Harper Prepares to Hand the Keys to the Vault Over to China (merged)

[Ovech Trick]

Meanwhile in America, the White House just sold the state of Oklahoma to China.

[I'm Your Huckleberry]

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/09/27/canada-china-investment-big-risk-in-the-fine-print/

http://www.greenparty.ca/media-release/2012-10-01/may-request-emergency-debate-canada-china-investment-deal

[Monteeun]

Canada's sovereignty is in danger. Really? This song and dance again. Every time Canadian officials try to speak with other countries, all of a sudden Canadian sovereignty becomes an issue. Canadian's never even had sovereignty until our poorly written Constitution. Then, when Canada attempts to negotiate with another country--Canada's left cries foul. Canada's sovereignty is infringed because the Americans want to control our boarder security; Canada's sovereignty is infringed because China want's to purchase some resources from Canada. How about we look at a real issue, where Canada is actually fighting for their sovereignty--the Arctic. That is currently the only case in point where Canada is actually fighting for sovereignty.

This whole Chinese thing is nothing to do with Canadian sovereignty. This is a prime example to why the Green Party can only win one seat, because nobody takes them serious. They (The Green Party) does not know anything about International Trade, or economics. Harper's entire International Relations policy has been to open up trade with the Asia countries. Any classic Liberal supporter ought to be applauding Harper as he is simply walking down the "Third Option" path. Harper wants Canada to be less dependent upon the American economy. Therefore, he is attempting to open up relations with not only the Latin American countries, but more explicitly the Asia-Pacific countries--namely, China. It's not a bad idea since China is currently one of the more booming economies.

Nevertheless, why is it that if China wants to purchase our oil, that is logically follows that Canada loses it's sovereignty? Please explain. Perhaps China will refine it and sell it back to Canada, but doesn't the Americans already do that with us? That is the way of the World Economy. Perhaps it makes sense to sell that oil to Canada East, as many of the NDP are wanting. However, Canada does lose money by doing this and why would they want to do that when they can A) make more money selling it to other countries in larger quantities, and build diplomatic relations with other/newer countries. I cannot wait to hear how the Green Party will respond when the Americans come knocking on our door for our water, since the mid-west of America is on the brink of having no water at all. What, if Canada makes a deal to send water to America, will that infringe on Canadian Sovereignty too?

Let us not allow fear mongering and pure speculation to be our guide to determining whether a policy is sound or not.

And to answer the next question coming. Sure, let there be a debate in the House. I see no problem with that. I do not see any reason why we should not sell our resources to China, though. It is smart for our economic health. Many like to say "what if we run out, or shouldn't we save some for ourselves," and to answer that--THAT IS BAD POLICY and you are going to call more problems with this isolationist policy. Moreover, running out? I'd like to see the empirical data for that too.

[Monteeun]

Meanwhile in America, the White House just sold the state of Oklahoma to China.

[nucklehead]

Meanwhile in America, the White House just sold the state of Oklahoma to China.

[I'm Your Huckleberry]

https://www.greenparty.ca/stop-the-sellout

"

What Has Harper Done?

On September 9^th, Prime Minister Stephen Harper signed an agreement with China, the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement. The agreement was kept from the Canadian public and Parliament until September 26th, 2012, when it was quietly made public by the Harper Conservatives.

Red Carpet for China

So what is the Canada-China investment agreement? Simply put, it is the most significant trade agreement signed by Canada since NAFTA. Only this time our “partner” is the communist government in Beijing, an authoritarian regime with an appalling record on human rights.

We at the Green Party of Canada believe there are many flaws in that agreement. And we think Canadians should know about them:

1. Open bar for Chinese state-owned enterprises

The Canada-China investment agreement means easier takeovers of Canadian assets, especially in the resource sector. In the context of the possible takeover of Nexen by the Chinese National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), it is crucial that we collectively pause to consider the wisdom of granting Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) such an easy access to our natural resources.

2. Canadian laws vs. Chinese profits

The Canada-China investment agreement would allow Chinese companies (including state-owned enterprises) to sue federal or provincial governments over decisions that can limit their profits. Favorable rulings in favor of Chinese companies mean we collectively have to financially compensate the Chinese investor. It also means Canadian laws can be cancelled.

