So yeah, what is the TPP?
It is the Trans‑Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement.Click on the link to read the whole shebang. But if I may boil it down to you, it is essentially an infrastructure for business and merchants to write law directly.
In it, they decide what is legal and illegal to do, in the name of business. And this on an international scale.
Think of it. It locks your country into agreements that may not be in your best interest, but in the best interest of business. And they will have a court, outside of civil and criminal law, that decides what is or isn't legal. Effectively, criminalizing certain activities that are "bad for business" even if it is unconstitutional to do so. Democracy for sale, if you will.
Did you know that downloading and copying MP3s on a CD isn't illegal in Canada? It isn't. There is a levy paid on each purchase of blank CDs to compensate the artists. That's what Canada had decided was the best solution to sidestep the problem. hat was our law.
Under the TPP, your would be judged a criminal. And Canada has no say in it. Indeed, the trade agreement "trades" some sovereignty on laws, for commercial benefit of multinationals.
I'm not a law student, but this seems like a very dangerous precedent.
Of course, I'm a tech head, so I used the blank CD issue, but until you've gone through the whole thing, you may or not be affected in your daily lives without knowing it!
Here's another example.
Under the new trade rules, grocery stores would no longer be allowed to indicate the country of origin from beef.
If it has the potential to undermine a participant country's profits, you are not allowed to do it, pursuant that the product is under the trade agreement. And a "new" international commercial court will decide if it does or not violate the trade agreement. Effectively removing your democratic right to say that it this is or not in your best interest to do so.
I urge you to to join Open Media's campaign to stop this. Follow this link and "sign" the petition to stop this now before it's ratified. https://act.openmedia.org/finalbattle
And without "harassing" your friends like I do, talk to them about this treaty that will affect us all.
Thank you!
