Special May 2012 Newsletter from Don Mcleod

Editorial – Facilitator’s Monthly Topic – May 2012 
CETA! - CETA!! – CETA!!!

On Tuesday May 1, City of London Council will be discussing a full opting out of CETA. Please join us at City Hall 300 Dufferin Street at 4:30pm in Council Chamber Public Gallery Floor 3.

On Monday April 30 & Tuesday May1, Please take the time to email or contact your City of London Councilor and Mayor Joe Fontana.

Of note – I wonder how Councilor Paul Van Meerbergen will address the CETA discussion and vote, as he was the host of the Government’s visit to London on Friday April 27, hosting them at his workplace Lampko Tools. He quite clearly stated that his company was dependant on CETA for improving their access to the European Union, which puts him in a “conflict of interest” on CETA with his role as Ward 10 Councilor!

Reference 1–Council Agenda Item “Reports VIII – 13^th Report of Finance Item #9”

http://sire.london.ca/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=265&doctype=AGENDA

http://sire.london.ca/cache/0/hw5cyc45sphxgx55kvjqve55/4046504292012113936711.PDF

          Please note “London Chapter Council of Canadians” in “a” & “b”

          Our hope is that documents in the Council Agenda will include Maude’s letter – Please see attached – Please use this as a reference when you talk to & email the Mayor and Councilors – they all have a copy!

Reference 2: Finance Committee Minutes of April 16, 2012 Item “2 – 9”

http://sire.london.ca/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=258&doctype=MINUTES

http://sire.london.ca/cache/0/1dwtvkmakid4sxrd2qcxzn55/3816304292012115235254.PDF

Reference 3: To contact Mayor Joe Fontana and City of London Councilors

          http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/City_Council/default.htm

Reference 4: Trade Justice -  http://tradejustice.ca/pdfs/CETAMythsEN.pdf

Thank you to our Stop CETA Committee for their diligent work on the CETA issue!

See you at City Hall – 4:30m pm Tuesday May 1!

Onward!

Don McLeod

April Newsletter

Our April newsletter is now up on our website:

http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/Newsletter.pdf

Facilitator's Message for April 2012

Hello folks,

Our year continues to unfold with a radiant plethora of activities, speakers, films and meetings!

One can fill their frequent or all too scheduled spare time with events that are posted in our newsletters, web site and blogs!

Maude will have her 4th visit to London in 8 months on May 30 on her "Great Lakes Tour" at the Aeolian Hall.

Maude loves London, she loves our London Chapter and our hundreds of members and affiliates!

Both Maude and I will love all those that come out to events that much more!

Newsletter content is accumulated throughout each month from our members and Chapter contacts that send me articles and events. I try to get web links so that you can easily access the source documents. Your input and comments are welcome! Postings need to be sent as earliest as possible to get into the next newsletter.

Facilitator's Editorial

Council of Canadians Chapters have a great impact on their local communities when they lobby their City Council, their MP's, MPP's, businesses and citizens.

The following is a basic web link guide for our City of London. These links will provide a basic intro to our Council, how it operates, when they meet, what the committees are and who the "players" are.

Please take an hour to gain basic knowledge then refer back to these links often to learn more about our City of London Council and what is going on in London!

City of London Council

A Guide to Frequently Used Web Links

The City of London Council is formed by the Mayor and 14 Councillors each representing a ward.

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/City_Council/default.htm

City of London Council Meeting Schedule

http://www.london.ca/Meetings/PDFs/cc_current_calendar.pdf

Standing & Advisory Committees – Who Does What?

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/City_Council/standcom.htm

Public Participation Meetings

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/City_Council/pubmeetpro.htm

Committees and Task Forces

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Committees_and_Task_Forces/default.htm

Meetings – Agendas & Minutes

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Meetings/Default/meetingpackages.htm

City of London By-Laws

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/By-laws/default.htm

City of London Zoning By-Laws

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Planning_and_Development/zonebylaw.htm

See you at our London Chapter events!

