Security and Prosperity Partnership

The following "letter to the editor" was send to the Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Sun and Winnipeg community newspapers on November 6 by Kevin Rebeck, the President CUPE Manitoba. At the time of posting to this web site, we don't how many of those papers will actually print it, but we wanted to help get this message to as wide an audience as possible.

When MFL President Darlene Dziewit read the following letter, she said "Kevin Rebeck is exactly right. The misnamed Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), negotiated in secrecy by three right wing governments and their corporate buddies is a deal that is not to be trusted, any more than we trust the elite who are brokering the deal."

Prosperity for Who?

The political leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United States have been meeting and only they know what the SPP is all about. The US Ambassador to Canada says that it is a response to 9/11, and deals with pandemics, radiological threats, emergency efforts along borders and reducing "the costs of how we do business in the region so we aren't creating bureaucratic red tape."

However, the Council of Canadians, many trade unions and community organizations say the SPP will expand NAFTA and integrate Canada and Mexico more into the economic sphere of the US. Where is the opportunity for the citizens of our three countries to understand these issues and perspectives? Business leaders on the North American Competitiveness Council are allowed to attend the meetings with government, but where are our elected and community leaders?

When is there going to be a tri-nation summit addressing peoples' needs - ensuring equal access to healthcare for all citizens, ensuring the bar is raised high for health and safety issues, raising the minimum wage and establishing pensions for all working people across our borders?

We recently read about the recall of Chinese-made toys that use lead paint. Our Canadian standards are what caught them because our regulatory system is superior and is working. The SPP talks about eliminating barriers to trade or harmonizing regulatory standards, which really means lowering our standards.

I can't imagine why we as a country would allow weaker social standards and establish rules that let businesses sue governments for making less profit? Possibly that's why the meetings are behind closed doors and only business leaders are invited. We can see who prospers under these partnerships that exclude the interest of average working Canadians.