Harper’s ‘Buy American’ plan bad deal for Canadians Last week the Council of Canadians, along with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, leaked a copy of the Canada-U.S. Agreement on government procurement (the "Buy American" deal) to the media. It was the first time the wide-sweeping deal, which will permanently constrain provincial spending options in many areas, had been put forward for public scrutiny. This deal binds the provinces to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules on public spending – something they had been unwilling to do until now, for very good reasons. Despite a flurry of protests from the public, civil society groups and labour organizations, and criticisms of the deal in the national media, International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan announced last week that the provinces had approved the text of the agreement, which has been sent to Geneva for inclusion in Canada's WTO commitments. It was signed without public consultation, and with parliament prorogued, no opportunity for questions or debate in the House of Commons. Groups opposing it say it gives little to no benefit to Canadians and forbids the provinces from including "buy local" or "buy Canadian" provisions on government contracts in many areas, notably in the construction of new public infrastructure, where previously local incentives would have been allowed. Such conditions on public spending are under-used in Canada but have proven effective where they exist in creating local jobs and boosting local or provincial economies. As Council of Canadians Trade Campaigner Stuart Trew argues in a recent trade blog, the deal will not guarantee Canadian companies substantial new access to U.S. government contracts, and it will permanently restrict the flexibility of the provinces and territories to use procurement as a public policy tool by making the financial bottom-line the only consideration when spending public money, and then enforcing it legally through the WTO. “This is a case where the devil is not in the details — it’s in the principle that free trade dogma should dictate all government policy at all levels, even down to how your local town council spends money,” explains Trew.

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To read more about the Buy American deal go here.

Here’s more about what’s new at the Council of Canadians:

• Why the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan must divest from privatized water in Chile
• Stop greenwashing the Olympic Games
• Don’t forget to renew your Council membership
• Council chapters rally against prorogation and for democracy
• Take Action! Harper’s emission reduction plan is off target
• Watch the preview for the new documentary Water on the Table
• Join the Council of Canadians

Why the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan must divest from privatized water in Chile

The Council of Canadians is calling on Ontario teachers to rethink their investment plans in Chile’s privatized water industry.

Last month, National Chairperson Maude Barlow sent a letter to the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan – jointly run by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation and the Ontario
government – calling on shareholders to demand a higher ethical standard for their pension investments and to stop investing in private, for-profit water services in Chile.

In 1998 the Chilean government decided to privatize water services. Within a decade, Chile went from almost entirely publicly-run water services to 97 per cent private services.  Water rates rose substantially and many families had their water services cut-off when they couldn’t afford to pay the inflated bills. Workers lost jobs and water quality standards diminished.

“Ontario teachers support the fight for public water services in the province and teach their students about the urgent need to support the right to water around the world. So how is it possible that Ontario teachers are represented by a pension fund that betrays these efforts, and supports a private water services industry in Chile that is undermining the right to safe, clean public water in that country?” asked Barlow.

To read the Council’s media release on this issue go here.

Stop greenwashing the Olympic Games

The Council of Canadians joined thousands who took to the streets in Vancouver to raise awareness about the negative social and environmental impacts that came with the heavily corporate-sponsored 2010 Olympic Games.

Chanting slogans and sporting signs, the Council joined in the peaceful “Take Back Our City” festival and parade during the opening of the Games, which are underway in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C.

Prior to the opening ceremonies, we held a press conference featuring speakers from
the Indigenous Environmental Network, Rainforest Action Network, Secwepemc and Ktunaxa First Nations and the Whistler Chapter of the Council of Canadians to raise awareness about the environmental and social toll of the Games and some of its major corporate sponsors. Companies including Coke, Royal Bank, Petro-Canada and TransCanada Pipelines are using the Olympics as a platform to “greenwash” their activities by promoting themselves as being more environmentally friendly than they actually are. Coke is using its sponsorship to sell massive amounts of bottled water at the Games, an energy-intensive and water-wasting practice that commodifies water. Royal Bank is the world’s largest financier of tar sands projects, and Petro-Canada directly operates six tar sands operations in Northern Alberta, the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.

The Olympic spirit of friendly, peaceful competition between countries is amazing to watch. The Council of Canadians was in Vancouver and Whistler to make sure these positive aspects of the Games aren’t overshadowed by an Olympic corporate industry that will leave local communities with a burden of financial, social and environmental debts.

