Canada
Related: About this forum(Canada group) Where does the federal Liberal party stand on the TPP?
I'm a "strategic voter" in that I'll vote for the NDP candidate if the candidate is good and honest, but will vote for a Liberal candidate if I think that's the only way to beat the Conservatives. Also, I don't have unkind thoughts about the Liberal party, except for the BC provincial Liberals, who are just a bought out husk.
I am decidedly "left", but I'm an entrepreneur in the arts, self-employed, and not a member of a union.
Here's why I think the federal Liberal party is "to the left", generally speaking:
It's because they, and with the help of the NDP in minority gov'ts, have delivered a certain goodness that I identify with Canada. In contrast, the NDP has a rather hard time dealing with the Conservative/Reform factions. I can't think of much they have done that I like. Harper blew it in one term, but Canada once had a reputation for peace. Give Harper another couple terms and we can say goodbye to everything. The generations after won't even know us.
The TPP is insidious because it is hidden. It isn't discussed, it isn't an issue, even though it's a bigger issue than NAFTA was.
Shouldn't this be a topic in this election?
Spazito
(54,357 posts)so, basing one's vote on the issue of the TPP, imo, is a non-starter. Here's a link to an article that explains the various party's position. It's from the National Post (ugh) but it does provide some good info re party positions.
"The Conservatives, Liberals and New Democratic Party are aligned for once: they all want Canada to sign up for what business groups have called the historic opportunity to access almost 800 million new customers in Asia and Latin America, as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
They are also agreed about the need to preserve the supply management system that protects Canadas dairy, egg and poultry industries from foreign competition, even though the U.S. governments chief agricultural negotiator told the National Post last week that dismantling supply management is the price of admission to TPP."
http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/john-ivison-supply-management-must-go-if-canada-is-to-be-a-player-in-massive-trans-pacific-trade-deal
A bit of an aside; The Liberal party of B.C. was never a Liberal party, it was a moderately conservative party under Wilson and when he lost his leadership position due to scandal, the moribund Social Credit/Conservative supporters took it over and elected Gordon Campbell.
It is totally misleading for them to continue under the banner of the Liberal Party of B.C., imo, but lying is their specialty so there is that.
Joe Shlabotnik
(5,604 posts)the NDP and Green party are pushing for full public disclosure and proper debate.
http://canadians.org/tpp