Yours from the Council Don McLeod London Chapter Facilitator Council of Canadians Email:  Don McLeod <LondonChapter2012COC@yahoo.ca> (519) 667-4016 London Chapter Web:        www.londoncouncilofcanadians.ca London Chapter Email:      info@londoncouncilofcanadians.ca Chapter Facebook:              www.facebook.com/londoncoc National Web:                       www.canadians.org Stop CETA:                           www.stopCETA.ca

LONDON ACTION ALERT: Let’s Keep London out of CETA

LONDON ACTION ALERT: Let’s Keep London out of CETA (Canada-European Union free trade deal)

London city councillors want the City to be taken out of a dangerous trade deal with the European Union and we need to support them!
On April 16, the City of London's Finance and Administrative Services Committee decided it was time to ask the Ontario government to exclude the City from the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Like dozens of municipalities across Canada, including nearby Hamilton, Stratford, Toronto and Mississauga, London councillors don't want their democratic rights to set government policy or make spending decisions unfairly compromised by another corporate rights deal that puts jobs, public services and local democracy at risk.
London council had already passed a CETA motion in October after a presentation from the local Council of Canadians chapter on how CETA would stop the City from buying locally or using "Buy Canadian" policies when spending public money. Councillors on the finance committee this week decided London should strengthen its position on CETA by joining over 33 other municipalities looking to be excluded from the deal.
On May 1, the decision is expected to go to full council for a vote. We need to show London councillors we support their decision, and to vote yes on any motion that asks the province to Take Cities Out of CETA!
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
We need London residents to call or email their councillors letting them know they support a CETA exemption. Find their phone numbers and emails addresses below, along with a sample message.
WHAT IS CETA?
CETA is bad news for municipalities. It's not really a trade deal at all. It would be more accurate to say the goal of CETA is to re-write the rules on how governments, including cities like London, set policy on everything from buy local food supports to environmental protection to job creation and development strategies. CETA is all about improving corporate profits by limiting our social and economic options as communities. It threatens our public services, it is estimated to increase the cost of drugs in Canada by $3 billion annually, and it could cost us between 23,000 and 150,000 jobs according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The EU trade deal will also impact how cities provide public services or set local policy. According to CETA documents made public January 18, only existing municipal measures will be protected and then only weakly. Future municipal policy and regulations that do not agree with strong investor guarantees in CETA can be challenged in trade disputes or taken to investment tribunals by corporations. Services provided at the municipal level, such as drinking and wastewater, waste management, public transit, are especially vulnerable to these kinds of trade challenges under CETA.
CETA's not about trade. It's not about prosperity. Like past "free" trade deals, CETA is about empowering the rich and undermining democracy.
TAKE ACTION: ON MAY 1, LET'S VOTE TO KEEP LONDON OUT OF CETA!
Between now and May 1, please call your councillor to let them know you support an exclusion for London and other municipalities from the CETA. We've included some possible talking points below in a sample letter. You can email a version of this letter to your councillor also, but phoning is best. For more talking points, please consult our TAKE ACTION TOOLKIT: TAKE COMMUNITIES OUT OF CETA from the Council of Canadians' System Change website.
For more information on CETA, visit www.canadians.org/CETA.
GET INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL FIGHTBACK AGAINST CETA
The London Chapter of the Council of Canadians is part of a dynamic and growing local Stop CETA campaign (website www.stopceta.ca). To find out more about the campaign or to get involved, write stopceta@gmail.com. Contact the London Chapter at LondonChapter2012COC@yahoo.ca (website www.londoncouncilofcanadians.ca).
SAMPLE LETTER/TALKING POINTS FOR PHONE CONVERSATION
I'm calling/writing to you about the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which you'll be discussing at your May 1 council meeting. I understand you'll be making a decision whether or not to ask the Ontario government to exclude London from the deal in order to protect its spending and decision making powers.
I want you to know I fully support this motion. Cities like London need the freedom to be able to support local jobs and sometimes give a boost to local or regional businesses and industries when and where it makes sense. CETA takes away that option for the benefit of only the largest multinational suppliers and big business.
I am also very concerned that according to CETA documents leaked to the public in January, municipal government policy will not be fully protected from CETA. For example, no provincial government has excluded drinking water and wastewater services from their offers to the EU. Meanwhile, EU member states insisted on protecting the water sector.
Canadian municipalities will be vulnerable to trade and investment challenges by corporations who just want to increase their profits in water services and other municipal services. It doesn't make sense why Ontario would leave London open to challenge like that when the EU wants to protect these areas for its municipalities.
Once again, you have my full support for a total CETA exemption for London. I hope you vote for it on May 1. By doing so, London would join over 33 cities, towns, school boards or associations across Canada, including Hamilton, Stratford, Toronto, Mississauga, Oshawa and the Union of B.C. Municipalities, all hoping to be excluded from this bad deal.
Thank you,
[YOUR NAME]
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR LONDON CITY COUNCILLORS
To find out your ward, call City Hall or use the map: http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/City_Council/wardmap.htm. All members of city council can be reached by dialing the main number (519-661-2500) and the following extensions after the prompt.
Mayor Joe Fontana jfontana@london.ca ext. 4920
Ward 1 Councillor Bud Polhill bpolhill@london.ca ext. 4882
Ward 2 Councillor Bill Armstrong barmstro@london.ca ext. 4943
Ward 3 Councillor Joe Swan jswan@london.ca ext. 7015
Ward 4 Councillor Steve Orser sorser@london.ca ext. 7012
Ward 5 Councillor Joni Baechler jbaechle@london.ca ext. 2444
Ward 6 Councillor Nancy Branscombe nbransco@london.ca ext. 7014 ph. 519-432-1100
Ward 7 Councillor Matt Brown mbrown@london.ca ext. 4597
Ward 8 Councillor Paul Hubert phubert@london.ca ext. 7016 cell: 519-851-5062
Ward 9 Councillor Dale Henderson dhenders@london.ca ext. 4880
Ward 10 Councillor Paul Van Meerbergen pvanmeer@london.ca ext. 1558
Ward 11 Councillor Denise Brown dbrown@london.ca ext. 6505
Ward 12 Councillor Harold Usher husher@london.ca ext. 4879
Ward 13 Councillor Judy Bryant jbryant@london.ca ext. 0370 cell: 226-448-8221
Ward 14 Councillor Sandy White sawhite@london.ca ext. 4876 cell: 226-688-9427

