SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
About 30 people showed up to hear about how the Trans Pacific Partnership could effect the North last week at Northern United Place.

Brenda Sayers spoke at an event hosted by the Council of Canadians NWT Chapter about the Trans Pacific Partnership, and what it means for Northerners, on Oct. 12. - Jessica Davey-Quantick/NNSL photo

"People need to take to the streets," said activist Brenda Sayers. "The government has to understand in Canada that ... we are the majority."

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a trade agreement between 12 Pacific Rim countries - Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Chile, the United States, Australia, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico, Japan and Canada. It was signed on Feb. 4, but it won't enter into force until it's ratified by all signatories by Feb. 4, 2018. This means Canada has just over a year to make up it's mind on whether to join.

Building on the model previous free trade deals such as NAFTA and the Canada-China FIPA, the pact would slash tariffs in order to foster trade between member nations, essentially creating a single new market similar to the European Union, and making up about 40 per cent of the global economy.

The World Bank estimated in 2015 that the TPP would raise the GDP of all 12 countries around 1.1 per cent on average.

But PSAC regional executive vice-president Jack Bourassa isn't buying these claims.

"That agreement is something that bears to the interests of corporations and not citizens," he said."This is going to lead to a whole bunch of disastrous things for working people."

A report from the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University found Canada's economy would only grow 0.28 per cent in the first 10 years after TPP is ratified, adding $5 billion to the economy, and actually costing Canada approximately 58,000 jobs.

But more importantly, according to Sayers, is what the deal would do to the rights of Canadians - especially indigenous groups.

"I think the biggest threat to people across Canada, and here, is what they call the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism," she said, explaining it "gives other countries the power to sue Canada for anything that they see stands in the way of their profit."

Canada is the most sued country under NAFTA. The Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives found 35 claims have been brought against Canada from 1995-2015, 45 per cent of the total number of claims under NAFTA. Canada has lost or settled six claims, at a cost of $170 million, and spent $65 million defending itself against claims. According to the Council of Canadians, pending decisions under NAFTA could add another $300 million. The report found about 63 per cent of the claims against Canada involved environmental protection and resource management.

"Once a state has a particular right in Canada, and we try to stop them from, you know, taking our water, any of our minerals, they can launch a lawsuit against Canada," said Sayers.

"ISDS is international so it overrides our domestic courts, it overrides our federal, provincial, municipal, our First Nations, laws or regulations by a three-person tribunal."

That's why Sayers, as part of the Hupacasath First Nation, has spent two years challenging the Canada-China FIPA agreement. She says that agreement gave corporations more rights than indigenous people and other Canadian businesses operating in Canada. She says TPP would have the same effect, but on a wider scale.

"The ISDS binds the hands of parliamentarians to make decisions that are good for the people," she said.

But NWT Chamber of Commerce president Richard Morland says although the chamber doesn't have an official position on the TPP, he thinks it might be a benefit to the North.

"As a general principal, freeing up markets will expose us to competition. Competition is one way in which we will get better, we have to rise to the occasion - that makes us stronger," he said. "What I've heard from the federal government is that like it or not, we are part of the global economy. Whether or not we sign up for the TPP or not, the global economy will continue to function with or without us."

But that, Bourassa says, could actually be a bigger concern, because of the bust-and-boom nature of the Northern economy.

"When corporations are here, we're fine," he said. "As soon as they move out because there's nothing left in the ground then we're all hooped again."

The Council of Canadians NWT Chapter sent a letter to the City of Yellowknife, asking for them to officially oppose the deal. Yellowknifer was advised by the city that the Mayor was unable to speak on the issue, and that there is no formal council position on the TPP.

"All our governments are responsible to the people that put them in office. I think they should have a position on it," said Bourassa of the city.

Morland disagrees.

"I think the decision of whether the TPP is good or not is really one for the federal government to make on our behalf," he said.

The full text of the TPP is available on the federal government's website.

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