MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11 , 2003

Pierre Pettigrew, under tight scrutiny by Canadian NGOs: Chair of the Trade and Investment Committee is viewed as bullying negotiator

CANCUN, MEXICO – A coalition of 16 Canadian NGOs present in Cancun for the WTO Ministerial Meeting will be watching very closely Canadian Minister of International Trade, Pierre Pettigrew as he once again assumes the Chair of the Trade and Investment Committee.

Mr. Pettigrew has been denounced by some least-developed and developing countries as a bullying negotiator and his presence at the helm of this important committee is viewed as a major hurdle for productive negotiations to take place.

“Minister Pettigrew played that role in Doha and built an unenviable reputation there,” says Maude Barlow, Chairperson of the 100,000-member Council of Canadians. “For many impoverished countries, he is acting as the hatchet man whose role is to shove the Singapore Issues down their throat and this is simply unacceptable.”

Pettigrew’s job may was made even more difficult today, when the Malaysian trade minister, Rafidah Aziz, speaking on behalf of more than 50 countries, declared her opposition to opening up any negotiations on new issues.

The Singapore Issues are comprised of four contentious agenda items (trade facilitation, transparency in government procurement, investment and competition policy) that the Quad countries, which include Canada, want on the WTO negotiating table. Many countries, led by India, Brazil and South Africa are highly reluctant to even address these new issues before critical negotiations are concluded on agriculture and intellectual property.

In a press conference yesterday, Minister Pettigrew revealed some of his colours by comparing the Committee process to a confessional, where countries expiate the sins they commit at the opening plenary by stating the mandate they have from their respective government. Minister Pettigrew confirmed that the committees are where countries are tested as to how flexible they will really be.

Tony Clarke, Vice-Chairperson of the Council of Canadians and Director of the Polaris Institute, confirms that Minister Pettigrew will be under very tight scrutiny. “We are holding his feet to the fire. It is one thing to represent Canadian interests and quite another play the role of international bully, intent on pressuring countries that have entirely different priorities.

“He acted this way in Seattle and Doha. In our mind, three strikes and he’s out. He will be held accountable for his actions.”

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