Linda McQuaig: The Trouble With Billionaires

Poster: click here.

Citizens' Inquest and the London Chapter of the Council of Canadians is proud to present Linda McQuaig speaking on, “The Trouble with Billionaires: Gluttony and Hubris in an Age of Epic Inequality,” at the Wolf Auditorium, London Central Library on Thursday April 5, 2012 at 7:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Please mark your calenders. Linda McQuaig will also be speaking at the Vitali Student Lounge, Wemple Building, King's University College, 266 Epworth Ave., London on Thursday April 5, 2012 at 1:30 pm until 3:30 pm. Linda McQuaig well-known journalist and co-author of The Trouble with Billionaires. She will talk about how today’s extreme concentration of wealth at the top threatens the well-being of the 99 percent, and undermines our very democracy. Copies of her books will be available for purchase. Please forward to your friends and post on web sites and to your lists. Phone #: Contact Ed Corrigan Law Office 519-439-4015 Biographical Information on Linda McQuaig: Journalist and best-selling author Linda McQuaig has developed a reputation for challenging the establishment. As a reporter for The Globe and Mail, she won a National Newspaper Award in 1989 for writing a series of articles which sparked a public inquiry into the activities of Ontario political lobbyist Patti Starr, and eventually led to Starr's imprisonment. And as a Senior Writer for Maclean's magazine, McQuaig (and Ian Austen) wrote two cover stories probing the questionable business dealings of Conrad Black in connection with a U.S. takeover bid in the early 1980s. An irate Black suggested on CBC radio that McQuaig should be horsewhipped. In 1991, she was awarded an Atkinson Fellowship for Journalism in Public Policy to study the social welfare systems in Europe and North America.Since 2002, McQuaig has written an op-ed column for the Toronto Star. She is author of eight books on politics and economics – all national bestsellers – including Shooting the Hippo (short-listed for the Governor General's Award for Non-Fiction), The Cult of Impotence, All You Can Eat, It's the Crude, Dude: War, Big Oil and the Fight for the Planet, and Holding the Bully's Coat: Canada and the U.S. Empire. Her most recent book, co-authored with Neil Brooks, is The Trouble With Billionaires. Here is Linda McQuaig's recent article published by the Toronto Star on the London Electro-Motive locomotive, owned by US Multinational, Caterpillar, lock out in London, Ont. http://www.thestar.com/​opinion/editorialopinion/​article/​1116562--ottawa-favours-for​eign-businesses-over-canad​ian-employees Ottawa favours foreign businesses over Canadian employees Published On Mon Jan 16 2012 Locked-out workers at the Electro-Motive facility in London, Ont. U.S.-owned Caterpillar, Electro-Motive's parent company, wants to cut wages in half. Locked-out workers at the Electro-Motive facility in London, Ont. U.S.-owned Caterpillar, Electro-Motive's parent company, wants to cut wages in half. DAVE CHIDLEY/THE CANADIAN PRESS Image By Linda McQuaig Columnist Hundreds of shivering factory workers locked out of their plant by manufacturing giant Caterpillar in London, Ont., might well draw some warm comfort from — of all things — the sayings of Newt Gingrich. Of course, the conservative Republican presidential contender is no friend of labour or social justice; he recently proposed that poor children be schooled in the ways of free enterprise by being hired to clean school washrooms. Nonetheless, Gingrich, one of the stars of the Republican freak show, is desperate to defeat front-runner Mitt Romney. With the mitts off, Gingrich is denouncing Romney’s background as a Wall Street