What is Canada’s position on investor-state dispute settlement in the FTAA negotiations?
• Canada supports effective investment protection provisions, and transparent and efficient dispute settlement procedures in the FTAA. • Based on our experience with the NAFTA, Canada has incorporated improvements to its investment agreements in order to promote clarity and transparency in the investor-state dispute settlement procedures. • Canada will work to ensure that the FTAA investment chapter also incorporates these improvements (e.g., public access to documents and hearings, amicus participation). • Free trade agreements and investment-protection agreements generally provide for a mechanism for the settlement of investment disputes. Such a dispute settlement mechanism is essential and ensures that disputes are settled on the basis of mutually agreed rules, rather than through size or political might.
