MOTION

World Trade Organization File: 6001

MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. ,

WHEREAS, the recent World Trade Organization (WTO) meetings in Seattle to initiate "The Millennium Round" brought public attention to the importance of trade issues to the quality of life people experience in their local community. While the meetings did not reach agreement on an agenda for the next round of WTO trade talks, discussions on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) will still take place over the next three years as part of the "built-in agenda" agreed to at the founding of the WTO in 1995. Discussions on this Agreement may result in the inclusion of many of the features of the now defunct Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), opposed by Vancouver City Council by resolution on April 28, 1998;

AND WHEREAS, the proposed changes to GATS are of concern to local governments as they could affect existing jurisdiction and authorities, and also could result in significant administrative burdens and costs;

AND WHEREAS, the current GATS is a "bottom-up" agreement (each affected sector, such as Construction services, is identified), but proposed changes to the Agreement's structure (to a possible "top-down" or "horizontal" structure) would expand the Agreement's application;

AND WHEREAS, the Federal Government has neither alerted nor consulted local governments regarding these issues, and as a result, citizens and taxpayers of Canadian municipalities have had little access to information and informed debate on proposed changes to GATS;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

(1) THAT City Council urge the Government of Canada to consult widely and in depth with the people of Canada, especially and including municipal councils, before taking any further action on the GATS;

(2) THAT the City of Vancouver, while recognizing trade can have beneficial impacts on our region, urge the Prime Minister to have Canada file a permanent and explicit exemption in the GATS limiting application to areas of Federal jurisdiction to ensure sub-national jurisdictions maintain local flexibility and control over the delivery of public services;

(3) THAT the Government of British Columbia convene the Legislative Committee to hold public hearings on the impact of the WTO/GATS agenda on British Columbia municipalities, including an invitation to the Federal WTO/GATS negotiator, to provide background information and answer pertinent questions;

(4) THAT the Government of British Columbia establish a Trade Advisory Committee for stakeholders for ongoing consultation on international trade issues;

(5) THAT the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) be urged to dedicate staff to monitoring WTO discussions and alert Canadian municipalities of any encroachment on their jurisdictions;

(6) THAT the City of Vancouver Council state their support for the UBCM letter to the Honourable Minister Pettigrew, dated December 16, 1999 ("Trade Negotiations and the Impacts on Local Governments in Canada" - attached);

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a copy of this motion be:

(i) circulated to Members of Parliament representing areas within the Greater Vancouver Regional District, with the request that they endorse the City's action;
(ii) forwarded to Lower Mainland municipalities for their support;
(iii) made available to the public;
(iv) forwarded to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Executive for endorsement; and
(v) forwarded to the UBCM Executive for their information.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver