Provisions in the new Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union could have serious implications for Boilermakers working in the construction and maintenance industries.

That was the message to business managers and union representatives attending a jurisdictional seminar in Toronto in mid January. A half-day during the seminar was devoted to examining both CETA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade and economic agreement between Canada and 11 other nations on both sides of the Pacific.

Both CETA and the TPP contain provisions that would allow foreign companies to bid on construction and maintenance work and, if successful, to import the entire workforce needed on a project.

While the TPP is as good as dead now, Canada will be trying to negotiate similar agreements with the individual nations that were set to sign it, according to Angella MacEwen, senior economist for the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

And despite provisions in CETA that call for public consultation, the Liberal government is trying to ram the agreement through Parliament without giving Canadians an adequate chance to present their views.

International Vice-President for Canada Joe Maloney urged Boilermakers to contact their Member of Parliament to register strong opposition to the CETA and similar deals.

"We need to ask them why this government would agree to a deal that puts the jobs of their constituents at risk," Maloney said.

Further details about CETA and other trade deals will be coming in the next issue of the Canadian Boilermaker, which will be mailed to members in April.

If you want to contact your MP with your concerns, you can find his or her street and email addresses here: http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC