TILMA—Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement—What does it mean for socially responsible agriculture?
TILMA is an agreement designed to enforce harmonized regulations between provinces. It includes a dispute resolution mechanism that allows investors to sue governments for up to $5M if regulations adversely affect investment. British Columbia and Alberta signed the TILMA behind closed doors in April 2006, and it went into effect on April 1, 2007. Other provinces are considering signing on to TILMA. The 2007 federal budget also encourages TILMA, along with "Smart Regulation" and other mechanisms for deregulation and harmonization with the American regulatory system.
See:
- Raising a Red Flag on TILMA: Communities Should Take Action! (pdf 40k)
- Saskatchewan Standing Committee on the Economy, Enquiry into the State of Internal Trade in Saskatchewan, Hansard
- Enquiry into the State of Internal Trade in Saskatchewan, Presenter: Beyond Factory Farming Coalition (pdf 380kb)
- Text of the TILMA agreement (pdf)