In Case You Missed The Good News About TILMA...

Here is the one & only occurance of the word "state" in the TILMA agreement, if anyone cares:<br />
"water means surface and ground water in liquid, gaseous, or solid state, but does not include water packaged in containers with a capacity of 20 litres or less." (p.37)<br />
<a href="http://www.ecdev.gov.bc.ca/ProgramsAndServices/Trade/Joint_Trade_Agreement_April_2006.pdf">http://www.ecdev.gov.bc.ca/ProgramsAndServices/Trade/Joint_Trade_Agreement_April_2006.pdf</a><br />
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maybe Steven Shrybman's summary should have been included in this posting:<br />
<a href="http://www.sfl.sk.ca/pdfs/Shrybman%20on%20TILMA.pdf">http://www.sfl.sk.ca/pdfs/Shrybman%20on%20TILMA.pdf</a><br />
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It does give investors much greater rights than NAFTA does but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with any US government or the SPP. It's good to see that Saskatchewan and the UBCM have both rejected it so far.<p>---<br>"George Bush has declared the war on terrorism to be the cause of his generation. The cause of Canadian sovereignty will be ours." - John Godfrey, MP for Don Va

When I see "UBCM rejects TILMA," I interpret it as "UBCM tells province to scrap TILMA" which isn't quite true. When the Council of Canadians says the UBCM rejected TILMA I guess what they mean is that at the 2007 convention they endorsed the resolutions put forward by Creston (A3, p.4):<BR> http://ubcm.ihostez.com/content/pdfstorage/6823F65B7B554CE19B035B546D1FD1CF-SectionA.pdf <P> They also endorsed section 5 of Policy Paper #4 here:<BR> http://ubcm.fileprosite.com/content/pdfstorage/27AAEEDD1DD24622AF85112E23EBD8A4-PolicyPaper4_TILMA.pdf<BR> <blockquote>Preliminary Areas for Discussion with the Province<BR> After providing an overview of the Agreement, UBCM consulted with Don Lidstone with respect to issues that UBCM should raise with the Province in our discussions. This section outlines the recommended actions to address each of the issues that have been identified in Part 4 of this policy paper. The recommendations are not meant to be exhaustive but are designed to provide the preliminary list of issues that need to be raised in initial discussions with the Province. <P> Application of TILMA during Consultation Process<BR> 1. UBCM obtain an amendment to the TILMA to exempt expressly all measures of “municipalities or municipal organizations” as defined in the TILMA during the two-year transition period referred to in Articles 9.1 and 9.2 of the TILMA. <P> Procurement <BR> 2. UBCM request that local government be exempt from the requirement under the TILMA that procurement must give the highest level of consideration to “…like, directly competitive, or substitutable goods; persons; services and investors or investments.” <P> 3. UBCM request that the TILMA requirement that municipal governments tender goods, services and construction over prescribed thresholds be amended such that the levels contained in the AIT will continue to apply. <P> Subsidies<BR> 4. UBCM request that the TILMA be amended to exempt any municipal assistance to, subsidization of, or incentive to a business that would otherwise be a valid exercise under the Community Charter or Vancouver Charter. <P> Harmonization<BR> 5. UBCM request that the TILMA be amended to exempt municipalities from the requirement to reconcile standards or regulations if the reconciliation would obviate local control over what the community considers to be unacceptable business practices (or other issues of local interest). <P> Regulatory Bylaws<BR> 6. UBCM request that the General Exceptions contained in Part V of the TILMA be expanded to cover land use regulation by municipalities and municipal organizations and the spheres listed in section 8 (3) of the Community Charter. Analogous exceptions for Vancouver and Alberta municipalities should be listed as General Exceptions. <P> Dispute Resolution<BR> 7. UBCM request that the TILMA be amended to allow local governments to defend their measures in the dispute resolutions process, whether or not the Province appears as a party or intervenor. <P> 8. UBCM negotiate an agreement with the Province to prohibit the Province from requiring local governments to either pay penalties for or repeal constitutionally valid measures that are found by dispute panels to be in breach of the TILMA. <P> 9. UBCM request that the provincial government negotiate amendments to the TILMA dispute resolution process including a provision that protects against vexatious or frivolous claims. <P> Consultation<BR> 10. UBCM request the provincial government negotiate these amendments under the consultation agreement under section 277 of the Community Charter, and further collaborate during the consultation process with the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties. </blockquote><p>---<br>"George Bush has declared the war on terrorism to be the cause of his generation. The cause of Canadian sovereignty will be ours." - John Godfrey, MP for Don Va

Did I read correctly that the two provincial governments (Alberta and British Columbia) "approved" TILMA without prior consultation of the public, individual municipalities or UBCM? If so, that's absolutely WEIRD.

Was this in Campbell's platform during the most recent provincial election? Was this mentioned in the speech from the throne? How exactly did this come about? Or was it prompted by federal pushing?

Does this not unsettle the concept of "balance of power"?

This might be adequate cause for calling a provincial election.....

Doies

"If so, that's absolutely WEIRD."

I don't think it is. It's a 'trade' agreement. And it's exactally how the SPP & NAU will be pushed through.

Got rope?

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