Sharing Power: The Case for Public Consultations on Trade

Since the 1960s, public consultation has emerged as an important democratic tool, allowing governments to inform, debate, and learn from the general public. Since the 1980s, international trade agreements have wielded significant influence over domestic law making, as an ever more 'comprehensive' set of topics is regulated via treaty. In Canada, these two trends have yet to meet. Neither the public nor Parliament is involved in trade policy making, raising concerns about the democratic legitimacy of expansive trade agreements. Through the lens of the recent Canada and European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), this article examines whether trade law's consultation practices can be aligned with those of other federal government departments. We identify five key values that make consultations successful - diversity, education, commitment, accountability, and transparency - and consider the viability of their inclusion in trade consultations.