CATFA is calling on leaders of parties to ensure that Canada remains fully-engaged in the TPP negotiations.
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Americans and Malaysians show least support for the US-promoted Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal among all participants, with 38 percent of citizens backing the potential agreement, Pew Research Center poll, issued on Tuesday, found. “The weakest support is in the US and in Malaysia (38%)”, the poll read.
New Zealand maintains the right to restrict sales of farm land and housing to non-resident foreigner buyers.
Meaningful gains are made for farmers in tariff reductions and market access.
Like NAFTA and other (misleadingly described) “free-trade agreements”, the TPP would pit workers of different countries against one another and drive down wages and living standards.
It has previously withheld support for the TPP pending the release of the final draft of the 12-nation deal.
Some of the conditions will likely be met by the talks, with the Government already promising to preserve the fundamental elements of the Pharmac model. The White House calls the TPP “the most progressive trade agreement in history”, but the details of the proposed deal are not public.
Asked if some MPs pushed for Labour to oppose the TPP entirely, Mr Parker said he would not reveal what was said in caucus, “but that letter [outlining Labour’s conditional support] is a caucus letter”.
“The lack of transparency around the government’s negotiations with large foreign interests means Kiwis are in the dark about which of their sovereign rights are being gambled away by this government in the hope of better trade conditions”, said Little in a statement.
Previous trade deals, like the recently-signed agreement with the European Union, have pushed Canada to increase market access for foreign dairy, especially cheese. But by negotiating the TPP in complete secrecy, the Government is creating a level of public unease.
The US is expected to need to import 4.5 million tonnes of sugar annually in the coming decade, and there is growing recognition of far-reaching benefits to the US economy from loosening the excessive restrictions on sugar imports.
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In fact, the agreement would also expand the right of pharmaceutical companies to sue governments over national laws, creating the prospect of more lawsuits similar to the $500-million lawsuit launched by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly against the Government of Canada. “Anything else is unacceptable”.
