On January 18, 2013, the Hupacasath First Nation of British Columbia took the first steps toward challenging the Harper government’s new corporate rights pact with China – the Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPA). That’s the day the Hupacasath filed an application in court to stop the ratification of the FIPA until the government has fulfilled its obligation to consult with First Nations about the impacts the treaty will have on their rights and their lands.

No trade or investment deal in recent memory has attracted so much opposition in Canada – and for good reason. No investment treaty since NAFTA poses a greater threat to the environment, public health, First Nations and basic notions of democracy. If the FIPA is ratified, China-based corporations will be able to directly challenge local, provincial and federal policies that interfere with their “right” to make a profit from energy, mining or other controversial projects. Canadian firms will have the same “right” in China, which will have a direct impact on human rights and environmental protections in that country also.

The Hupacasath First Nation is doing all of us a great service by challenging the FIPA with China. Their legal battle will put Canada’s FIPAs on trial and shine an important light on how trade and investment pacts undermine democracy in Canada and around the world. You and I need to help the Hupacasath however we can.

Your donation of $10, $100 or $1000 would go a long way to supporting this crucial legal challenge. The Hupacasath asked the Council of Canadians for our help to raise public donations to pay for legal costs, and are proud to do so. And we are putting our money where our mouth is. The Council of Canadians is matching dollar-for-dollar all donations up to $5,000 to ensure at least $10,000 for legal fees before the court challenge moves ahead. Much more will be needed, so if we reach that goal we'll get working on a new goal!

100% of your donation will go directly to the legal costs.

The Council of Canadians has opposed the FIPA with China since it was announced two years ago, and has worked closely with the Hupacasath. Our members and volunteer activists have flooded the government with emails and phone calls opposing the FIPA and have put letters into newspapers across the country. The Harper government, in typical fashion, wants to ignore the opposition to his corporate rights pact with China. It wants to ratify the FIPA as soon as he can.

The Hupacasath's legal challenge is our last and best chance to stop this terrible deal from being signed, but they need your help.

Please donate to this critical legal battle. We must stand together to stop 31 years of the extreme Canada-China investment pact, and Harper’s anti-democratic trade and investment agenda.