[All] Breaking News -- 24 hours until Canada-China FIPA vote

Wed Apr 17 16:50:27 EDT 2013

Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:51:31 -0400
From: leadnow at leadnow.ca
To: neiletaylor at sympatico.ca
Subject: Breaking News -- 24 hours until Canada-China FIPA vote

Dear Neil E.,

In 24 hours, a vote in Parliament could stop the secretive and extreme Canada-China investor deal, FIPA, for good.

Conservative MPs are deeply divided, and if we build a huge wave of pressure right now there's a chance we can stop this terrible trade deal once and for all.

Tell your MP and party leaders: VOTE TO STOP the secretive and extreme Canada-China FIPA! 

Breaking news from Ottawa -- In just 24 hours, a vote in Parliament could stop the secretive and extreme Canada-China investor deal, FIPA, for good.

FIPA is the most sweeping trade deal in a generation, and experts thought Prime Minister Harper would sneak it through Parliament without a vote last November.1-2

Nobody expected your campaign to unite Canadians against FIPA. But, together, we've put overwhelming pressure on Conservative MPs, divided their caucus, and the government had to shelve the deal while they try to repair the damage.3

Now, the NDP are holding a vote in Parliament that could stop FIPA. There are deep divisions inside the Conservative benches, and if we create a massive public outcry right now we have a chance to stop this terrible trade deal for good.

We only have 24 hours -- click here to tell your MP and all the party leaders to VOTE TO STOP FIPA, then forward this to everyone!

If the Canada-China FIPA is ratified, this extreme and secretive deal would pave the way for a massive natural resource buyout, and allow China’s companies to sue Canadian governments in secret tribunals for unlimited damages, restricting Canadians from making democratic decisions about our economy, environment and energy.4

Canadians have a right to determine our future, but this investor deal will undermine our democratic rights and lock us into an inescapable path of foreign-ownership and resource extraction until at least 2040.

Click here to tell your MP and party leaders to vote to stop FIPA.

In December, Prime Minister Harper approved the takeover of Canadian oil company Nexen by China's state-owned giant, CNOOC. If FIPA passes, companies like CNOOC can take over Canadian resources and then sue Canadian governments in secret, if the government does anything that threatens the company’s profits.

Any Canadian law or government decision – even ones that protect Canada’s environment, create jobs and stop dangerous projects – could be fought in secret tribunals outside of our legal system. Arbitrators unaccountable to the Canadian public would have the power to award billions in damages to foreign corporations if we do anything that hurts corporate profits, like improve environmental standards or slow down the export of cheap, unprocessed resources.4-6

We need to act now. Click here to tell your MP and party leaders: VOTE TO STOP the secretive and extreme Canada-China FIPA.

http://www.leadnow.ca/stop-fipa-vote

With thanks for all that you do,

Matthew, Heather, Jamie, Maggie and the whole Leadnow.ca team

p.s. We’ve only come this far because tens of thousands of us have stepped up to stop this FIPA - by taking action, by sharing, by donating to fund radio ads and supporting First Nations who are challenging FIPA in court. We need you now more than ever. Click here to send your urgent message.

Sources

[1] Tories quietly table Canada-China investment treaty (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-quietly-table-canada-china-investment-treaty/article4573635/

[2] Battle over CNOOC’s proposed Nexen Takeover Heats Up In Ottawa (Financial Post)
http://business.financialpost.com/2012/09/17/battle-over-cnoocs-proposed-nexen-takeover-heats-up-in-ottawa/

[3] Opposition, activists in last minute push for more scrutiny of Canada-China treaty (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/opposition-activists-in-last-minute-push-for-more-scrutiny-of-canada-china-treaty/article4762814/

[4] Canada-China Investment Deal Allows for Confidential Lawsuits Against Canada (Toronto Star)
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1264290--canada-china-investment-deal-allows-for-confidential-lawsuits-against-canada

[5] Chinese Companies Can Sue BC for Changing Course on Northern Gateway, says Policy Expert (Vancouver Observer)
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/sustainability/chinese-companies-can-sue-bc-changing-course-northern-gateway-says-policy-expert

[6] Chairman Harper and the Chinese Sell-Out (The Tyee)
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/10/11/Chairman-Harper/

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