANADA
Prime Minister Harper is not known for empathy on human rights issues. It appears he is playing out former U.S. President George W. Bush’s agenda for Latin America when the region has shown clearly it would like to move in new, more democratic directions.
But most of the signs show that Michael Ignatieff and his Liberal Party, which frequently talks of human rights, plans to support Harper’s free trade deal with Colombia when it comes up for a vote within the next month. We cannot let this happen.
Following the Easter break, our MPs will be given very little time to discuss the proposed Colombia trade deal before it is rushed to implementation. The rush is also strange considering Colombia is not a significant trading partner for Canada, with less than one per cent of our exports heading to the country. Also, 80 per cent of goods from Colombia make it into Canada duty-free. Again, this seems to be about ideology more than any pressing need on the part of either government.
The Obama administration has put off ratifying a deal with Colombia citing human rights concerns. Norway has just done the same. Canada has no excuse – it must reject this deal. If the trade deal with Colombia cannot be canceled, then at the very least the government must take the time to carry out a thorough human rights impact assessment as a key component in the design of any future fair trade agreements in the Americas. Such an assessment was recommended once by a parliamentary trade committee, but it was ignored by the Conservative minority government.
For more information on the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement:
Top ten reasons why Canada should cancel Harper’s “free trade” deal with Colombia: A publication/cartoon produced by the Canadian Labour Congress and available online: http://www.canadianlabour.ca/sites/clc/files/shared/tenreasonsEnfinal.pdf.
Making a Bad Situation Worse: An Analysis of the Text of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, a briefing report prepared by the Canadian Council for International Cooperation, Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, Canadian Labour Congress and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: http://www.ccic.ca/_files/en/making_a_bad_situation_worse_long_version.pdf.
Amnesty International: Various articles about Colombia’s so-called demobilization of paramilitary groups: http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/colombia/demobilization/index.html.
KEY MPs
It is important to contact all Members of Parliament on this issue, but key MPs to contact include:
Scott Brison (Liberal, Kings-Hants, Nova Scotia – On International Trade Committee): Constituency office: 360 Main St, Suite 12, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 1C4; Telephone: (902) 542-4010; Fax: (902) 542-4184; BrisoS@parl.gc.ca.
Mario Silva (Liberal, Davenport, Toronto – On International Trade Committee): Constituency Office: 1674 St Clair Ave West, Toronto, Ontario, M6N 1H8; Telephone: (416) 654-8048; Fax: (416) 654-5083; SilvaM@parl.gc.ca.
John Cannis (Liberal, Scarborough Centre, Toronto – On International Trade Committee): Constituency Office: 1450 Midland Ave, Suite 211, Scarborough, Ontario, M1P 4Z8; Telephone: (416) 752-2358; Fax: (416) 752-4624;CanniJ@parl.gc.ca.
Michael Ignatieff (Liberal Leader, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, Toronto): Constituency Office: 656 The Queensway, Etobicoke, Ontario, M8Y 1K7; Telephone: (416) 251-5510; Fax: (416) 251-2845; IgnatM@parl.gc.ca.
Bob Rae (Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic, Toronto Centre): Constituency Office: 514 Parliament Street (Main Office), Toronto, Ontario, M4X 1P4; Telephone: (416) 954-2222; Fax: (416) 954-9649; RaeB@parl.gc.ca.
Navdeep Bains (Liberal, Mississauga-Brampton South): Constituency Office: 6660 Kennedy Road, Suite 215A, Mississauga (ON) L5T 2M9, Phone: (905) 795-5220; Bains.N@parl.gc.ca.
Martha Hall-Findlay (Liberal, Willowdale, ON): Constituency Office: 145 Sheppard West, Willowdale (ON) M2N 1M7; Phone: (416) 223-2858; Fax: (416) 223-9715; HallFindlay.M@parl.gc.ca.
Gerard Kennedy (Liberal, Parkdale-High Park, Toronto, ON): Constituency Office: Phone: (416) 769-5072; Fax: (416) 769-8343; Kennedy.G@parl.gc.ca.
Maria Minna (Liberal, Beaches-East York, Toronto): Constituency Office: 1912 Danforth Avenue, Toronto (ON) M4C 1J4; Phone: (416) 467-0860; Fax: (416) 467-0905; Minna.M@parl.gc.ca.
DRAFT LETTER TO MPs
Dear (your MP’s name here),
I’m writing to urge you to vote no in principle to the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement and again to the implementing legislation that will reach the House of Commons sometime in early May. It is just not reasonable that our government should pursue this free trade agreement when other countries like the United States and Norway have backed off because of Colombia’s atrocious human rights record.
Since negotiations began in mid-2007, the Conservative government has claimed that conditions in Colombia were improving under the leadership of President Alvaro Uribe. But all the evidence suggests otherwise. Extra judicial killings by the country’s military went up 71 per cent between 2007 and 2008, sometimes involving the killing of civilians by members of the armed forces who have then dressed their victims up as guerillas in order to receive a reward. And in 2008, 46 trade unionists were killed versus 39 the year before – an 18 per cent increase.
