As a result, this trade deal allows companies from China to ignore Canada's environmental laws and regulations in pursuit of profits from natural resource extraction.

The FIPA with China is, one sided in China's favour. The agreement Article 4 allows China to bypass and contest provincial, territorial, First Nations, municipal or successive federal government decisions on resource and commercial management. If the National Energy Board approves the Northern Gateway Pipeline through B.C., but B.C. restricts or rejects the deal, Sinopec can sue under this treaty. The matter would then be resolved behind closed doors in arbitration by two lawyers from outside Canada.

FIPAs are treaties between two nations that impose binding obligations on both countries with respect to their treatment of foreign investors and investment. They generally provide guarantees pertaining to non-discriminatory treatment, expropriation, transfer of funds, transparency, due process and dispute settlement.

Matthew Carroll, the campaign director for Leadnow.ca, said the secrecy in the process is just part of the concern. The Canada-China FIPA agreement allows the partner governments to keep lawsuits and settlements private — which is not the case with the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"If a Canadian government is sued under NAFTA, that becomes public information. But it's entirely up to the discretion of our government whether or not they make the information under this FIPA public," he said.