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The 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement released in November is controversial for many reasons, not the least of which that it does not give many real protections for workers in nations hostile to labor reform like agreement member state Vietnam.

Canada’s previous administration, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, made no effort to engage the public on the deal, but under the new Liberal leadership, Justin Trudeau at the helm, it seems Canada is set to pass the agreement but not before assuring a public discussion.

An article in the Globe and Mail asserts “The Liberal government, under pressure from labour unions fretting about what they fear will be big job losses once TPP comes into effect, have launched widespread consultations on the deal. This could take considerable time, said the government, which strongly advocates the idea of free trade.”

As noted, the discussion is taking place, but the passage of the deal might take much longer than expected.

The assumption is Trudeau will sign the deal but not ratify it, as there is uncertainty over the U.S.’s own intentions and timetable.

The Washington Post published the following, showing a hesitancy among U.S. Congress members to vote on the deal.

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dealt a significant blow to President Obama's global trade agenda Thursday, declaring that a sweeping pact with 11 Pacific Rim nations should not be sent to Congress for approval until after the 2016 elections -- and maybe not until after Obama leaves office.



McConnell, who previously supported efforts to enhance Obama's trade negotiating powers, signaled that he was undecided on how he would vote on the deal, but he was clear that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would be defeated if it were sent to Capitol Hill next spring or summer, as the administration was planning to do.”

This posturing by Republican Congress members is not surprising, but it does call into question the likelihood of other nation’s tacit support for the deal, because if the U.S—one of the main brokers of the deal—doesn’t seem quick to sign and ratify, what incentive do other nations have to expend political capital on pushing the deal?

The countries included in the deal are Australia, the United States, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

In theory, the deal seeks to make regulations more standard among the trading partners involved in the deal, in support of stronger commerce and connection.

But the TPP relies on member states to amend local laws in conjunction with the standards set out in the agreement, a historically hollow directive.

Canadian critics in particular believe that in its attempts to regulate user data over borders, the civil liberties of Canadians may be infringed upon. According to an article in Canada’s CBC, “those in B.C. and Nova Scotia that keep government information such as health data and other personal details on servers within Canada to keep people's information safe.”

The fear is that information will be much more readily available to state agencies like the NSA, without regulatory oversight and procedure for obtaining that information.

As for labor protections, Canada's largest private-sector union Unifor, stated it had concerns over the deal’s potential to harm Canadian industry and called on the Liberal government to revise many provisions.

Debate over the deal is continuing in Canada, in adherence with Prime Minister Trudeau’s promise of "a full and open public debate in Parliament.”