International Trade committee  Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to present today on the comprehensive economic and trade agreement being negotiated between Canada and the European Commission. My name is Graham Cox. I'm a national researcher for the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The Canadian Uni

International Trade committee  We're very unhappy. Our members are not happy about the level of transparency around all the trade agreements that have been negotiated behind closed doors, and we think that we could learn a thing or two about the way the trade agreements are being negotiated now, especially t

International Trade committee  I think any agreement that includes investor state limits the ability to regulate. So even within the EU-U.S. agreement, even with that language, I would worry about the implications of including investor state, but certainly we're concerned about that.

International Trade committee  The positives? I don't have any analysis for you for the positives.

International Trade committee  We do analysis based on questions on what our members have brought up, and those have to deal with procurement and issues of investor state, and investment and maintenance of public services.

International Trade committee  Good for Canada?

International Trade committee  We didn't look at that. We looked at the full analysis based on the net gain of Canada, and we're looking at the negative side to see if there is a net gain. There are plenty of people who look at the positives—there's a fellow right next to me here—but we looked at the overall

International Trade committee  Sure. They voted against—

International Trade committee  We have thousands of people in the room at the national convention. They're elected delegates from their locals who come to the national convention. It was a near unanimous vote against a resolution, and the resolutions come from the locals themselves.

International Trade committee  Sure. The most recent one was our previous resolution, and I believe it was in October. It was a vote against some of the provisions in CETA.

International Trade committee  I can certainly get that wording for you. I don't have it in front of me.

International Trade committee  Sure.

International Trade committee  No, it was a vote of the membership by hands.

International Trade committee  Yes. It's by voting cards. That is the convention that our membership is voted on.

International Trade committee  I think it depends on the local, but if my memory serves me correctly, at CUPE it is a secret ballot for votes on collective bargaining.