Ottawa will hear concerns from Yellowknifers surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) during a town hall at the Explorer Hotel at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday.
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David Lametti, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, will join Northwest Territories MP Michael McLeod as they listen to concerns and issues around the TPP.
This follows the government’s previous commitment to consult on the issue.
“We’ve committed in our platform that we would consult on issues that affect Canadians, and this is an important issue,” McLeod told Moose FM.
“The deal was made by the Conservative government, who didn’t share very well on the details and … our government promised to consult. We’re listening to people from all across the country.”
McLeod requested for Lametti to come to Yellowknife to hear people’s concerns. According to him, several people have contacted his office to share some of their concerns.
He says it’s important for Ottawa to hear some of those fears first-hand.
“There has been some concern by some of the Aboriginal leaders on varying issues regarding land. There’s also been, across Canada, indication that there’s concern from the dairy farmers,” McLeod said.
“I think we’ll have a very good cross-section of information coming from people across the North [at Tuesday’s town hall].”
McLeod and Lametti have been meeting with different Yellowknife organizations all day, including members of various Aboriginal governments, the territorial government and business groups.
McLeod hopes Lametti leaves with a good idea of what NWT residents are thinking.
“I’ve been really trying to bring ministers, parliamentary secretaries, committees to the North to hear first-hand from Northerners and some of their concerns,” said McLeod.
“I’m hoping everybody will come out and talk openly and freely, and the parliamentary secretary will go back to Ottawa with a good indication of what people are thinking.”