In many cases, Colombia’s notorious paramilitary death squads continue to operate despite claims from the Uribe government that he is cracking down and a prior law requiring the groups “demobilize”. Some groups have just changed their names, such as the Black Eagles, who have continued killing with impunity, and have even threatened foreign legations over the past year, including Canada’s Embassy in Bogotá. But our government refuses to acknowledge that the Uribe government is part of the problem and that free trade is not the solution.
While labour issues are relegated to a toothless side agreement in the Colombia free trade deal, the rights of Canadian companies, which in Colombia’s case include many mining and resource companies, to develop environmentally destructive projects with little community or government interference will be shielded from public protest or community opposition. That’s because in the agreement these companies gain access to an investor-state dispute process that allows them to challenge any government measure that interferes with their profit-making activity.
Such rules under NAFTA have led to corporate challenges to provincial pesticide bylaws and democratic decisions against developments like a large-scale dump in Ontario or quarry in Nova Scotia. Inserting these new investment rights into the much more volatile and violent Colombian context will chill democratic dissent and tilt the scales further against already disadvantaged, excluded and victimized groups.
Today, over 60 members of Colombia’s Congress, or roughly 20 per cent, have come under criminal investigation for collaborating with paramilitaries. More than 30 of them are already under arrest. Nearly all of these individuals are members of President Uribe’s inner circle. This circle includes his cousin and ally, Senator Mario Uribe, who last year attempted to evade arrest by unsuccessfully seeking refuge in the Embassy of Costa Rica in Bogotá.
Amnesty International, in its 2008 end-of-year report on human rights around the world, shows that across Colombia at least 1,400 civilians were killed in 2007, up from 1,300 in 2006, and as many as 305,000 Colombians were displaced in 2007, compared with 220,000 in 2006. In a February 24, 2009 press release, Amnesty notes that “the Colombian security forces, paramilitaries and guerilla groups are punishing those who refuse to be part of the conflict across Colombia.”
Why is Canada in such a hurry to implement a free trade pact with this government in Colombia? While Parliament will be asked to hurry the implementing legislation through the House of Commons, the Obama administration in America has put off its own ratification of a similar agreement with Colombia citing human rights concerns. Norway has announced that it is halting trade discussions with Colombia because of continuing human rights abuses.
Furthermore, Colombia is not even a significant trading partner for Canada. Less than one per cent of Canada’s exports go to Colombia and about 80 per cent of existing imports from Colombia get to Canada duty free. The agreement will boost the investor rights of Canada’s mining companies who would like to increase their extractive activities, but this will come at the expense of environmental regulations and labour rights if NAFTA is taken as an example. Again, what is the rush?
In June, 2008 Parliament’s own Standing Committee on International Trade was unanimous (all party) in recommending to the Conservative government that it conduct a thorough human rights impact assessment before proceeding with any trade deal with Colombia. It was good advice and it should continue to be a condition before any agreement is finalized.
Prime Minister Harper said that he would continue to seek free trade agreements and closer relations with those Latin American countries that support the same values as we do. He meant democracy and the rule of law. And yet neither is present in much capacity in Colombia – at least not how most Canadians understand the terms. Would Canadians really agree that government of Colombia shares our values when it comes to human rights? How could they?
But then Canadians have not had much of a chance to debate this free trade agreement. Because of this, and for the reasons listed above, I call on you to intervene with your colleagues in Ottawa to stop this free trade deal with Colombia from going forward until a thorough human rights impact assessment can be carried out – one that could lead to a fair trade agreement being implemented in the future.
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
SAMPLE PSA
Colombia has the worst human rights record in the Western Hemisphere. So why is our Prime Minister trying to rush through parliament a free trade agreement that will do nothing to improve the situation for Colombians while having no net benefit to the Canadian economy?
These are questions that demand answers from our members of parliament, who will vote on the new agreement in early May. The Council of Canadians (LOCAL CHAPTER NAME HERE) is urging all [NAME COMMUNITY] residents to get in touch with their MP to urge him/her to vote no to the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement until a thorough human rights assessment can be done.
Extrajudicial killings from paramilitary death squads, some of them linked to the Colombian government of President Alvaro Uribe, are increasing. Yet Prime Minister Harper says things are getting better in Colombia.
Free trade does not aim to improve democracy or human rights. But it has successfully weakened democratic rights and environmental protection, even in Canada, as companies challenge government rules that interfere with profits.
Urge your MP to vote no to the agreement when it comes up for a vote in the House of Commons. To contact MP [LIST NAME HERE], you can phone at [NUMBER] or email at [NUMBER]. To reapeat…. If you’d like more information about the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement or the Council of Canadians, visit www.canadians.org. That’s www.canadians.org.