3. Back room deals

The Canada-China investment agreement would allow Chinese investors to sue Canada outside of Canadian courts. Special arbitrators would take the decisions. These arbitrators, unlike judges, do not have secure tenures or set salaries. Their decision cannot be subject to judicial review.

4. Right to be heard

Only the federal government is allowed to take part in the arbitration process. Provincial governments or Canadian companies, even if their interest are affected, do not gave the right to voice their concerns during the arbitration process.

5. China’s obsession for secrecy

The Canada-China investment agreement allows Chinese lawsuits to be kept secret. At any time, we will not know if we are being sued and who will decide the case. We will not know what our government is saying on our behalf. We will not know if Canada has been ordered to change government decisions. This is a complete U-turn for Canada who has always insisted on complete openness in investor-state arbitration, for example when signing the Canada-US-Mexico free trade deal."

[Tearloch7]

If you build them…(mines)… they will come( workers) – from China.

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Laila

Sarbjit touched on a very important point in his letter, which is posted directly below.

Sarbjit states:

“In the coming years, jobs will require more skills and training, particularly in this region in forestry and in mining. We need more funding and a definitive plan for apprenticeship and skills training in the resource sector, especially with a call to open 8 new mines and expand 9 others. Who will be filling these positions? HD Mining near Tumbler Ridge has already received permission from HRSDC to hire 92 foreign workers for their proposed coal mine.”

Shocking. Absolutely shocking when you think of the ramification of Christy Clark’s big non-vision for defending and creating jobs in B.C.

Sarbjit was wonderful to also send along the links to the mining companies site that talks about these foreign workers being shipped over to work in a BC mine.

http://hdminingintl....Detail.asp?id=8

Seven approvals for foreign workers

HD Mines International’s permission to employ 92 foreign workers for a prospective underground mine near Tumbler Ridge is a result of seven separate approvals from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

Each of the seven positive labour market opinions (LMOs) was granted to Canadian Dehua International Mines Group (CDIMG) in mid-April, and each was evaluated on a case-by-case basis, “to ensure the employer is offering foreign nationals the prevailing wage rates, acceptable working conditions and that the entry of the temporary foreign worker will have a neutral or positive effect on the Canadian labour market,” said an HRSDC spokesperson.

Work permits are another matter, which will require permission from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Those permits are likely to be granted by a Canada Border Services Agency officer at the worker’s point of entry, allowing each of the temporary foreign workers to start working when they arrive in Canada.

HD Mines, the joint venture recently formed between CDIMG and the Huiyong Group of mines, has six months to bring the workers to Tumbler Ridge before the LMOs expire.

While in Canada, the foreign workers will have the same rights and protections as Canadian citizens and permanent residents under applicable federal and provincial employment standards and collective bargaining agreements. The province is responsible for the enforcement of labour standards and assistance to workers regarding fair pay, hours of work, rest periods and general working conditions.

Asked how CDIMG was able to show their intent to hire Canadian workers, HRSDC explained all employers must provide proof of advertisement and the results of the efforts to recruit Canadians or permanent residents before being allowed to hire temporary foreign workers.

For the past several months, CDIMG has been advertising on Service Canada’s Job Bank and on numerous mining employment websites to fill underground mining, geologist, construction, and drilling positions for the Murray River project, an underground metallurgical coal mine with a projected 50-year mine life.

The proof includes copies of advertisements, number of Canadian applicants and why they were rejected. Records of the employers’ efforts should be kept for a minimum of two years, in the event that a Service Canada Officer contacts the employer to verify the advertising efforts.”

http://hdminingintl....Detail.asp?id=7

Joint venture HD Mines to develop Murray River project

A major underground coal mine in Tumbler Ridge took a step closer to reality last Thursday (June 2), as China’s Huiyong Holdings Group announced a new joint venture with Canadian Dehua International Mines Group (CDIMG) to develop the Murray River project.

“The important thing about Huiyong is that we have extensive experiences in community integration,” explained Yan Penggui, who will chair the new company. Once the legal paperwork clears, it will be called HD Mines International.

