Our Dollars, Our Values

Our Dollars, Our Values

Published by sbrown on December 08, 2010

	By Shannon Brown

If you are reading this, chances are that you think about more than just price when you shop.  In at least some of your purchasing decisions other factors come into play.  Fair Trade Certified products aren't necessarily more expensive than conventional products, but they can be.  Most of us spend a little extra to know that workers’ rights were respected, that the environment was protected, that farmers received better compensation.  Even in tough economic times we do what we can: we buy organic, we buy local, we buy Fair Trade.

So what about the larger purchasing power of our government institutions?  When democratically elected municipal and provincial governments spend tax dollars on goods and services, their purchasing decisions arguably ought to reflect the values espoused by Canadian consumers. 

Evidence of the Canadian consumer’s attitude toward ethical responsibility can be found in the 2010 independent GlobeScan study on label perceptions in Canada. One question posed to Canadian consumers: when companies are dealing with poor countries, how important do you think it is for these companies and their suppliers to pay farmers and workers fairly?  Eighty-eight percent responded either ‘important’ or ‘very important’.  One of GlobeScan’s conclusions from the survey is that, “Although Canadians are most concerned with food prices, they recognize that it should not be at the expense of fair compensation to farmers. Canadians also believe it is important for companies to limit environmental damage during production.”

Surely we can expect government institutions to replicate the ethical purchasing behaviour and attitudes of their citizens? 

Since May 2009, the federal government has been negotiating a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Europe.  One thing at risk is the autonomy of our provincial and municipal governments to decide how they want to spend their, or really our, purchasing dollars.  "The E.U. has made clear one of its top priorities is to gain unrestricted access to purchasing by provincial and municipal governments. At stake is government purchasing in Canada worth more than $100 billion per year." Stuart Trew of the Council of Canadians warns that the agreement will make local food or ethical procurement strategies vulnerable to legal challenges from EU and Canadian multinational companies.

When we buy Fair Trade, local, or organic products we arguably vote with our dollars.  But most of us also cast real ballots for our own mayors and city councillors to make decisions that reflect our values.  If this agreement goes through, our governments may be unable to spend ethically on our behalf. 

OUR FARMERS, OUR FOOD

Many actors in the Fair Trade movement mull the question: how can we create circumstances that will allow farmers to continue farming?  We know that the conditions farmers face are increasingly challenging, resulting in mass rural exodus to urban centres and the loss of traditional farming knowledge and agricultural biodiversity.  These trends are not unique to the global South.

Arguably one of the most crucial elements to maintaining biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and the ability for farmers to farm is making it possible for farmers to save and share seeds.  According to USC Canada, “by saving and planting their seeds every year, farmers are playing an essential role in maintaining biodiversity and resilience. With each planting, seeds and plants adapt to changing local conditions, constantly evolving and responding to changes in climates, soils, and watersheds.”

In the CETA negotiations Canada is being asked to “co-operate to promote and reinforce the protection of plant varieties based on the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).” 

This convention is far more restrictive than our current legislation argues Terry Boehm, President of the National Farmers Union.  Adopting the stricter legislation, “...would severely limit and could outright prevent a farmer from saving, reusing, exchanging and selling seed, “ Boehm warns.  The consequences to farmers for alleged infringement on intellectual property rights could be severe; “...if a farmer was alleged to have infringed, he/she could be subjected to the seizure of crops, land, equipment and the blocking of bank accounts before the court hears the case.”

OUR TRADE

Trade agreements such as the CETA can seem complex, but their potential effects are far-reaching.  Reading up on the CETA was illuminating, and I encourage you to do the same.  Trade needn’t be an exclusive conversation; we all have a stake in these negotiations.