MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
February 2, 2012

PEI Government willing to protect Gambling and Betting services and not drinking water
in CETA negotiations!

Charlottetown –- The local Council of Canadians is calling on the PEI Government to explain why it has included Gambling and Betting Services in its list of protected items under the proposed Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and not water services such as drinking water and wastewater.

Leo Broderick with the Council of Canadians says, “By not including water services in its exemption list from CETA, yet including Gambling services, PEI is saying that gambling revenues are more important to the future of PEI than protecting municipal public water systems from privatization and big European multinational corporations.”

The Council of Canadians is urging the PEI government to include drinking water and wastewater services in its list of exemptions from the CETA.

Below is list of reservations from PEI Government.

ANNEX II RESERVATIONS OF PEI – from the leaked documents

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Sector: Fisheries and Aquaculture, Energy, Forestry, Recreational Services

Sub-sector: Development, buying, processing and licensing of fish/fish products Development, generation, production, transmission or distribution of energy Conservation management and protection of forestry products Gambling and Betting Services Alcoholic Beverages Industry Classification:

Type of Reservation: Market Access
Level of Government: Provincial - Prince Edward Island
Measures:
Description: Services and Investment
Prince Edward Island reserves the right to adopt or maintain any measure limiting market access for services and investments relating to the sub-sectors mentioned in this reservation.

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For more information:

Leo Broderick, The Council of Canadians, 902-894-4874, 902-394-2960

Twitter: @CouncilOfCDNs | www.canadians.org/ceta