Open for signatureElectronice-7793 · Parliament 45

End ISDS in agreements

Sign on the House of Commons website

Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to reject implementing the Canada–Ecuador Free Trade Agreement, terminate bilateral investment treaties containing ISDS, refuse future ISDS clauses and back a multilateral treaty to end ISDS.

Why we would sign this petition

  • It would protect Canada’s ability to regulate without fear of ISDS claims, preserving environmental, public‑health and labour measures the petition highlights.
  • It would reduce legal and financial risks to Indigenous lands and rights by removing arbitration pathways that can challenge policies affecting those territories.
  • It would align Canada with countries limiting ISDS, lowering the risk of costly investor claims and avoiding diplomatic isolation.

Why we wouldn’t sign this petition

  • ISDS can reassure foreign investors and promote cross‑border investment, so ending it could reduce investor confidence and economic activity.
  • Unilateral termination of treaties or rejecting an FTA may provoke legal disputes, compensation claims or retaliatory measures with economic and diplomatic costs.
  • Targeted reforms—such as excluding certain sectors or strengthening safeguards for Indigenous rights—might better balance investor protection with public‑interest goals.

The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada Investor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) allows foreign investors to challenge regulations before international arbitration tribunals outside Canada’s courts, giving corporations powers to challenge legislation passed by elected governments; ISDS can threaten protections addressing climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, resource extraction and public health. Costly claims may discourage governments from adopting strong protections, undermining present and future generations’ right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; These risks are especially serious for Indigenous peoples. Disputes involving mining, pipeline, energy or forestry projects may affect Indigenous lands, waters and livelihoods. Policies must uphold treaty rights, the duty to consult and the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); The recently signed Canada-Ecuador Free Trade Agreement is a particularly clear example of an agreement that could violate Indigenous rights and environmental protection; Most Canadian companies filing ISDS cases abroad operate in the mining and fossil-fuel sectors; Governments must remain free to regulate the economy, protect workers and communities, safeguard the environment, honour Indigenous rights and uphold Canadian courts’ authority without fear of financial penalties; and As more countries turn away from or limit ISDS, Canada risks becoming an outlier. We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Reject legislation implementing the Canada–Ecuador Free Trade Agreement; 2. Terminate Canada’s bilateral investment treaties that contain ISDS; 3. Commit to not signing future agreements or contracts, or enacting laws, that contain ISDS; and 4. Support a future multilateral treaty for a just transition away from fossil fuels with provisions to end ISDS.

Government response

No government response is available yet.