Huiyong’s growth strategy in China “is that we acquire small mines, through integrating with communities,” said Penggui. “I have to be accepted by the community as an outsider – that was part of my experience in China, and I’m ready to use that knowledge and expertise in this place.”

HD is focused solely on the Murray River project, and plans to develop the underground mine with a 50-year lifespan, and a starting workforce of 92 Chinese miners.

Prior to his Tumbler Ridge News interview, Penggui met with mayor and council last Thursday, where plans for a major residential development across from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School were discussed.

“That piece of land was offered to us by the district,” said Penggui. ” It’s a hilly place, with nice topography, very good for building gardens, maybe for Chinese villas, that sort of thing,” he said. “We’ll be working under guidelines from the local community.”

“We are encouraged by council to produce our master plan for that part of the city, and we even talked about, in a candid way, building a Chinese cultural element,” he said. “A winding stream, a Chinese garden that is open to everybody.”

While that project is at least a year away from ground-breaking, a temporary foreign worker allowance granted by Service Canada in mid-April means the 92 employees are set to arrive in September.

Those employees are now being trained at Huiyong facilities in China by two Canadian instructors, in order to meet the B.C. standards for underground mining. They also began learning English 40 days ago, said Penggui.

“They hate it; they don’t like it,” he said with a grin. “But I said, ‘You have to become a neighbour, buy cigarettes, buy food – you’ll have to speak with people’,”.

Huiyong would hold a 55 per cent interest in the joint venture, while CDIMG would hold a 40 per cent stake, with the final five per cent now being negotiated with another partner. Huiyong would have four board members, Dehua would have two, and the third partner would have one.

Penggui first visited Tumbler Ridge last June, as has been discussing a joint venture with CDIMG since then. Huiyong would provide all the capital, and would build and operate the mine.

The project’s 100,000 tonne bulk sample is expected to occur in late July or early August, said Penggui. HD will present its detailed engineering plan to provincial government officials in Prince George on June 14, and will clarify timelines for the start of an environmental assessment application.

“According to my briefing from Dehua, the baseline study has almost been completed – what they need now is a project description,” he said. After that, the Environmental Assessment (EA) Office may start to compile experts and community members to comment on the project description.

Getting employees in place that far ahead of an approved EA certificate and Mines Act permit poses some financial risk, said Penggui, but it’s a process he believes will be successful due to synergies between drilling work and environmental data collection.

“There’s a time frame arrangement by which all the elements fit into the entire framework,” he said. “We have confidence in the law and transparency of this country.”

The full EA process will take about 18 months, a time span he said will allow for the completion of two shafts and a further refinement of the mine design.

Details of where the new employees would be housed upon arrival in Tumbler Ridge are yet to be disclosed. The planned subdivision is slated for an area currently zoned for residential multi-family (R3) and future development commercial (FDC), which means a re-zoning application would not necessarily be required.

HD’s long-term vision includes funding a visitor centre, geological museum, and an innovative closed-circuit television feed to provide people in Tumbler Ridge with a real-time view of the mining happening underground, said Penggui.

Still as outraged and angered as I was when I first read this? Which brings me back to Sarbjit’s multi-million dollar question.

Christy plans to open 8 more mines and expand 9 others, so who will fill those positions? The foreign students she’s planning on bringing in to our universities that she says will contribute skilled labour to our province ?

More workers from China?

Or will it be the hometown boys that might really appreciate some comprehensive training so they can support their families and live a decent life ?

Christy Clark, selling BC one grand vision at a time. To China

Why ship our raw resources to China for refinement when we can bring their workers here? the latest word is 300 Chinese workers to start before the new year .. yippee!! ..

[Sharpshooter]

If you build them…(mines)… they will come( workers) – from China.

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Laila

Sarbjit touched on a very important point in his letter, which is posted directly below.

Sarbjit states:

“In the coming years, jobs will require more skills and training, particularly in this region in forestry and in mining. We need more funding and a definitive plan for apprenticeship and skills training in the resource sector, especially with a call to open 8 new mines and expand 9 others. Who will be filling these positions? HD Mining near Tumbler Ridge has already received permission from HRSDC to hire 92 foreign workers for their proposed coal mine.”

