The Coalition Eau Secours, in collaboration with ATTAC-Québec, is challenging the Parti Québécois regarding the Canada-European Union Free-Trade Agreement.

During the October 5th meeting organized by Jean-François Lisée, Minister of International Relations, Francophony and Foreign Trade, regarding the Canada-European Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the chief negotiator for Quebec, Pierre-Marc Johnson, confirmed that water services are still on the negotiation table, in spite of demands from a number of groups in the country to withdraw them. 

Thus, the door seems definitely opened for allowing more and more European multinationals to obtain public services in the water sector and to provide their services when a municipality chooses privatization.

La Coalition Eau Secours and ATTAC-Québec believe that there is no consensus among the general public in Quebec in favour of a free trade that will impose strict commercial rules that have never been democratically discussed. 

They also found that this kind of openness to the European market is contrary to the Parti Québécois’ program as well as to the national policy on water. They are asking the Parti Québécois to immediately request a clear exemption from CETA regarding the services of clean drinking water and the treatment of wastewater.
 
The article is available on the websites Eau Secours  and ATTAC-Québec  ( in French only)