Dear Editor:
As of writing, our government is close to ratifying the Canada-China Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement.
That such a significant agreement is about to be ratified without full debate is an insult to Canadians and smacks of a dictatorial government which, should the ratification take place as is, I will not be voting for in the future.
At least four very disturbing aspects exist in the agreement:
? Sinopec, a Chinese company, can sue the B.C. government if it blocks the Northern Gateway pipeline;
? Sinopec could demand the use of Chinese labour and materials for the pipeline project;
? The deal gives Chinese state-owned companies the right to full protection and security from public opposition;
? The deal does not require provincial consent and does not require parliamentary debate.
Clearly this is a give-away to the Chinese of ownership and unlimited control. It does not matter what any contract says, the fact is that the Chinese government does not have the same values and ethics as we have, and will do anything to grasp control of our valuable resources. Our resources must remain in Canadian control; our ownership is the leverage we have over the Chinese during any negotiation to achieve the best for Canada.
From my past experience as business director for a major engineering company dealing with the Chinese, I know signing this agreement would be a major blow to Canada. I very strongly urge our government to let some air into this through a proper and full debate so that the best can be achieved for Canadians.
Patrick Hill West Vancouver
