As the corporate media continues to ignore resistance to Canada's participation in the Security and Properity Partnership (SPP), petitions demanding transparency on the SPP continue to pour into Canadian Parliament from all over the country. Thanks to the organizers of the protests in Montebello, Canadians are finally waking up to the fact that there is an agenda for continental integration in North America.

Below you will find a summary from the Canadian Hansard (reverse chronological order) of recent petitions presented to parliament demanding real transparency on the SPP:

2008/03/03 3:31:09 PM - Mr. Alex Atamanenko (British Columbia Southern Interior, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, the third petition comes from over 125 people in my riding who are against the proposed Security and Prosperity Partnership. They call upon the Government of Canada to stop further implementation of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America with the United States and Mexico until there is a democratic mandate from the people of Canada, parliamentary oversight and consideration of its profound consequences on Canada's existence as a sovereign nation and its ability to adopt autonomous and sustainable economic, social and environmental policies. This is only a small part of all of those people who are contacting my office hoping that our Parliament will do something.

2008/02/27 3:18:19 PM - Mr. David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, flowing from a public meeting that I and the members for Hamilton East—Stoney Creek and Hamilton Mountain, held on Hamilton Mountain, I am honoured today to present a petition from residents in the city of Hamilton who are concerned about the Conservative government's undemocratic negotiation of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. They call upon the government to stop this deal until a transparent, accountable and democratic process has been established, including a full debate and vote in the House of Commons.

2008/02/14 1:15:18 PM - Ms. Denise Savoie (Victoria, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition on behalf of residents in Victoria who are asking that the government declare the SPP null and void because, in their opinion, it violates the peremptory norms of international law related to true security. These norms are intended to promote and guarantee human rights, to enable socially equitable and environmentally sound employment, to ensure preservation and protection of the environment and so on. They reason that because Canada has signed agreements that commit the country to these objectives, signing the SPP would run counter to these, and Canada should therefore not now sign agreements and adopt regulations that run counter to these principles.

2008/02/14 1:16:21 PM - Mr. Nathan Cullen (Skeena—Bulkley Valley, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, a number of petitioners from right across British Columbia, and in fact from ridings of all three of the parties that represent British Columbia, are also expressing great concern over the government's progress on the SPP, the security and prosperity partnership. They find that the more they know, the more they fear. They are asking the government to bring it to public attention and public debate in this place, which would be a novel concept for the government, and also to cease and desist any further agreements until such a public discussion has happened, which is a very reasonable and democratic perspective.

2008/02/13 3:28:43 PM - Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis (Winnipeg North, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to table a petition from a good number of constituents and other Canadians. The petitioners are very concerned about the security and prosperity partnership of North America, which they say is really NAFTA on steroids. They are concerned about the government's agenda with respect to continental integration and the lowering of standards to the very bottom of the heap. They are worried about losing valuable national programs, especially in the areas of health care. They call upon the government to stop the secret negotiations and to start to act on behalf of Canadians.

2008/02/08 12:18:45 PM - Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to present two groups of petitions signed by hundreds of residents of British Columbia, the Kootenay region and the Lower Mainland. The petitioners are very concerned about the government and the former Liberal government's agenda on the so-called security and prosperity partnership. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to halt any further negotiations on the SPP. They ask for a complete, transparent and accountable public debate on the SPP process, including meaningful public consultations with civil society. They also ask for a full legislative review, including the work recommendation reports of all SPP working groups and a full debate and a vote in Parliament.

2008/02/06 3:41:33 PM - Mrs. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP):

I have a second petition, Mr. Speaker, one in French and one in English. This is a call to suspend the security and prosperity partnership of North America on continental integration. They petition the Government of Canada as follows: Whereas the implementation of the security and prosperity partnership—

The Speaker:

Order, please. The hon. member for London—Fanshawe knows she cannot read the petition. When she said “as follows” and begins reading, she has a problem. It is a brief summary she is to give of a petition and I invite her to do that.

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen:

Mr. Speaker, I will paraphrase. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to stop the implementation of the security and prosperity partnership of North America with the United States and Mexico. They believe there is no democratic mandate from the people of Canada. Nor has there been any parliamentary oversight. They consider there will be profound consequences on Canada's existence as a sovereign nation and its ability to adopt autonomous and sustainable economic, social and environmental policies.

2008/02/05 1:22:29 PM - Mr. Bill Siksay (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by 77 residents of Alberta and a few from Victoria, B.C. They are calling on the Government of Canada to stop further implementation of the security and prosperity partnership of North America agreement with the United States and Mexico until there is a democratic mandate from the people of Canada, until there is reasonable parliamentary oversight, and until there is consideration of its profound consequences on Canada's sovereignty and its ability to adopt autonomous and sustainable, economic, social and environmental policy. They also urge the government to conduct a transparent and accountable public debate on the SPP process involving meaningful public consultations with civil society and a full legislative review, including the work, recommendations and reports of all SPP working groups, and then a full debate and vote in Parliament.