To read all of our latest updates on the Olympics go here.

Don’t forget to renew your Council membership

By now you should have received your 2010 Council of Canadians membership renewal package in the mail. If you haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes to send it
in today and be a part of one of Canada’s largest public advocacy organizations.

When we band together with a common passion and purpose, we are stronger and better able to fight for and win important victories. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Council in 2010, we will be working hard on the issues that matter to you: protecting our fresh water, public health care, energy resources, fair trade deals, and the values that make us distinctly Canadian.

The work we do would simply not be possible without your continued financial support and commitment. As a membership-based organization we rely on generous individuals like you to run our campaigns. We do our work without a penny of corporate or government funding. This financial independence allows us to take on multinational corporations, and the governments that cater to them, to ensure the values we believe in are protected for future generations.

Contact us at 1-800-387-7177 or click here to renew your membership right now through our website. If you are a member of our monthly Canada Plan, your membership will be renewed automatically. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Council chapters rally against prorogation and for democracy

On December 30, Prime Minister Stephen Harper used a special Parliamentary privilege and prorogued Parliament, shutting down democratic representation in the House of Commons. The move – his second prorogation in less than a year – stopped further inquiries and criticisms of important issues such as the Afghan detainee affair.

On January 23, Council of Canadians chapters joined with thousands of people across the country to show their opposition to Harper’s latest move against democracy. Communities across Canada held anti-prorogation rallies to send a message that democracy does matter, and our elected federal representatives need to get back to work.

Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, spoke to a massive crowd gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa that day. “This is proof that grassroots democracy is alive and well in Canada in spite of Stephen Harper and everything he has done to subvert it,” she told the large crowd.

To see a video of Maude’s speech on Parliament Hill go here.

To see a gallery of Council of Canadians’ chapter actions go here.

Take Action! Harper’s emission reduction plan is off target

The Harper government recently made an announcement that shows – yet again – that it refuses to take the climate crisis seriously.

On January 30 Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced that Canada has committed to reduce carbon emissions levels identified in 2005 by 17 per cent by 2020. This new target is unacceptable.

The government’s previously announced 20 per cent cut amounted to a three per cent reduction below 1990 levels by 2020. The new emission target amounts to a 2.5 increase above 1990 levels (for a number of reasons Canada’s emission in 2005 were higher then 2006). In other words, we’re committing to cut even less.

The Harper government remains committed to an energy vision based on export-oriented resource extraction and North American energy integration. Nowhere is this more explicit than in our government’s support for the ongoing development of the tar sands, the fastest growing single source of greenhouse gas emissions in our country. The majority of tar sands crude is exported to the U.S. at great cost to the social well being and health of First Nations communities living with the human and ecological impacts of the development.

The weak Copenhagen Accord, which Canada has submitted the newest emission target for, is the product of backroom negotiations between a handful of countries led by the U.S. It is not legally binding and it does not contain mandatory deep emission cuts.

Take Action! Contact Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Energy Minister Jim Prentice today tell them that climate change needs urgent action now. Go here to read background information and to send a letter today.

Watch the preview for the new documentary Water on the Table

A new social issue documentary by filmmaker Liz Marshall is set to be released this spring. The film chronicles some of the work of Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow and her efforts as an “international water-warrior.” It asks the question: Is water a commercial good like running shoes or Coca-Cola? Or, is water a human right like air? Using strong visuals and a personal narrative, the documentary highlights Maude’s work to have water recognized as a human right at the United Nations, to stop the Site 41 landfill in Simcoe County, and to raise awareness about the
devastating environmental impacts of the tar sands in northern Alberta.

The film will be broadcast by TV Ontario on March 24, and may be more widely available later this spring.

Go here to watch a preview of Water on the Table.

Join the Council of Canadians

Founded in 1985 by a handful of citizens including Farley Mowat, Pierre Berton and Margaret Atwood, the Council of Canadians is Canada’s pre-eminent public watchdog organization. By becoming a member of the Council of Canadians your generous support helps give our organization a voice on social, economic and political issues and build a strong, independent and diverse Canada. Join the Council today, and help us prove that a better Canada is possible. Already a member? Share this newsletter with a friend and encourage them to join or donate and become a part of Canada’s largest citizens’ advocacy organization.