Why did opponents of NAFTA worry about public health standards?

Opponents of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) expressed significant concerns that the treaty would lead to a major degradation of public health and environmental standards.1

Critics argued that the agreement functioned as a radical experiment driven by multinational corporations, which prioritized profit over the well-being of ordinary citizens. Specifically, they feared that the overarching rules established by NAFTA could undermine the authority of local governments, effectively preventing them from enacting or enforcing laws and regulations designed to protect the public interest. Furthermore, there was apprehension that the treaty would promote the deregulation of key public services, potentially compromising health and safety protections. These concerns were part of a broader critique that the agreement favored corporate interests at the expense of social and environmental safeguards.12