Campaign Launched to Oppose Secret Trade Deal Ahead of Summit

OTTAWA, June 28, 2016 /CNW/ - Canadians United for Change (CUC) has launched a new digital advertising campaign to highlight serious problems in the secretly negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), ahead of the North American Leaders Summit in Ottawa this week.

The group, which formed last year to help oust the Conservative government in the Federal Election, began advertising this week in opposition to what it describes as "a secret deal negotiated by Stephen Harper that could cost Canada approximately 58,000 jobs."

The campaign's webpage and petition calls on the new Liberal government to take the lead "by creating jobs and rejecting, once and for all, the discredited policies of the Stephen Harper years."

The secret trade agreement, which can't be amended by Parliament, contains multiple secret side-agreements that are only now coming to light.

According to the terms of one secret side-agreement, foreign companies will be able to bid on significant procurement projects in Canada. These same foreign companies will be able to import their own less trained and cheaper workers. That means foreign companies could bid on a Canadian project, and bring in a workforce that is nearly 100% foreign, denying work to better qualified Canadians.

Labour unions and other Canadians have opposed the secret deal because TPP kills Canadian jobs and skews benefits to large corporate interests, while leaving workers to bear the brunt of the pact's shortcomings, including lost jobs, lower wages and continued repression of worker rights.

The TPP is certain to be on the agenda when the "Three Amigos" meet this week. The ad campaign will run in Ottawa through the week before expanding into other Canadian media markets.

tpp.canadiansunitedforchange.ca

Canadians United for Change:  In July 2015, Canadians United for Change launched a national program to change the driving economic policies of our country. As we look towards the 150^th anniversary of our great country, CUC seeks to unite Canadians in demanding greater accountability, vision and progress from our elected leaders. Our mission is to promote economic development and elect officials committed to creating jobs for hardworking Canadians. We are united for change because Canadians need a stronger economy, one that brings growth and opportunities to all Canadians and to all regions of our great country.

SOURCE Canadians United for Change

Steven Schumann, 613-325-6433