C-8 , 40th Parliament, 3rd session Wednesday, March 3, 2010, to Saturday, March 26, 2011

The Library of Parliament does not prepare Legislative Summaries for bills that implement treaties, conventions, agreements or administrative arrangements bills. The following is a short summary:

On 24 March 2010, The Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway introduced Bill C-8, An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Canada-Jordan Free Trade Act), in the House of Commons and it was given first reading.

Bill C-8 implements a free trade agreement between Canada and Jordan that was signed in June 2009. Among other things, it:

• eliminates tariffs on over 99 percent of recent Canadian exports (by value) to Jordan.

• eliminates all non-agricultural tariffs, numerous agricultural tariffs and tariffs on many Canadian exports, including pulse crops, frozen french fries, animal feed, various prepared foods, certain forestry products and machinery.

• eliminates all tariffs on Jordanian goods, with the exception of over-quota tariffs on dairy, poultry and eggs, which are excluded from tariff reductions.

• commits Canada and Jordan to ensuring that their laws respect the International Labour Organization’s (ILO’s) 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

• commits Canada and Jordan to protecting occupational health and safety, maintaining acceptable minimum employment standards and providing compensation for occupational injuries and illnesses. Migrant workers will have the same legal protection as nationals in respect of working conditions.

• stipulates that failure to respect ILO principles and enforce domestic laws could result in an independent review panel assessing a monetary penalty, as a last resort.

• commits Canada and Jordan to pursuing high levels of environmental protection and to striving to develop and improve their environmental laws and policies.

• commits Canada and Jordan to ensuring environmental assessment processes are in place, and to providing remedies for violations of environmental laws.