corporate raider, accusing him of practising a form of capitalism where “you basically take out all the money, leaving behind the workers.” The multi-millionaire Romney showed his empathy for working people by noting, in a discussion about private health care, that “I like being able to fire people who provide services” and insisting that comments about the rich having too much money should be confined to “quiet rooms.” All this has unleashed an unexpected and fierce debate about the brutality of unbridled capitalism — a debate the Republican establishment is scrambling to sweep back into the quiet rooms as quickly as possible. Here in Canada, Stephen Harper has tried to head off a similar debate, dismissing the relevance of Occupy Wall Street on the grounds that “we have a very different situation here than the United States.” In fact, under the Harper government, the slightly milder Canadian version of capitalism is rapidly giving way to a more virulent U.S.-style variant, with even greater wealth concentration and fewer protections for working people. Indeed, Gingrich’s depiction of a capitalism where “you basically take out all the money, leaving behind the workers” seems like a perfect description of what’s going on in London, where the highly profitable U.S.-owned Caterpillar is demanding its Canadian workforce accept a 50-per-cent wage cut. When the workers declined this take-it-or-leave-it offer, they were locked out on New Year’s Eve. If this isn’t ruthless, heartless capitalism — enough to make even Newt’s blood boil — it’s hard to imagine what is. Yet, as the 500 London workers have bundled up in the cold, the Harper government refuses to get involved, sitting silently on the sidelines as Caterpillar brings its notorious anti-union fervour to Canada. In fact, the Harper government is involved, having played a key role in bringing about this disaster for the London workers by approving the sale of the company, Electro-Motive Diesel, to foreign-owned Caterpillar in 2010, after supposedly investigating whether the deal was in Canada’s interests. The Canadian Auto Workers, which represents the locked out workers, believes Caterpillar purchased the plant with the intention of gaining technology and market share and then moving operations south. The Harper government also approved a foreign takeover by another notorious union-busting company, mining giant Rio Tinto, which has now locked out 800 workers in Alma, Que. The Canadian Labour Congress is demanding that Ottawa strengthen its foreign takeover laws to make the secretive review process more open, with public hearings in affected communities and publication of the conditions imposed — if any — on foreign owners. Ironically, the Harper government has complained forcefully about “foreign” interference from outside environmentalists protesting a proposed pipeline across the Rockies. But when it comes to foreign companies stripping Canadian workers of half their wages and then moving operations out of the country, the government hasn’t a negative word to say. Harper is of course staunchly pro-capitalist, and has aggressively lowered corporate tax rates, while refusing to link lower taxes to investment or job creation. But his anti-union stance, evident in disputes at Air Canada and the post office last summer, has been particularly provocative. He seems determined to turn Canada into an anti-union paradise — prompting the Ontario Federation of Labour to call for a mass rally at the Caterpillar plant in London this Saturday. As the PM gears up for his coming battle against federal public sector unions, he will no doubt draw inspiration from Mitt Romney’s stirring words: “I like to be able to fire people who provide services.”