Shocking. Absolutely shocking when you think of the ramification of Christy Clark’s big non-vision for defending and creating jobs in B.C.

Sarbjit was wonderful to also send along the links to the mining companies site that talks about these foreign workers being shipped over to work in a BC mine.

http://hdminingintl....Detail.asp?id=8

Seven approvals for foreign workers

HD Mines International’s permission to employ 92 foreign workers for a prospective underground mine near Tumbler Ridge is a result of seven separate approvals from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

Each of the seven positive labour market opinions (LMOs) was granted to Canadian Dehua International Mines Group (CDIMG) in mid-April, and each was evaluated on a case-by-case basis, “to ensure the employer is offering foreign nationals the prevailing wage rates, acceptable working conditions and that the entry of the temporary foreign worker will have a neutral or positive effect on the Canadian labour market,” said an HRSDC spokesperson.

Work permits are another matter, which will require permission from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Those permits are likely to be granted by a Canada Border Services Agency officer at the worker’s point of entry, allowing each of the temporary foreign workers to start working when they arrive in Canada.

HD Mines, the joint venture recently formed between CDIMG and the Huiyong Group of mines, has six months to bring the workers to Tumbler Ridge before the LMOs expire.

While in Canada, the foreign workers will have the same rights and protections as Canadian citizens and permanent residents under applicable federal and provincial employment standards and collective bargaining agreements. The province is responsible for the enforcement of labour standards and assistance to workers regarding fair pay, hours of work, rest periods and general working conditions.

Asked how CDIMG was able to show their intent to hire Canadian workers, HRSDC explained all employers must provide proof of advertisement and the results of the efforts to recruit Canadians or permanent residents before being allowed to hire temporary foreign workers.

For the past several months, CDIMG has been advertising on Service Canada’s Job Bank and on numerous mining employment websites to fill underground mining, geologist, construction, and drilling positions for the Murray River project, an underground metallurgical coal mine with a projected 50-year mine life.

The proof includes copies of advertisements, number of Canadian applicants and why they were rejected. Records of the employers’ efforts should be kept for a minimum of two years, in the event that a Service Canada Officer contacts the employer to verify the advertising efforts.”

http://hdminingintl....Detail.asp?id=7

Joint venture HD Mines to develop Murray River project

A major underground coal mine in Tumbler Ridge took a step closer to reality last Thursday (June 2), as China’s Huiyong Holdings Group announced a new joint venture with Canadian Dehua International Mines Group (CDIMG) to develop the Murray River project.

“The important thing about Huiyong is that we have extensive experiences in community integration,” explained Yan Penggui, who will chair the new company. Once the legal paperwork clears, it will be called HD Mines International.

Huiyong’s growth strategy in China “is that we acquire small mines, through integrating with communities,” said Penggui. “I have to be accepted by the community as an outsider – that was part of my experience in China, and I’m ready to use that knowledge and expertise in this place.”

HD is focused solely on the Murray River project, and plans to develop the underground mine with a 50-year lifespan, and a starting workforce of 92 Chinese miners.

Prior to his Tumbler Ridge News interview, Penggui met with mayor and council last Thursday, where plans for a major residential development across from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School were discussed.

“That piece of land was offered to us by the district,” said Penggui. ” It’s a hilly place, with nice topography, very good for building gardens, maybe for Chinese villas, that sort of thing,” he said. “We’ll be working under guidelines from the local community.”

“We are encouraged by council to produce our master plan for that part of the city, and we even talked about, in a candid way, building a Chinese cultural element,” he said. “A winding stream, a Chinese garden that is open to everybody.”

While that project is at least a year away from ground-breaking, a temporary foreign worker allowance granted by Service Canada in mid-April means the 92 employees are set to arrive in September.

Those employees are now being trained at Huiyong facilities in China by two Canadian instructors, in order to meet the B.C. standards for underground mining. They also began learning English 40 days ago, said Penggui.

“They hate it; they don’t like it,” he said with a grin. “But I said, ‘You have to become a neighbour, buy cigarettes, buy food – you’ll have to speak with people’,”.

