March 12, 1998
STRATEGIC POLICIES AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE:
City Council, at its meeting held on March 4, 5 and 6, 1998, referred the following Motion to the Strategic Policies and
Priorities Committee:
Moved by:Councillor Augimeri
Seconded By:Councillor Miller
AWHEREAS the Federal Government is in the process of negotiating the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI)
with the 29 member countries of the OECD, with the intention of having a signed agreement by September 1998; and
WHEREAS the citizens of the City of Toronto have had little access to information and informed debate on the
Multilateral Agreement on Investment, and its implications at the federal, provincial and local levels; and
WHEREAS there are potential negative impacts of a Multilateral Agreement on Investment on the lives and livelihoods of
the residents of the City of Toronto, especially small businesses; and
WHEREAS the draft of the MAI treaty further extends the provisions of the Free Trade Agreement and NAFTA in both
the >National Treatment= and >Performance Requirements= provisions, which will impact on the entire Municipal,
University, School and Hospital sector, and specifically on the City of Toronto=s ability to implement purchasing policies
and practices that favour local Toronto based businesses and suppliers; and
WHEREAS the MAI treaty, as drafted, would stop municipalities from limiting the use of property by foreign companies,
which could have the effect of restricting Council=s right to set planning By-laws;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Toronto urge the Government of Canada to consult widely
and in depth with the people of Canada, especially and including, the soliciting of detailed responses from municipal
councils, before taking any further action on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment.@