Gordon Campbell would like to think he's upstaging Arnold Schwarzenegger by proposing strict new environmental regulations. But a little-known trade agreement with Alberta could end up terminating any effort to fight climate change, says the Council of Canadians.
On April 1, 2007, the relatively unknown Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between B.C. and Alberta will go into effect. “After that date, both provinces can be sued by corporations or individuals for exactly the kind of regulatory changes B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell is proposing in his new environmental plan,” says Carleen Pickard, B.C. spokesperson for the Council of Canadians.
TILMA, which was signed into law without public debate last April, is a legally binding agreement between Alberta and B.C. that gives businesses and individuals the right to sue either province when they feel that any regulation or other government policy “restricts or impairs” investment. B.C.’s plan for higher tailpipe emissions standards on new vehicles, anti-idling measures for transport trucks, new low-carbon fuel standards and stricter rules on methane-capture at private landfills will all impair investment and are therefore vulnerable to attack under TILMA.
“TILMA also forbids the introduction of new standards or regulations after April 1, 2007,” adds Pickard. “B.C.’s proposed climate plan is clearly incompatible with this new trade and investment agreement, which is a perfect example of why TILMA should never have been signed in the first place.”
“The Council of Canadians applauds any efforts to deal with climate change,” says Pickard. “But clearly the B.C. government is going to have to either scrap its new climate plans or scrap TILMA. Considering the overwhelming public support for environmental measures, Premier Campbell would be wise to scrap TILMA first.”
On April 1, 2007, the relatively unknown Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between B.C. and Alberta will go into effect. “After that date, both provinces can be sued by corporations or individuals for exactly the kind of regulatory changes B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell is proposing in his new environmental plan,” says Carleen Pickard, B.C. spokesperson for the Council of Canadians.
TILMA, which was signed into law without public debate last April, is a legally binding agreement between Alberta and B.C. that gives businesses and individuals the right to sue either province when they feel that any regulation or other government policy “restricts or impairs” investment. B.C.’s plan for higher tailpipe emissions standards on new vehicles, anti-idling measures for transport trucks, new low-carbon fuel standards and stricter rules on methane-capture at private landfills will all impair investment and are therefore vulnerable to attack under TILMA.
“TILMA also forbids the introduction of new standards or regulations after April 1, 2007,” adds Pickard. “B.C.’s proposed climate plan is clearly incompatible with this new trade and investment agreement, which is a perfect example of why TILMA should never have been signed in the first place.”
“The Council of Canadians applauds any efforts to deal with climate change,” says Pickard. “But clearly the B.C. government is going to have to either scrap its new climate plans or scrap TILMA. Considering the overwhelming public support for environmental measures, Premier Campbell would be wise to scrap TILMA first.”
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Unsu...
Re: Trade agreement could terminate B.C.'s climate plan
Mon, March 5, 2007 - 10:21 AMThese bastards are out to destroy whatever is left of this Earth, and they hope to enslave eveyone while they are at it. I think we need some hardcore meassures to deal with this world, not in a aggressive fashion mind you, but I think we need to find a real way to come together and stop the insanity that is dominating this world. Anyone have any ideas please DO let me know, thanks! When I think of Ralph Klien, Steven Harper and Gordon Cambell I think of truly evil bastards who lie through their teeth about eveything. I think they need a wake up call. -
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Unsu...
Re: Trade agreement could terminate B.C.'s climate plan
Mon, March 5, 2007 - 10:48 AMAlso lets talk about their "green plan" and democracy...Lets see, they CANCELED the legislature last fall, which is when we could have heard LOTS about T.I.L.M.A. and other current wrong doings that are underway, it is also a very important part of the democratic process. Without such a thing we are at the hands of a dictatorship. They claim to have a green plan, yet here on Galiano we are told that there is NO money to create a FULL review of the current O.C.P., a very NESSASARY step in preserving this island and its natural qualities. Instead the Islands Trust and the B.C. government are trying to rush us through a process that MAKES NO SENCE ACCEPT TO THE INVESTORS who want to DEVELOP this island and turn it into an over crowded, over populated island made only for the RICH AND ELITE. IF this goes through more than 50% of our island will turn to development, this without any real assessments of impact, and without a real look at feasibility. Like where is the water going to come from etc etc.. this beyond the fact that the animals who live here have rights and needs too!
I hope we are not so americanized that we just sit here and allow these idiots to continue. Steven Harper is here to sell our country to the americans, We have to get rid of him before he succeeds. One thing I know for sure is this, they fully NEED power/electricity to create their plan. Get rid of hydro, oil and gas and they become POWERLESS...its not that hard to do, a little bit of IMAGINATION and you can a find a way to take their power away from them.
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