Huiyong would hold a 55 per cent interest in the joint venture, while CDIMG would hold a 40 per cent stake, with the final five per cent now being negotiated with another partner. Huiyong would have four board members, Dehua would have two, and the third partner would have one.

Penggui first visited Tumbler Ridge last June, as has been discussing a joint venture with CDIMG since then. Huiyong would provide all the capital, and would build and operate the mine.

The project’s 100,000 tonne bulk sample is expected to occur in late July or early August, said Penggui. HD will present its detailed engineering plan to provincial government officials in Prince George on June 14, and will clarify timelines for the start of an environmental assessment application.

“According to my briefing from Dehua, the baseline study has almost been completed – what they need now is a project description,” he said. After that, the Environmental Assessment (EA) Office may start to compile experts and community members to comment on the project description.

Getting employees in place that far ahead of an approved EA certificate and Mines Act permit poses some financial risk, said Penggui, but it’s a process he believes will be successful due to synergies between drilling work and environmental data collection.

“There’s a time frame arrangement by which all the elements fit into the entire framework,” he said. “We have confidence in the law and transparency of this country.”

The full EA process will take about 18 months, a time span he said will allow for the completion of two shafts and a further refinement of the mine design.

Details of where the new employees would be housed upon arrival in Tumbler Ridge are yet to be disclosed. The planned subdivision is slated for an area currently zoned for residential multi-family (R3) and future development commercial (FDC), which means a re-zoning application would not necessarily be required.

HD’s long-term vision includes funding a visitor centre, geological museum, and an innovative closed-circuit television feed to provide people in Tumbler Ridge with a real-time view of the mining happening underground, said Penggui.

Still as outraged and angered as I was when I first read this? Which brings me back to Sarbjit’s multi-million dollar question.

Christy plans to open 8 more mines and expand 9 others, so who will fill those positions? The foreign students she’s planning on bringing in to our universities that she says will contribute skilled labour to our province ?

More workers from China?

Or will it be the hometown boys that might really appreciate some comprehensive training so they can support their families and live a decent life ?

Christy Clark, selling BC one grand vision at a time. To China

Why ship our raw resources to China for refinement when we can bring their workers here? the latest word is 300 Chinese workers to start before the new year .. yippee!! ..

[Hobble]

Why did Harper agree to this?!? What sense does it make to sell Canadian companies to China, who will take OUR resources back to China more easily and then sell them back to us?!?

[silverpig]

Canada's sovereignty is in danger. Really? This song and dance again. Every time Canadian officials try to speak with other countries, all of a sudden Canadian sovereignty becomes an issue. Canadian's never even had sovereignty until our poorly written Constitution. Then, when Canada attempts to negotiate with another country--Canada's left cries foul. Canada's sovereignty is infringed because the Americans want to control our boarder security; Canada's sovereignty is infringed because China want's to purchase some resources from Canada. How about we look at a real issue, where Canada is actually fighting for their sovereignty--the Arctic. That is currently the only case in point where Canada is actually fighting for sovereignty.

This whole Chinese thing is nothing to do with Canadian sovereignty. This is a prime example to why the Green Party can only win one seat, because nobody takes them serious. They (The Green Party) does not know anything about International Trade, or economics. Harper's entire International Relations policy has been to open up trade with the Asia countries. Any classic Liberal supporter ought to be applauding Harper as he is simply walking down the "Third Option" path. Harper wants Canada to be less dependent upon the American economy. Therefore, he is attempting to open up relations with not only the Latin American countries, but more explicitly the Asia-Pacific countries--namely, China. It's not a bad idea since China is currently one of the more booming economies.

Nevertheless, why is it that if China wants to purchase our oil, that is logically follows that Canada loses it's sovereignty? Please explain. Perhaps China will refine it and sell it back to Canada, but doesn't the Americans already do that with us? That is the way of the World Economy. Perhaps it makes sense to sell that oil to Canada East, as many of the NDP are wanting. However, Canada does lose money by doing this and why would they want to do that when they can A) make more money selling it to other countries in larger quantities, and build diplomatic relations with other/newer countries. I cannot wait to hear how the Green Party will respond when the Americans come knocking on our door for our water, since the mid-west of America is on the brink of having no water at all. What, if Canada makes a deal to send water to America, will that infringe on Canadian Sovereignty too?

