Who Opposed Free Trade?

In response to free trade proposals, powerful social movements emerged around the world raising concerns that free trade would contribute to a ‘race to the bottom,’ in which nation states would compete to attract investors by undermining labour and indigenous rights, slashing environmental regulations, and gutting public services. This ‘movement of movements’ became the flashpoint for political struggles over three decades, attracting a wide range of participants.

In Canada during the 1980s, a vibrant social movement emerged across civil society that fought against the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States. This movement brought together a broad range of groups into never-seen-before political coalitions that included feminists, indigenous peoples, the labour movement, Catholic Bishops, autoworkers, farmers, and others. For many, opposing free trade was a question of democracy and protecting Canada from investor-state dispute settlement rules embedded in the FTA. It was also about social justice and economic security, protecting well-paying jobs located in Canada from moving overseas in search of cheaper labour markets.

Groups opposed to free trade in Canada during this time included:

– Canadian Auto Workers
– Nation Action Committee on the Status of Women
– Canadian Mental Health Association
– United Church of Canada
– Makivik Corporation
– Canadian Union of Public Employees
– National Farmers Union
– Canadian Institute of Economic Policy
– Confederation of National Trade Unions
– Vanier Institute of the Family
– Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Labour Unions

  • Canadian Labour Congress
  • Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU)
  • Canadian Auto Workers
  • Canadian Union of Public Employees
  • National Farmers Union
  • Confédération des syndicats nationaux (Quebec)
  • Confederation of National Trade Unions (Quebec)
  • United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union
  • Communications Workers of Canada
  • Ontario Federation Labour
  • Law Union
  • United Steelworkers of America
  • International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union

Women’s Organizations

  • Nation Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC)
  • Organized Working Women
  • Women Working with Immigrant Women
  • Voice of Women
  • Congress of Canadian Women

NGOs

  • Canadian Mental Health Association
  • Vanier Institute of the Family
  • Council of Canadians
  • Coalition of Senior Citizens’ Organizations

Think Tanks/Education

  • Canadian Institute of Economic Policy
  • Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  • Participatory Research Group
  • Development Education Centre

Church Groups

  • United Church National Working Group on Economy and Poverty
  • Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
  • GATT-Fly
  • Ecumenical Coalition for Economic Justice
  • Canadian Religious Conference (Ontario)

Indigenous Organizations

  • Makivik Corporation
  • Assembly of First Nations

Artists

  • Writers’ Union
  • Canadian Conference of the Arts
  • ACTRA
  • Canadian Actors’ Equity
  • Playwrights’ Union of Canada
  • Toronto Arts Council

Environmental Organizations

  • Ontario Environment Network

Peace Organizations

  • Toronto Disarmament Network 

Coalitions

  • Newfoundland Coalition for Equity
  • Metro Halifax Coalition
  • P.E.I. Pro-Canada Network
  • New Brunswick Pro-Canada Network
  • Coalition quebecoise
  • Coalition Against Free Trade (Ontario)
  • Manitoba Coalition Against Free Trade
  • Pro-Canada Network (Manitoba)
  • Saskatchewan Coalition
  • Alberta Pro-Canada Network
  • B.C. Coalition Against ‘Free’ Trade