Canada, U.S., Mexico summit draws big protests

[CBC News]

U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon are meeting today with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Montebello, Que., to discuss border security and free trade.
The North American Free Trade Agreement is the cornerstone of a broad-ranging Security and Prosperity Partnership treaty signed in 2005 by the three nations.
The Canadian Press reported late Sunday that the three leaders will call for a new border disaster protocol to avoid a repeat of the crippling tie-ups that occurred after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Thousands have gathered for protests. Many of them have said they are concerned about Canada losing control of its energy, water resources and border as such initiatives as the SPP treaty increase and expand.
The demonstrators are also decrying the secrecy surrounding the meeting and that the only people with access to the three leaders at the summit are 30 chief executives of some of the biggest corporations in the world.
Full story
Are you concerned about the secrecy at this summit? Do you think protesters' fears are justified?


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[#juan]

Are you concerned about the secrecy at this summit? Do you think protesters' fears are justified?

Yes I God damn well do! Why is this meeting being held in private? Sounds to me like a a secret intimidation session by Bush and his cronies. Bush has never done anything honourable in his stupid life. Harper has likely lost what little credibility he had by going along with this crap.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

The EU was put together behind the scenes, is North America going to be any different?

 

[YoungJoonKim]

Are you concerned about the secrecy at this summit? Do you think protesters' fears are justified?

"I've heard it's nothing. A couple hundred? It's sad," he said. ~ Stephen Harper

Bast... (word).
IS THIS IS LEADER WE WISH TO HAVE?
)(@$&@)$&(@$()

 

[YoungJoonKim]

The EU was put together behind the scenes, is North America going to be any different?

It better be because North America is a face of democracy.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

The power in the world for years has been shifting from nations to multi-national corporations that aren't really accountable to anyone.

It's foolish and dangerous to think that any of the men meeting at Montebello represents the interests of their people. This is going to be one of the greatest political sell-outs in history, and we're not going to be informed of the real significance until it's too late to do anything about it.

 

[YoungJoonKim]

These multinational corporations - are simply men.
We, majority, can do more.
Does this mean a revolution?
Does it take revolution to take down the system and build it from scratch?
Possibility.

They talk about "millions of losses of money" because of the slow trade.
I doubt it.
They make record profits and are they saving they are losing money?
If anything, it is Ontario's manufacturers who are struggling because of high loony prices and unable to become competitive against huge corporations because they are soooo small.

 

[Stretch]

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]The 3 Stooges!
Plotting the end of America, Canada and Mexico [/FONT]​

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Partnership viewed as a threat to sovereignty [/FONT]​

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]'A coalition of Canadian, American and Mexican energy workers' unions and nine lobby groups yesterday denounced the Security and Prosperity Partnership discussed by leaders of the three countries in Montebello, as a threat to each nation's energy sovereignty. The Montebello meeting is a trilateral effort to increase security and enhance prosperity among the three countries through greater co-operation and information sharing.'[/FONT]​

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...1-04b6a62637f9

.................................................. ..​

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] Duceppe slams secretive three amigos meeting [/FONT]​

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]'Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe Thursday denounced the secretive nature of the Security and Prosperity Partnership summit opening Monday in Montebello, Que. Duceppe said the Bloc is not opposed in principle to the event but the leaders of Canada, the United States and Mexico will make decisions affecting the Canadian public directly and that should not happen behind closed doors.'

[/FONT]​

http://www.canada.com/globaltv/natio...1a90b2&k=98882

 

[Toro]

No, not really.

And probably not.

Leaders meet "in secret" all the time. Very rarely are meetings of international heads of state open to the public.

Any serious legislative initiatives that arise from the meetings will have to be passed in the legislative bodies, where they will face full scrutiny.

Plus, the fears about a transference of power from the nation state to corporations are egregiously over-blown.

 

[YoungJoonKim]

But what about our economic sovereignty?

 

[Toro]

But what about our economic sovereignty?