Let us not allow fear mongering and pure speculation to be our guide to determining whether a policy is sound or not.

And to answer the next question coming. Sure, let there be a debate in the House. I see no problem with that. I do not see any reason why we should not sell our resources to China, though. It is smart for our economic health. Many like to say "what if we run out, or shouldn't we save some for ourselves," and to answer that--THAT IS BAD POLICY and you are going to call more problems with this isolationist policy. Moreover, running out? I'd like to see the empirical data for that too.

[nucklehead]

<p>In just two weeks, Prime Minister Harper could pass the most massive corporate power handover in Canadian history.

FIPA, the Canada-China Foreign Investment Protection Agreement, could give foreign corporations sweeping powers to sue Canadian governments for implementing environmental protections on the tar sands, or for stopping the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and other projects like it. And worse, these lawsuits would happen in secret.

Prime Minister Harper has arranged for FIPA to pass automatically on October 31, without a single vote or debate in Parliament...

http://www.leadnow.ca/canada-not-for-sale-sou

[Armada]

I for one welcome our oriental overlords.

[Cromeslab]

Why don"t we all just bend over and let the rest of the world have their way with us

Seems to work for our PM

[morrissex95]

He's diversifying our export portfolio by increasing ties to China and opening us up to more trade with friends of China(Essentially, African nations with energy/material resources and North Korea. Pick your poison.)

Canada's economy will join the largest in the world if we open up our trade routes with China. As American military power begins to wane over the next couple of decades, we'll have to be more self-reliant. Expect our Navy, Airforce and Intelligence apparatus to become much larger under the next Canadian government.

As the economies of Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC begin to swell, expect yet another wave of immigrants coming from the Arab World(Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, etc.) and Europe(Greece, Ireland, Russia, Belarus, etc.) to reshape our cultural norms.

Get with the times, man. If you'd watched the American Presidential Debates, you'd realize that China has brought the USA to its knees. It pains me to say that, but it's the truth. The future is in Asia, Russia and Europe. If we want to be part of the future, we need to start bringing in money and trading with countries that are important to us. China is the next superpower, whether you like it or not.

[nucklehead]

And this justifies giving them carte blanche and free bumfrack, mapleleaf style. I don't know about you but I want a leader that's willing to go down guns blazing.Oh, and please explain how Europe=next economic powerhouse.

[Hyzer]

He's diversifying our export portfolio by increasing ties to China and opening us up to more trade with friends of China(Essentially, African nations with energy/material resources and North Korea. Pick your poison.)

Canada's economy will join the largest in the world if we open up our trade routes with China. As American military power begins to wane over the next couple of decades, we'll have to be more self-reliant. Expect our Navy, Airforce and Intelligence apparatus to become much larger under the next Canadian government.

As the economies of Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC begin to swell, expect yet another wave of immigrants coming from the Arab World(Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, etc.) and Europe(Greece, Ireland, Russia, Belarus, etc.) to reshape our cultural norms.

Get with the times, man. If you'd watched the American Presidential Debates, you'd realize that China has brought the USA to its knees. It pains me to say that, but it's the truth. The future is in Asia, Russia and Europe. If we want to be part of the future, we need to start bringing in money and trading with countries that are important to us. China is the next superpower, whether you like it or not.

[Aladeen]

China's Global Domination Strategy:

Step 1: Print unlimited amount of Yuan

Step 2: Buy world

[Hyzer]

And this justifies giving them carte blanche and free bumfrack, mapleleaf style. I don't know about you but I want a leader that's willing to go down guns blazing.Oh, and please explain how Europe=next economic powerhouse.

[woot]

http://www.leadnow.c...ot-for-sale-sou

[Common sense]

..because leadnow.ca is the beacon of truth. Let me know how Woodworth's motion went.

As for the content itself, let's just keep our ties with the failing USA and the Nobel Peace Prize-winning European Union. Screw Asia and its 2.7+ billion citizens whom Canada can engage in trade with.