New West Partnership – Labour’s ViewNew West Partnership Agreement • May 28th, 2012
Contract Type FiledMay 28th, 2012 Generally, it is labour’s view that the fundamental architecture of the New West Partnership (NWP) agreement is flawed. It is, by its very design and structure, an instrument for deregulation and the lowering of standards intended to protect the public interest. The agreement establishes a process by which provinces are put in the position of defending the legitimacy of an extremely broad range of government measures against challenges from other provinces, individuals and corporations. A more reasonable approach would begin with identifying specific, actual barriers to trade, investment and labour mobility and establishing a process by which governments cooperatively work to remove those barriers that unnecessarily impose economic costs. The Agreement on Internal Trade follows more closely this alternative approach.