Comments on the Canada-China Bilateral Investment Treaty

The Canada-China bilateral investment treaty(BIT)- also known as a Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPPA)- was signed by Canada and China in September 2012 and ratifed by China in February 2013. Canada's federal gobernment reportedly intended to ratify the treaty in or around November 2012; for unknown reasons, Canada has not yet ratified the treaty thus precluding its entry into force. It is argued in this article that the treaty warrants closer scrutiny in both Canada and China and should not be permitted to enter into force. Aspects of the argument for more scrutiny are also relevant to future investment treaties contemplated by Canada or China and to the review of existing investment treaties.