2008/02/05 1:18:52 PM - Ms. Chris Charlton (Hamilton Mountain, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to table three petitions today. First, I have a petition that has been signed by dozens of people from my home town of Hamilton who are opposed to the so-called security and prosperity partnership. The petitioners are very concerned about the government's plan for further continental integration because they rightly believe that the SPP is really NAFTA on steroids. The petitioners believe that this agenda, which was initiated by the Liberals and is now being carried on by the Conservatives, threatens our sovereignty. They are particularly worried about the impact that continental integration will have on undermining Canadian standards related to health, security, energy and food. They believe that the government is working with the United States and Mexico to put in place a deal that will bypass Parliament and ignore the interests of Canadians. They want to see this deal stopped. The NDP is the only party opposing the SPP and these petitioners are supporting our call to halt implementation of the SPP.

2008/02/04 3:12:45 PM - Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to present a petition against the security and prosperity partnership of North America. SPP reduces protection in pesticide use, reduced food and air safety, and brings the environment to the lowest common denominator. It also allows more U.S. control over Canadian energy and water. These petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to stop the implementation of the security and prosperity partnership with the United States and Mexico, and consider its profound consequences on Canada's existence as a sovereign nation and its ability to adopt autonomous and sustainable economic, social and environmental policies. The petitioners also the Government of Canada to conduct a transparent and accountable public debate of the SPP process.

2008/02/01 12:08:34 PM - Mr. Alex Atamanenko (British Columbia Southern Interior, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I have here over 150 names of people from Manitoba who are extremely concerned about the proposed security and prosperity partnership. They are calling upon the Government of Canada to stop further implementation of this partnership with the United States and Mexico until there is a democratic mandate from the people of Canada, parliamentary oversight and the consideration of its profound consequences on Canada's existence as a sovereign nation, and also our ability to adopt autonomous and sustainable economic, social and environmental policies. These people urge the Government of Canada to conduct a transparent and accountable public debate of this process, involving meaningful public consultations with civil society, and a full legislative review, including the work, recommendations and reports of all SPP working groups and a full debate and a vote in Parliament.

2008/01/31 1:16:51 PM - Mr. Peter Julian (Burnaby—New Westminster, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is regarding the security and prosperity partnership. Petitions are flooding in from right across this country. This particular petition is signed by dozens of residents in southern Ontario who are very concerned about the Conservative government implementing the Liberal agenda around the SPP. The petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to stop further implementation of the security and prosperity partnership of North America, so called. They urge the Government of Canada to conduct a transparent and accountable public debate on the SPP process, involving meaningful public consultations with civil society and a full legislative review, including the work, recommendations and reports of all SPP working groups, and a full debate and vote in Parliament. The NDP is the only party opposing the SPP and these petitioners are supporting its call to halt implementation of the SPP.

2007/12/13 10:24:46 AM - Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis (Winnipeg North, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to table a petition that comes from people in Winnipeg, particularly in my constituency of Winnipeg North. The petitioners are very concerned about the government's plans and proposals around continental integration and specifically the Security and Prosperity Partnership, which they believe is really NAFTA on steroids. They are very concerned about the 300 initiatives under this overall, overarching plan, which they say will lead to Canada lowering its standards to fit with those of the United States and Mexico, thereby putting at risk the health and safety of Canadians and of course the environment in which we live. The petitioners would like the government to come clean on this plan, allow for a full debate in Parliament and ensure that nothing about Canada or our sovereignty is put at stake because of this agenda.

2007/12/03 3:13:08 PM - Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis (Winnipeg North, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition that has been signed by hundreds of Manitobans who share the concern of other Canadians around the question of the Security and Prosperity Partnership. The petitioners are very concerned about the threat that this agenda, initiated by Liberals and now carried on by Conservatives, will have for our sovereignty. They express serious concerns about continental integration, particularly when it comes to standards involving, health, security, energy and food. They worry that the government is working with the United States and Mexico to put in place a deal that will ignore Parliament, bypass the legislatures and the interests of Canadians and lower our standards to the lowest common denominator, thereby jeopardizing and putting at risk the health and well-being of Canadians.

2007/11/19 3:22:03 PM - Ms. Denise Savoie (Victoria, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, this petition touches on the so-called security and prosperity partnership which encompasses over 300 wide-ranging initiatives. It is a partnership that appears to be seeking to merge our security policies and practices with those of the United States, leaving Canada with less autonomous and sustainable economic, social, cultural and environmental policies. The petitioners call on the government to stop further implementation of the partnership until there is a democratic mandate from the people of Canada. They urge the government to conduct a transparent and accountable public debate of the process, involving meaningful public consultation with civil society and a full legislative review as the NDP has been calling for.