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ACTION ALERT: Oppose the Throne Speech's endorsement of the SPPOctober 18, 2007 On October 12, Maude Barlow, David Suzuki, Ken Georgetti, Maher Arar and Monia Mazigh demanded that Prime Minister Stephen Harper include in his Throne Speech a commitment to submit the controversial Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) to a vote in the next parliamentary session. The prime minister did not do so and by failing to commit in this week's Throne Speech to a parliamentary debate and vote on the SPP he very clearly broke his April 2006 Throne Speech promise "to submit significant international treaties for votes in Parliament." The government has so far only glibly dismissed its obligation to submit the SPP to parliamentary debate and a vote by insisting the SPP is a process, not an agreement. But not only has the prime minister failed to subject the Security and Prosperity Partnership to democratic scrutiny, he has, in fact, reiterated his government's commitment to proceed with it. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Throne Speech stated that, "With Advantage Canada, our Government has laid out a sensible economic plan to secure better-paying jobs and solid growth for Canadians." And the 'Advantage Canada' document states that the Harper government, "will build on our NAFTA advantage through improved border efficiency and increasing regulatory convergence through the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North American initiative and in consultation with the North American Competitiveness Council and other stakeholders pursue regional and bilateral trade, investment and science and technology agreements, ideally together with our NAFTA partners." To read more about the Council of Canadians campaign against the Security and Prosperity Partnership, please go to www.IntegrateThis.ca. TAKE ACTION You can also cc the leaders of the four main opposition parties with your message. You may want to remind the party leaders that they all backed our demand at the time of the SPP Summit in Montebello, Quebec this August 20-21 that the SPP be scrutinized by Parliament. LIBERAL PARTY (August 17): "We will table a resolution calling on the government to inform Canadians of the work and negotiations of the SPP, and to report to the House of Commons to allow for parliamentary scrutiny and a full and informed debate when the Parliament reconvenes." LE BLOC QUEBECOIS (16 août): "Il est clair que le Canada doit suspendre la mise en application des nouvelles mesures règlementaires découlant des discussions du PSP jusqu’à ce qu’il ait consulté les parlementaires. D’ailleurs, le gouvernement Harper ne dispose d’aucun mandat pour agir dans le secret et procéder à des changements avec ses partenaires de l’ALÉNA." (It's clear that Canada must suspend all current regulatory measures related to the SPP until parliament has been consulted. Without a consultation, Harper cannot claim to have a mandate for proceeding with regulatory changes, in secret, with his NAFTA partners.) NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (August 17): "The NDP will continue to show leadership, working to ensure that any further developments on the SPP are stopped until a full legislative review, public debate and parliamentary vote take place." GREEN PARTY (August 16): "The SPP is integrating the military, security, trade, economic, regulatory, and foreign polices of Canada, the US, and Mexico without public input or Parliamentary or Congressional scrutiny." Draft letter
Brent Patterson, Director of Organizing and Campaigns, The Council of Canadians Automated letter submission for this action alert is no longer available
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