The Canadian Monetary System: Change is Needed

"With a Changed Money System, the Austerity Agenda Being Forced on Us Would Not Be Necessary!" Talk by George Crowell, Chair of the Monetary Policy Committee of the London, Ontario Chapter of the Council of Canadians
6-8 pm Friday March 23, 2012
St. Thomas Public Library

World Water Day Talk

Poster: click here.

Thursday March 22, 2012
7PM – 9PM
St. Paul’s Cathedral
472 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6a 3e6
Enter By East Door
Everyone Welcome! Free Event
“Eutrophication: It Really Stinks!”
by
Dr. Katrina Moser
Associate Professor –Department of Geography
Western University

Presented by
the Environmental Committee of St Paul’s Cathedral
&
the London Chapter Council of Canadians

OCCUPY UWO Symposium on March 1, 2012

OCCUPY UWO Symposium on March 1, 2012 at King's University College

(Photos by Robert Cory, Don McLeod and Dre Aube)

CETApus March Through Western University

CETApus march thru UWO March 1 2012

(Photos by Robert Cory, Mike Roy, Dre Aube and Don McLeod)

Buy Local. Build Local. Stop CETA.

How is it that global warming is increasing when citizens are consuming more consciously? How is it that the violation of the tar sands continues to amplify in this corner of our planetary home when the majority of Canadians do not support it? How is it that Canadian waters are being rapidly disrupted when we are taking action to stop the abuse of water like municipal water bottle bans?

How is it that the MET closed when Londoners are falling in love with the feeling of buying locally crafted goods? How is it that London’s once thriving downtown culture and commerce and the streetcar service in Wortley Village were so thoroughly dismantled that we can barely remember what they looked like?

All of these shifts have been created in the context of the global corporate agenda for unrestricted free trade. Monoculture farming, privatization of public services and nullification of regulations to protect community interests, these are all signs of the shift from a local economy of citizens to global economy of corporations.

The breaking of barriers to the global flow of capital hit Canada hard with the FTA and NAFTA in 1989 and 1993, respectively. Like a slow-boil, we have been seeing the cultural erosion in London from a thriving community centred around the downtown core to a series of buying stations.

Global trade is one aspect of economy but should never be put above our local economies, our earth, our health, our culture, our sense of community.

This race to demolish labour, culture and environment standards will shoot through the roof in Canada in 2012 if the Prime Minister signs CETA, the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement.

Buy Local. Build Local. Stop CETA.

by Jennifer Chesnut, Co-Chair, Stop CETA Committee, London CoC

(Originally published in London Fuse:
http://londonfuse.ca/blog/buy-local-build-local-stop-ceta)

Maude Barlow in London on March 8!

Maude Barlow speaking at Fanshawe College on March 8, 2012:

http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/MaudeBarlowatFanshaweMarch82012.pdf

February Newsletter email from Don McLeod

London Chapter Council of Canadians - February 2012 Newsletter

http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/Newsletter.pdf

Hello Folks,

Lots on the go with our London Chapter!

Thank you to our Chapter Chairs, Committees and member support for bringing us lots of activity and information for our Chapter!

Back a year ago our Chapter had a memebrship meeting where we outlined our need for our members to keep informed of important issues. This month we say thank you to our Council of Canadians Staff and supporting volunteers that keep us informed. Thank you! Well done!

