The Council for Canadians Moose Jaw chapter is concerned about a possible international trade agreement and the impact it might have on the City of Moose Jaw’s autonomy.
“I’m here to talk about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which is currently being negotiated between Canada’s federal and provincial governments, and the European Union (EU),” local Council for Canadians contact Charles Neumann during a presentation said at Monday’s regular council meeting.
According to Neumann, CETA is a complex economic and trade agreement, which covers all aspects of trade and economic development. This, he said, could have significant implications for municipalities and municipal governance.
He said CETA would undermine the ability of municipalities to promote community and regional economic and social development, and would compromise local government initiatives, regulations and policies aimed at promoting public objectives, as well as local economic and social wellbeing.
One concern for the Council of Canadians is CETA’s proposed sub-national procurement that would prohibit municipalities from restricting tender calls to local or Canadian companies, or requiring tender bidders from using a proportion of local or Canadian goods, services or labour.
For more on this story, read an upcoming edition of the Times-Herald.
