CETA: A Hot Topic at Recent Gathering of Municipal Leaders

UPDATE – link to AWARE Simcoe resolution 

By Scott Sinclair Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives June 7 2011 

The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was a hot topic of debate at the recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) annual conference, held in Halifax.

Leading up to the June 3-6 conference, the Union of BC Municipalities called on the FCM to seek a “clear, permanent exemption” for municipalities” from the CETA.  In the CETA negotiations, the European Commission is seeking full coverage of sub-national (provincial and municipal) procurement, an area where Canada had, until recently, not made any commitments under international trade treaties.