The city needs to know more about the Yukon government's position regarding ongoing trade agreement negotiations with Europe, city council was told Monday night.

Tory Russell and Susan Gwynne-Thompson said the negotiations between the European Union, Canada, and all the provinces and territories are being conducted in secrecy.

There could, however, be serious implications for Whitehorse and the commercial access to Canada and the Yukon's supply of fresh water, they suggested to council.

"We urge you to find out why 45 other Canadian municipalities have already voted to be excluded in some form from CETA, including Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton and the Union of B.C. Municipalities,” said Russell.

They also presented council with a prepared resolution they want the city to officially adopt.

The resolution asks the Yukon government to disclose what it is offering to the EU in terms of access to contracts, services and investments.

It also states the city's desire to maintain the freedom to choose whether to be bound by certain conditions in the agreement.

The resolution calls on the government to exempt Whitehorse from the agreement. It also asks the government to protect the rights of municipalities and public boards and institutes to use their own policies to create jobs, protect the environment and support local development.

Among the major concerns, the women pointed out, is the uncertainty around the European Union's access to Canada's fresh water resources and business of distributing fresh water.

"The European Union, home to the largest private water companies in the world, is negotiating for full access to Canadian municipal water services and wastewater treatment,” council heard.

They told council European countries may receive preferential bidding rights under the Canada-European Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

Imagine, council was told, having somebody from the EU challenging how the contract was awarded for the replacement of the water main on Black Street.

CETA, they said, is very complex, but the only information available is through leaked documents.

There was no discussion of the proposed resolution among council members last night.

Mayor Bev Buckway said this morning the resolution will come back to council for consideration on April 2.

The mayor pointed out last night she has posted a link on the city's website to a series of documents and correspondence regarding the involvement in the issue of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

The federation, she said today, is keeping abreast of the developments, and has met with federal Trade Minister Ed Fast.

Buckway said the minister has assured the federation that municipalities will not be forced to privatize their fresh water distribution systems. Nor will they be prevented from setting their own standards to ensure access to safe drinking water.

Whitehorse, Buckway emphasized, has clearly stated it has no intention now nor in the future of privatizing the distribution of water in the city.