Why the WT has got te go q Paul Hundat Contributing Columnist WHY are libraries being, considered for the WTO agenda? The WIC deals with trade agreements, right? The answer to this question presents some very disturbing starements about the effect of these WIO agreements on people's lives. - The WTO agenda goes well beyond free trade. To some extent it is forced trade and certainly represents a loss of sovereignty over our democratic system. Our demo- cratically ciected govemments, nationally and locally, would be restricted from acting in certain ways without risk of being sued for potentially bil- tions of dollars. Ifwe ban bulk exports of water we risk a billion dollar tewsut. i When Canada banned ie rt of gasoline wi ; MMT for health concerns, we settled the lawsuit and had to pay $20 million as well as let the gasoline manufacturers to continue to put MMT in our gasoline. Why does the WTO now have the ability to effec- tively override elected officials” decisions on levels of euviron- -mental protection in Canada andthe US? - ‘The answer to the above questions lies in Chapter 11 of NAFTA, containing the ..- “investor-state” lawsuit provi- - sions. [t creates the right for ” corporations to sue stite gov- ernment for potentially billions _ of dollars whenever clever : Jawyers can show ways that. "our democratically elected bodies have interfered with a - company’s profits or have ‘Favoured a local business with a “subsidy” or support. er and the onment are the bi . ‘here, because our taxes will * have to pay off ever-increasing mega-lawsuits. North’ . . Americans have had a taste of - the NAFTA impacts because _we have already agreed to investor-state Tawsuits through ‘NAFTA: oo . -j-2 Existing subsidies and impacts were exempted tem- ‘porarily through grandfather clauses. But if another country wanted to set up a Canadian- ¢ public health care system or social programs they would be prevented from doing so without paying billions to the corporadions that lose profit. Investor-stace lawsuit provi- ons are now being proposed for the rest of the world, first under the MAI (Multilateral Agreement on Investment) which failed and now under the WTO. The WI0"s onigi- nally designated role was to enforce the MAI once it was signed. When the MAI was not signed, proponents for investor-state lawsuit provi- sions pursued implementing these provisions directly through the WTO, which its exactly where discussions were at last week in Seattle. By the end of the WTO sunimit, on Dee. 3, 1999, the WTO Committees in Seattle failed to come to agreement .-on whether to acecpt the “investor-state” lawsuit provi- sions, among other things. It appears that many coun- tries in the world now have better sense than to create this artificial right to sue their tax- payers. After all, what coun- tries can afford a world where we would have to pay pol- luters not to pollute instead of the other way around? What r country can afford to fight off these law- suits. Even wealthy countries like Canada will sec any sav- ings from reduced services being spent on settling mega- lawsuits. Taxpayers will not see taxes come down but the services they receive will drop. Free trade is really a Trojan horse for these “investor-state law- suits.” We can have freer trade without these provisions. | Capilano Mall, North Van 984-2040- Our country’s greatness and success is based on democracy. We are now being led into a new world order based on “free trade” agree- ments, which override democ- racy in fundamental arcas of our life. Even our libraries are being looked at as being a form of “subsidy.” Giving the public a free ser- vice may be scen as a subsidy that we have to compensate corporations for. This is not the world so many people fought and laid down their ‘tomes, Manutactuters af Fine Jewellery Wild weather WALKERS had to shield themselves from wind and waves recently on the West Vancouver waterfront at Dundarave Pier. "Tis the season fer stormy West Coast weather. lives for. People have fought wars for democracy, not so that a secret panel of trade lawyers can decide many of the key issues of our lives. Let us hope for all of our sake that the countries speak- ing up against it are successful in keeping these provisions out of any future agreements. Furthermore, the time is now right for us to give our six- month notice to cancel or amend NAFTA to remove the investor-state lawsuit provi- sions in our agreement. Park Royal, South, West Van 925-2043 | vroid Peveloper Kit | Roboties Viseovery SET | No Pe required - | Robotics livention System b PC required Winter at the Flying U Ranch! 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