By Stephanie Froese

Maude Barlow to speak in Prince Albert

May 31, 2011 | 6:27 AM

The biggest free trade deal the country has ever seen and Maude Barlow, national chairperson with the Council of Canadians, says people are being kept in the dark.

She’s taking the message about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union, to communities across the country.

She says it’s about allowing big corporations to challenge spending at by governments. Barlow says she has identified three major concerns with CETA — the privatization of water services, patent protection for pharmaceutical companies and giving Europe uninterrupted access to Canadian resources like pulp and paper, minerals and energy.

Barlow said the Council of Canadians doesn’t believe this type of trade deal would benefit Canada and that they would like to see more public debate and dialog.

“We want to know what the Saskatchewan government is saying at the table. It’s all been so secret. Most people don’t know about it,” Barlow said.

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She said she wants that to change.

Barlow is on an informational tour speaking to various communities around the country and calling for people to demanding answers about how this agreement will affect them.

“Even if you read it and like it, you should know about it. We shouldn’t be allowing this kind of major foreign policy and trade policy which is going to affect our environment and our social programs and everything shouldn’t be allowed to take place without the involvement of the Canadian people.”

Barlow suggests people get knowledgeable and bring their issues to local politicians to see what can and is being done.

There is still time for people to be involved and let their voices be heard, said Barlow.

Governments have slowed the process as the deadline for this agreement keeps shifting, she said.

“They were supposed to have been signed in 2011, but now they’re talking 2012 (for) the deadline for the agreement.”

Barlow will be speaking at a free public event at the Cuelenaere Public Library in Prince Albert on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

sfroese@panow.com