Editor: Has anyone else heard of FIPA? This is the most disturbing trade deal in a generation. What happened to democracy in this country?

In one week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper could commit Canada to the most sweeping trade deal in a generation, without a single debate or vote.

If the Canada-China FIPA passes, it will pave the way for China鈥檚 massive companies to spend billions buying out Canada鈥檚 natural resource companies.

Under FIPA, China鈥檚 companies can sue Canadian governments, federal, provincial or municipal, in secret tribunals outside the Canadian court system, if those governments do anything that would limit the companies鈥� profits in Canada.

The FIPA would tie our hands for 31 years, making it possible for China鈥檚 companies to challenge Canadian laws that create jobs, protect our environment and build healthy communities with billion-dollar lawsuits that would cost us, the taxpayers, dearly.

Canada has already spent hundreds of millions on penalties from lawsuits launched under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and right now Belgium is facing a $3 billion suit from one of China鈥檚 companies because of a similar foreign investor agreement.

Why would Prime Minister Harper lock us into this secretive and extreme deal? It鈥檚 short-term gains for long-term pain.

This is one of a long list of Harper鈥檚 bias and backstabbing. As of late, he鈥檚 bending over backwards for foreign investors, rather than protecting Canadians鈥� best interests.

I don鈥檛 know why I continue to be surprised by this government鈥檚 blatant 鈥渧enal political tendencies.鈥�

Jenefer Smalley,

Brookswood