Don

Council of Canadians

Information Resources

http://londoncouncilofcanadians.ca/InformationResources.pdf

We are truly blessed as members of the Council of Canadians to have access to daily up to the minute news on important issues that confront all Canadians. I have outlined some of our information resources below.

First, let me take you back to 1985. Our Council of Canadians has many noted Canadians that were the founding Charter members of our organization. Many have written articles for the Council over the past years How many do you recognize?

Some of the members of the C.O.C. are:

Doris Anderson, Margaret Atwood, Maude

Barlow, Pierre Berton, Gerry Caplan,

Stephen Clarkson, Sheila Copps M.P.,

Mayor Marion Dewar, Hon. T.C. Douglas,

Graeme Gibson, Hon. Walter Gordon,

Hon. Herb Gray, Grace Hartman, Mel

Hurtig, Pauline Jewett M.P., Hon. Eric

Kierans, Margaret Laurence, Gordon

Laxer, James Lorimer, Paul Martin Jr.,

Farley Mowat, Peter C. Newman, Anne

Claire Poirier, Heather Robertson,

Lloyd Shaw, David Suzuki, Mel Watkins,

and Robert White.

Taken from our Council of Canadians – Canadian Perspectives Winter 2005

http://www.canadians.org/publications/CP/2005/winter/wincp05.pdf

For you to be a member of the Council of Canadians puts you in the wonderful company of many distinguished and proud fellow Canadians!

Now, I would like to introduce you to a few people that provide us with a valued support information network for our London Chapter, and Chapters across Canada:

Regionally we are represented by staff Mark Calzavara, Regional Organizer – Ontario-Quebec-Nunavut who is in the Toronto office with Maryam Adrangi, our Regional Organizing Assistant. Mark & Maryam are our Chapter’s first point of contact with the Council of Canadians.

Roy Brady from the Peterborough Chapter is our Regional Chapter Representative. Roy provides guidance to Chapter’s as our volunteer Rep.

There are a number of campaigners that have Blogs that you can access to have up to date information on Council of Canadians core issues:

Maude Barlow, National Chair: http://canadians.org/blog/?author=16

Brent Patterson, Political Director: http://canadians.org/blog/?author=2

Adrienne Silnicki, Health Care Campaigner: http://canadians.org/blog/?p=13573

Andrea Harden-Donahue, Energy and Climate Justice Campaigner:

http://canadians.org/blog/?author=8

Meera Karunananthan, Water Campaigner: http://canadians.org/blog/?author=5

Emma Lui, Water Campaigner: http://canadians.org/blog/?author=4

Stuart Trew, Trade Campaigner: http://canadians.org/blog/?author=3

Anil Naidoo, Project Organizer – Blue Planet Project:

http://canadians.org/blog/?author=19

ACTIVlist

Sign up for daily Council of Canadians news:

http://lists.canadians.org/mailman/subscribe/activlist

Facebook, Twitter, YouTUBE, Daily emails & Blogs at

Follow Council of Canadians with social media:

http://canadians.org/stayinformed.html

Thank you to all the above Council of Canadians staff and volunteers who keep us informed! We appreciate the vital role and service that you provide our London Chapter and Chapters across Canada!

Lets all work together to become the best-informed Canadians!

Onward!

Yours from the Council

Don McLeod

London Chapter Facilitator

Council of Canadians

Email: Don McLeod <LondonChapter2012COC@yahoo.ca>

(519) 667-4016

London Chapter Web: www.londoncouncilofcanadians.ca

London Chapter Email: info@londoncouncilofcanadians.ca

Chapter Facebook: www.facebook.com/londoncoc

National Web: www.canadians.org

Stop CETA: www.stopCETA.ca

OCCUPY UWO: A Symposium (details)

Speakers, Song, Art, Ideas

Live stream: click here.

