Thank you.
Thanks so much for hearing our concerns here. I just want to say that I hope this is a true consultation and that you actually listen and make decisions based on the feedback you've heard across the country at these consultations.
My name is Angela Giles. I work for the Council of Canadians, for the Atlantic region. We are a social justice organization promoting progressive policies. I won't go into it, because you've already heard from several of our supporters, staff members, and board members from across the country, including Ken Kavanagh yesterday in St. John's, who spoke about ISDS and the concerns around what has already happened in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador with the two ISDS challenges that took place there.
I was happy to hear Darlene speak about the Digby Neck quarry, which is an investor state dispute settlement that has impacted us here in Nova Scotia.
I wanted to raise these because despite all the pronouncements of improving the middle class and job creation with these trade agreements, on the back end of these deals, the huge amount of compensation that has already been dished out under ISDS chapters comes out of the government coffers. When we don't have enough money for public health care, when we don't have enough money to support indigenous communities that have been on boil water orders for years, and when we can't afford something as crazy as free post-secondary education, the links are never made.
I want to point out that these links need to be made. It's not just about the front end of the trade deal. It also needs to be about the full lifespan. Thank you.