Free trade with China will damage the health of Canadians

MONTREAL, Nov. 2, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ -

Dear Honourable Prime Minister Harper,

The Canadian government's proposal to sign a free-trade agreement with China will have devastating effects on the health of Canadians.  In the province of Quebec, the reduction of the manufacturing sector has seen the increase of imports from Asia.  The argument to justify this policy is that we need to move towards high-technology jobs.  On the contrary, Asian countries are already well-positioned in high tech industries in areas such as computers, aerospace and pharmaceuticals because of the knowledge transfer from western industrial nations.  Moreover, certain countries copy the technology despite international patent laws that are in place to protect the suppliers. This free trade agreement will increase the unemployment rate and further damage the Canadian economy. 

It is a well-known fact that the unemployed and low-income Canadians and their families suffer from poorer health with a shortened life-span of approximately 10 years.

To maintain Canadian social services and sustain the health care system, we have a responsibility to ensure work for all Canadians so that they can support their families and contribute to the well-being of the country through taxes.

To have a healthy economy, we must also produce and buy locally. It is recognized that for every dollar spent locally, there is a three-fold return in economic terms.

We hope that you will not adopt the free-trade agreement with China in order to ensure better health for all Canadians.

SOURCE: Coalition of Physicians for Social Justice

Dr. Paul Saba
Co-President of Coalition of Physicians for Social Justice
Cell: 514-886-3447
Cell 2: 514-941-3635