The Canadian government says it sees no specific threat in a controversial U.S. proposal to include tobacco in the TransPacific Partnership trade negotiations that health advocates argue will make it more difficult to enforce anti-smoking campaigns.
A spokesman for Trade Minister Ed Fast says the government is still reviewing the proposal, along with another Malaysia tabled Tuesday that would carve out tobacco from the TPP altogether, but said it does not believe there will be any impact on Canada’s anti-smoking regulations.
“Canada’s ability to regulate in the public interest, including health, remains unchanged in the U.S. proposal,” said Rudy Husny, press secretary to the trade minister, who last week was in Brunei for the start of the latest round in the talks.
Other Canadian officials say the U.S. proposal does not give tobacco companies any more rights to sue countries than currently exist.
They noted that under the international General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, countries are already free to enact safety and health measures. The U.S. proposal would make that ability clear in the language, as well as call for country-to-country consultations by public health officials before any challenge is launched.
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