MEDIA RELEASE - ELECTION 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2006

Council denounces Harper’s desire to include property rights in Charter

Ottawa – During the party leaders’ debate last night, Stephen Harper announced that a Tory government would entrench property rights in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Council of Canadians warns that this legal change would give sweeping new rights to corporations and enable them to undermine government regulations that protect social programs and the environment.

“The Charter is supposed to protect the rights of all Canadians”, said Maude Barlow, National Chairperson for the Council of Canadians. “This legal change would favour private property over people.”

The entrenchment of property rights would give new meaning to the “expropriation” of property and the compensation awarded in such cases. Most Canadians would agree that an individual should be compensated when the government seizes private property for a national park or a highway. However, few would find it acceptable if the government were prevented from protecting public health or the environment in order to safeguard a corporation’s profit margin. Under Stephen Harper’s plan that is exactly what is likely to happen, according to Jean-Yves Lefort, Trade Campaigner for the Council of Canadians.

“We have seen this with NAFTA’s Chapter 11”, says Lefort. “Huge corporations have used their property rights under NAFTA to challenge environmental laws, municipal land-use controls, water protection measures, the activities of Canada Post, and even the decisions of juries and appellate courts.”

A new broad definition of property rights under the Canadian Charter could put a chill on a variety of regulations and initiatives designed to protect the public interest. Governments would be forced to govern under the constant threat of lawsuits and heavy compensation costs. “Canadians would have to pay corporations for the privilege of exercising democracy”, says Barlow.

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For information, contact:
Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians: (613) 233-4487, ext. 249; 1-800-387-7177, ext. 249; .