Government Trounces Democracy with Campbell's Closure of TILMA Bill 32: Citizen's Group Outraged

[Stop TILMA!]

Government Trounces Democracy with Campbell's Closure of TILMA Bill
32: Citizen's Group Outraged

Despite significant public outcry, Bill 32 went into effect without
any vote in the Legislature today. The enabling legislation sets the
private courts system Trade Investment and Labour Mobility (TILMA)
into motion, ceding the right to corporations to sue local governments
and other entities for regulations deemed to impede profits.

"For the past year and a half the Minister for Economic Development
Colin Hansen has repeatedly promised that TILMA would be debated and
voted on," says Carleen Pickard, regional organizer with the Council
of
Canadians. "It is incredible that there has been no discussion on an
agreement that will lower standards across the two provinces and
undermine local government autonomy. The government has gone to
extreme measures to make sure the public knows nothing about it."

The controversial agreement, signed secretly between the BC and
Alberta premiers in 2006, came into effect on April 1, 2007. Some
components of the agreement came into effect immediately while others
will take effect
in 2009, when the agreement will fully apply to municipalities, and
other government entities. While the signatories believe TILMA will
increase business and competition between the provinces, critics are
outraged that the governments see fit to override local decision
making and democracy for the benefit of corporations.

A recent legal opinion by lawyer and trade expert Steven Shrybman
indicated that the ban on junk food in BC public schools through the
Healthy Schools initiative could be challenged by an Alberta food and
beverage distributor seeking a contract in BC. Under the Bill 32, the
Alberta corporation could successfully argue that the ban was impeding
their ability to do business in BC and sue for up to $5 million.

"TILMA and TILMA-like agreements are being discussed across the
country. In British Columbia, the government has failed to convince
the public that TILMA is a good agreement and taken unpopular steps to
enforce it.
People are outraged, other provinces should take note of this" says
Pickard