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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, October 24, 2012 · 12 By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Morden students say `No' to trade deal with China Approximately 50 students rallied outside their W.H. Morden Public School Monday morning with a message for Canadians -- and one they hope will be heard in Ottawa. Bearing signs and placards, the Grades 6-8 students protested the Canadian government's Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPPA), which is scheduled for automatic approval on Oct. 31. FIPPA is a trade and investment agreement between Canada and China. "Under the bill, Chinese investors will be able to protect themselves from Canadian government decisions that affect their profit in any way in secret tribunals without a proper jury," said Grade 7 student Aaron Leszkowiat, who had a speech prepared. On the flipside, Leszkowiat said, the agreement would prevent Canadians from taking Chinese investors to court over laws those investors may break. The students of Kim O'Driscoll's Grade 6-7 class held class discussions and did a research project on the FIPPA bill. The class then got support from Grade 8 teacher Jamie Luxon's class to get the message out to the public. Monday 's rally was just the beginning. The group plans to do something new every day of this week (Oct. 22-26), including sending letters to the local Member of Parliament CHANTAL AYOTTE / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog POLITICALLY INCLINED: W.H. Morden School students protesting Canada's treaty with China. From left, Jason Ren, Paawan Virdi, both in Grade 6, Matthew Curtis, Grade 7, and Om Bhatt, Grade 6, participate Monday morning. Terence Young and to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "Our goal is primarily to educate people because Prime Minister Harper is trying to force this down our backs," said Grade 7 student Matthew Curtis. Requests for public hearings before the bill is passed have been rejected by the government. Instead, MPs will be given a one-hour briefing without any independent witnesses, Leszkowiat said. The deal has a 31-year lifespan. Leszkowiat cited Osgoode Hall Law School professor Gus Van Harten's comments as published in the Toronto Star, predicting the deal will end with one-way business with China. "It will end in them (China) owning most of our natural resources and having rights to have it shipped out and processed in Chinese plants, so there will be ultimately fewer jobs in Canada, resulting in weak economic values," Leszkowiat said. Further, Leszkowiat said the bill would allow the Chinese National Offshore Oil Company to buy the Calgary-based oil sands company Nexen for $15 billion, which would give China more control over Canadian oil. "If this bill is signed, the Chinese government will have even more control over us than Canadians themselves will," Leszkowiat said. The government says the bill is needed to create the right conditions for Canadians businesses to compete internationally, according to Leszkowiat. To this effect, Harper and Chinese President Hu Jintao witnessed the signing of the agreement on Sept. 8. The treaty is designed to protect and promote Canadian investment abroad through legally binding provisions and to promote foreign investment in Canada, according to the Prime Minister's office. In 2011, Chinese investment in Canada amounted to $10.9 billion and Canadian investment in China amounted to $4.5 billion.