ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses several distinct, central elements of the public debate on Canadian international trade and investment policy. The first is the dichotomy between public protests over this policy exemplified at the Quebec City Summit of the Americas in April 2001 and public policy exemplified by the Canadian government's continuing enthusiastic pursuit of multilateral and bilateral trade and investment agreements. The second is the fundamental change in the structure of international trade rules and the associated challenges posed to domestic and international governance of the trade system. The spark was provided by the negotiations within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). It occurred at a time when the trade liberalisation agenda for Canada had been largely completed except for a few sectors such as supply-managed agriculture and textiles and clothing. It is within the context that the consideration of environmental and social consequences of globalisation must take place.
