Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

Despite widespread public demands to put human rights before corporate interests in Colombia, on June 14 Liberal and Conservative MPs voted ‘yes’ to the third and final vote on the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (Bill C-2). This agreement has been stalled for over a year because of a persistent human rights crisis in Colombia that continues to see labour leaders assassinated and rights activists threatened with murder. A human rights side agreement to the FTA, proposed by the Liberals and tabled on May 31st in the House of Commons, is wholly inadequate. Human rights and trade justice advocates continue to call for an independent human rights impact assessment to be carried out before the free trade deal is ratified. But on June 1, Liberal and Conservative members of the committee abruptly shut down debate on C-2 without hearing from a list of witnesses who could have spoken to the deal and its human rights side agreement. It is the responsibility now of the Senate to hear from those witnesses and to put rights before trade.

Letter from Maude Barlow to Chairs of the Senate Standing Committees on International Trade and Human Rights, regarding Bill C-2, ratification legislation for the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. June 15, 2010

VIDEO - Mock burial on Parliament Hill part 1
Gerry Barr, President-CEO of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC), speaks about the struggle to stop the CCFTA. June 14, 2010

VIDEO - Mock burial on Parliament Hill pt. 2
Sheila Katz from the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) speaks about the struggle to stop the CCFTA. June 14, 2010

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Joint Statement: Canada-Colombia Human Rights Deal “Empty”: Civil Society Leaders, June 14, 2010

Letter from Maude Barlow to Liberal Members of Parliament asking trade committee members to hear from all witnesses on the Canada-Colombia FTA and perform a human rights impact assessment before proceeding with any deal. May 27, 2010

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Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement update:

On Thursday May 13 the Committee heard from Barbara Wood, Executive Director of Co-Development Canada and Council of Canadians Director of Organizing Carleen Pickard. Both spoke to their experience in Colombia as part of the International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission in February. Barbara Wood's testimony can be read here and Carleen Pickard's testimony can be read here. A full report on the activities of the International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission, including the final report with recommendations can be read here.

Both the Conservatives and the Liberals showed contempt for the witnesses, as did the lobbyists in the room, who joined the Tweet In with various comments such as:

• Ryder_Lee #CIIT in action. MPCannis asks where aren't there human rts violations. Cda has 'em. Do we stop trading? http://yfrog.com/2maymmj #noccfta
• graingrowers Colombians want economic growth and real jobs. It's egotistical of the witnesses to say their narrow interests are more important. #noccfta
• graingrowers Brad Trost has forgotten more about Colombia than the witnesses have ever learned. #noccfta

Tweet-In 4 Colombia

On May 25, 2010, Council of Canadians had its third Tweet-In 4 Colombia as Canada’s trade committee heard from various witnesses for and against an FTA. Council of Canadians' board member Steven Shrybman presented on the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. On Tuesday, May 11, our first Tweet-In stopped the Harper Conservatives from moving to SHUT DOWN DEBATE by the Standing Committee on International Trade on the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement. On Thursday May 13, we were on Twitter again as the Committee heard from Barbara Wood, Executive Director of Co-Development Canada and Council of Canadians Director of Organizing Carleen Pickard. By tweeting the words and actions of our MPs in real time we gave tens of thousands of people who could not be at the trade committee meeting in person updates on what was happening on the room as well as encouraged then to take action.

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International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission to Colombia questions timing of Canada–Colombia Free Trade Agreement

The International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission to Colombia was led by Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org), with the participation of professionals, analysts and citizens of more than seven countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, the U.K. and Mexico. Four delegates from Canada were part of the Mission, including Carleen Pickard of the Council of Canadians.

The mission brought together 22 individuals with collective experience of electoral observation in eleven countries. From Feb. 3-15, the group conducted pre-electoral observation in Colombia, prior to the 2010 elections. The Mission divided into four teams to observe conditions in municipalities in the departments of Antioquia, Córdoba, Valle del Cauca and Santander.

• Read the Executive Summary of the report here
• Read the Canadian overview of the report here
• Read the entire report here
• Tell the Liberals to say no to a free trade agreement with Colombia here

VIDEO: Fair elections in Colombia must precede trade deal

Carleen Pickard, Director of Organizing at the Council of Canadians, NDP International trade Critic Peter Julian, and Barbara Wood, a representative of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, spoke at a press conference on April 13, 2010 to discuss the findings of an International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission to Colombia. Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV

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Resources

Canadian Labour Congress Statement on Passage of Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, July 12, 2010

Colombia's Elections: Under the Gun, Laura Carlsen, Center For International Policy, March 23, 2010

The Canada-Colombia Project: An information source on Canada-Colombia relations by the La Chiva Collective

Making a Bad Situation Worse: An analysis of the text of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, by the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, Canadian Labour Congress and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Top Ten Reasons Why Canada Should Cancel Harper’s “Free Trade” Deal With Colombia, a four-page fact sheet from the Canadian Labour Congress

Trading Away Human Rights: Why the EU-Colombia free trade agreement is a step in the wrong direction, a joint report of the Trade Union Congress, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Justice for Colombia, Unite, and Workers Uniting

The Struggle for Survival and Dignity: Human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples in Colombia, a report by Amnesty International

Key Benchmarks for a Human Rights Impact Assessment for the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – A guideline for future parliamentary action on Colombia commissioned by the CCIC’s Americas Policy Group

What's wrong with Canada-Colombia FTA, Manuel Rozental, Rabble.ca
"Manuel Rozental spoke at a recent conference on Colombia held in Vancouver. He has been fighting the free trade agreement for several years and says it's not free, it's not about trade and there is no agreement." More »

Prominent Canadians ask Ignatieff to put human rights before free trade in Colombia
Vancouver / April 30, 2009 - Over 50 prominent individuals and organizations have sent Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff a letter urging him to help stop the ratification of the proposed Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement until a full and independent human rights impact assessment can be carried out. The letter was sent today, the first day of the Liberal Party convention in Vancouver. Read News release. Read the letter (English / Français)

Canadian Labour Congress letter to Michael Ignatieff regarding the ratification of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. (English / Français)

-Colombia Letter to Parliament from 4 Union Leaders »

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Canada-Peru FTA

The Council of Canadians along with concerned Albertans gathered at the headquarters of Petrolifera Petroleum on June 12, 2009 demanding the company cease all exploration and extraction activities in Peru until the Peruvian government ends its violent repression of Indigenous protesters and consult in good faith with Indigenous communities on their opposition to intensified development on their lands and the free trade agreements with Canada and the United States.

[30-June-09] Senate failed Peruvians and Canadians by hastily approving free trade agreement, says letter to Senate leaders

Letter to Senate from Canadian civil society groups appalled by the quick passage of Bill C-24 in the middle of a human rights crisis in Peru. June 30, 2009

Transcript of June 10 Senate Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee hearing on Bill C-24 (Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement)

Senate passes Peru FTA; Council of Canadians protests Petrolifera in Alberta

Letter to Prime Minister Harper from the CCIC’s Americas Policy Group on halting the Canada-Peru FTA, June 15, 2009

Letter to President Alan Garcia expressing deep concern over the recent police attack on peaceful Indigenous protesters in Peru. June 12, 2009

Carta al Presidente del Peru, Sr. Alan Garcia Perez. re: preocupacion por la violencia y violaciones de los derechos humanos en la region Amazonica del Peru. June 12, 2009

Civil society organizations address government senate leader Marjory LeBreton (download PDF) and opposition senate leader James Cowan (download PDF) in letters urging senate to halt the passage of Bill C-24. June 11, 2009

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