Yes, good day.
I am the current chair of Save Our Seas and Shores, an Atlantic Canadian-wide organization working to protect the health of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The Gulf of St. Lawrence is scientifically known to be the most biologically diverse and productive marine region in Canada. A DFO report from 2009 estimates that the economic value of industries in the gulf is $2.7 billion per year, and that sustains 52,300 jobs or more. It's certain, though, that many of these industries rely on renewable resources provided by the gulf, and having a healthy, sustainable gulf ecosystem is critical to the furthering of those industries into the future.
My members and I are very concerned that the TPP undermines the ability of the Canadian government, both federal and provincial, to enact and uphold environmental legislation which allows us to maintain these ecosystems in a sustainable manner.
I'll give a few examples of that, which show these trade agreements are already undermining the ability of governments to uphold legislation, and they're certainly costing taxpayers a lot of money.
An example right here in the Maritimes is the Bilcon case in Digby, Nova Scotia. The American company Bilcon proposed building a large quarry on the Digby Neck. Because of local citizen concern, the environmental assessment became a panel review, the most robust type of environmental assessment. The panel review in the end rejected the development.
Bilcon appealed that decision using a NAFTA tribunal, which voted in its favour. That's outside of our court system, of course. The dissenting government arbitrator found no breach of NAFTA rules and discussed the importance of socio-economic considerations in environmental assessments, and described the tribunal's decision as a remarkable step backwards in environmental protection.
To conclude, essentially allowing companies to sue the government over perceived lost profits puts Canadian taxpayers at risk and it puts our environmental legislation at great risk.
Thank you.