OCCUPY UWO: Our Communities Are Not For Sale 2

Local Impacts. Local Outreach. Local Solutions.
Featuring: Mary Lou Smoke, MP Irene Mathyssen, Gina Barber, Dr. Linda Wayne, Occupy London, London Labour Movement,
Justice Folk music by Jill Smith, Erynne Gilpin, Margo Does
Art Intervention by Jeremy Jeresky

Where: Room 105, Labatt Hall, King's College, UWO
When: Thursday, March 1st
Time: 7 pm event followed by reception
Cost: Free

A free & fabulous reception to follow

Sponsored by The Social Justice Peace Club & stopCETA -- a committee of The Council of Canadians -- London Chapter

Occupy UWO is the second in a series of symposiums that aims to open public discussion on CETA – a trade contract that is threatening to put the MUSH sector, Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals up for contract to European corporations. Following the first symposium featuring internationally acclaimed Canadian Maude Barlow, the second will include First Nations leaders Mary Lou and Dan Smoke, MP Irene Mathyssen, former City Councillor Gina Barber, local independent business activist Dr. Linda Wayne, as well as representatives of regional unions and London’s chapter of the global Occupy movement. Sponsored by King’s College Social Justice & Peace Club, participants will be invited to connect the dots between Canada’s turn toward CETA, loss of full-time jobs and benefits, and the Occupy Movement. These are politics that impact the quality of life of students, faculty and other members of Western.

Kept from the press, Canada is in the final stages of negotiating the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement with the European Union. More potent than NAFTA, for the first time municipal government will be forced to adhere to trade law and respond to corporate lawsuits. Far beyond a trade agreement, CETA is the impetus for long-term restructuring of Canada through the sale of public infrastructure to foreign corporations. Essential service rates are certain to rise including an estimated two billion dollar per year increase for drug costs out of Canadians’ pockets. If signed, CETA will threaten Canada’s municipal economies, public service jobs, buy local movements, and more. This long-term trade contract will set new policy that will limit London’s economic choices. A growing national movement is responding with thirty-five municipalities and school boards already having passed resolutions to protect them from CETA. A similar resolution will be discussed by the legislature of Manitoba for protection of the whole province.

OCCUPY UWO press release

PRESS RELEASE
Occupy UWO: Our Communities Are Not For Sale!
For Immediate Release 2012-02-24
Although many don’t know it yet, Canada is in the final stages of negotiating a trade agreement with the European Union that is much more powerful than NAFTA. Known as CETA, the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, will be putting things on the table that are not normally considered trade items such as drinking water and the entire MUSH sector – Municipal services, Universities, Schools and Healthcare. More than just a trade agreement, CETA is the impetus for long-term restructuring through the sale of Canadian public infrastructure to foreign corporations. Costs of essential services are certain to rise including an estimated two billion dollar increase for drugs per year. If signed, CETA will threaten Canada’s municipal economies, public service jobs, environment, buy local movements, and more. This long-term trade contract will set new policy for Canadian cities including London that will limit our economic options. A growing national movement is responding with thirty-five municipalities and school boards already having passed resolutions to protect them from CETA. A similar resolution will be discussed by the legislature of Manitoba for protection of the whole province. Occupy UWO is the second in a series of London symposiums that aim to open public discussion on CETA. Following the first successful symposium featuring internationally acclaimed Canadian activist Maude Barlow, the second will include First Nations leaders Mary Lou and Dan Smoke, MP Irene Mathyssen, former City Councillor Gina Barber, local business owner Dr. Linda Wayne, as well as representatives of local unions and London’s chapter of the global Occupy movement. Sponsored by the London Chapter of The Council of Canadians and King’s College Social Justice and Peace Club, participants will connect the dots between Canada’s turn toward CETA, loss of jobs, and the Occupy Movement. Politics that will impact all of our day to day lives, you are invited to get informed at this evening of speeches, discussion and the arts. Occupy UWO takes place on Thursday, March 1, 2012, 7 pm, at Labatt Hall, King’s College, The University of Western Ontario. The event is free with a reception following.
#### For more information contact:
Rod Morley
stopCETA committee of The Council of Canadians – London Chapter
519 872-0008 or rmorley1@sympatico.ca

OCCUPY UWO: A Symposium

From Occupy UWO