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Social action group decries ‘secretive’ Trans-Pacific Partnership: Should Canadians pay attention?

Maybe Canadians should be paying attention to this.

The Council of Canadians, one of Canada's most vocal social action organizations, is raising alarm bells with regard to a "secret" meeting — currently taking place in Ottawa — about the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The so-called TPP, is a massive 12-nation free-trade deal currently being negotiated with the United States Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

The Council says that, so far, the deal has been shrouded in secrecy and so has the meeting in our nation's capital.

"Initially scheduled for Vancouver before a last-minute shift to Ottawa, the only public notice about the July 3-12 meetings is a one-sentence blurb posted on June 24 on the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development's website," notes their press release.

"Canada's chief negotiator has confirmed there will not be a stakeholder consultation process during the round , the first high-level round hosted here since Canada joined the 12-nation negotiations in October, 2012 Even the most basic information about negotiations is being withheld by the Canadian hosts."

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The Canadian government claims that the discussions taking place in Ottawa are technical in nature. Once the negotiations are complete — maybe by the end of the year — they say the deal will benefit the Canadian economy.

"Opening new markets and creating new business opportunities leads to jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians," Prime Minister Harper in June 2012.

"A TPP agreement will enhance trade in the Asia-Pacific region and will provide greater economic opportunity for Canadians and Canadian businesses."

But critics argue that trade is only a small part of the agreement.

"While it's presented as another 'free trade' agreement, only a handful of the TPP's expected 29 Chapters have anything to do with traditional trade issues like market access for goods," Scott Harris, the Council of Canadian's Trade campaigner wrote in a recent blog post.

"The rest deal with dictating how governments can regulate corporations."

Leaked documents suggest that the TPP would essentially impact each and every Canadian.

The deal could potentially increase the length of pharmaceutical patents making affordable drugs less accessible; it could affect supply management policies with regard to dairy products; and it would allow foreign corporations to sue the Canadian government for compensation when government policies affect profits.

University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist notes that negotiations have included measures that may affect rules of the Internet and lead to more "content blocking and even monitoring of online activities."

It could also change the way copyrights of books are handled in this country.

"Canadian law currently provides protection for the life of the author plus an additional 50 years," Geist wrote on his blog.

"That meets the international standard, yet the U.S. wants all TPP countries to extend the term to life plus 70 years, effectively keeping works out of the public domain for decades."

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Similar concerns are being raised by social action groups in Australia:

Tony Abbott wants us to believe the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is all about getting a better deal for ordinary Australians. But the truth is that it could end up being one of the biggest corporate power grabs in a generation.

Abbott and his cronies are refusing to make the deal public (although corporate lobbyists seem to be getting the inside track) -- making it hard to know just what's in the TPP. But leaks so far indicate this is bad news. That’s why Tony Abbott wants it to stay confidential -- he’d prefer to quietly sign away our rights without a big fuss.

And by some politicians the United States:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: "From what I hear, Wall Street, pharmaceuticals, telecom, big polluters and outsourcers are all salivating at the chance to rig the deal in the upcoming trade talks. So the question is: Why are the trade talks secret? You’ll love this answer. Boy, the things you learn on Capitol Hill. I actually have had supporters of the deal say to me, 'They have to be secret, because if the American people knew what was actually in them, they would be opposed.'"

So, why aren't more Canadians paying attention?

(Photo courtesy of Reuters)

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