What about it?

Oh, and before you answer, remember that technology is bringing the world closer together; that international agreements of all kinds - from Kyoto to laws of the sea - require giving up sovereignty; and mobility is increasing.

 

[YoungJoonKim]

Therefore lose our sovereignty?

 

[#juan]

No, not really.

And probably not.

Leaders meet "in secret" all the time. Very rarely are meetings of international heads of state open to the public.

Any serious legislative initiatives that arise from the meetings will have to be passed in the legislative bodies, where they will face full scrutiny.

Plus, the fears about a transference of power from the nation state to corporations are egregiously over-blown.

You have a lot of faith in the king rat that lies almost every time he opens his mouth. The transference of power to corporations has already happened with the so-called free trade agreement. Why is it that Canada doesn't have the right to keep her resources for our own use when we are running short? Why is it that sleezy American corporations have the right to sue our government if the feel we are not treating them with the deference that the FTA says they deserve? These things are just a few of the things we gave away in private.meetings.

 

[I think not]

Why is it that Canada doesn't have the right to keep her resources for our own use when we are running short?

Proof?

You have none.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

These multinational corporations - are simply men.
We, majority, can do more.
Does this mean a revolution?
Does it take revolution to take down the system and build it from scratch?
Possibility.

They talk about "millions of losses of money" because of the slow trade.
I doubt it.
They make record profits and are they saving they are losing money?
If anything, it is Ontario's manufacturers who are struggling because of high loony prices and unable to become competitive against huge corporations because they are soooo small.

I don't think the system needs to be torn down just rebuilt so that some tycoons with massive wallets can't override the will of entire nations. Harper's not going to that, he's in the pocket of the energy sector.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

What about it?

Oh, and before you answer, remember that technology is bringing the world closer together; that international agreements of all kinds - from Kyoto to laws of the sea - require giving up sovereignty; and mobility is increasing.

Giving up sovereignty in the name of mutual survival is different than giving it up for the greed of a few.

 

[Toro]

You have a lot of faith in the king rat that lies almost every time he opens his mouth. The transference of power to corporations has already happened with the so-called free trade agreement. Why is it that Canada doesn't have the right to keep her resources for our own use when we are running short? Why is it that sleezy American corporations have the right to sue our government if the feel we are not treating them with the deference that the FTA says they deserve? These things are just a few of the things we gave away in private.meetings.

There is a.) nothing in NAFTA that says Canada cannot protect its resources, and b.) nothing stopping Canada from withdrawing NAFTA.

I challenge you to find anything in NAFTA that says so. Here it is. Have at it.

http://www-tech.mit.edu/Bulletins/nafta.html

The only thing it says is regarding energy, where if Canada decides to impose export controls, it must continue to export a proportionate amount relative to reserves over the previous 36 months. If Canada is truly running short of energy - which seems highly unlikely considering the 300 billion boe or so sitting in the tar sands - then as the level of reserves decline, the amount exported to the United States also declines. This provision in NAFTA is in section 6.

http://www-tech.mit.edu/Bulletins/Nafta/06.energy

I hear this argument a lot, yet there is no basis in fact for it.

As for "sleezy American corporations have the right to sue our government if the feel we are not treating them with the deference that the FTA says they deserve" perhaps you are unaware that "sleezy American corporations" as well as non-sleezy ones, not to mention Canadian corporations of the sleezy and non-sleezy kind, can sue any level of government for many reasons, as can any individual or institution if it feels legally aggrieved.

These are the cases that have been brought against the Canadian government.

http://www.citizen.org/documents/Ch11cases_chart.pdf

Only one could be construed as a clearly loss for the Canadian government - to Ethyl, 10 years ago. Legal experts might conclude that one clear loss in 20 years isn't particularly worrisome.

The UPS case was dismissed.

http://reclaimthemedia.org/communications_rights/ups_nafta_case_against_canadia=5300

So, the idea that nefarious corporations are imposing their will en mass over the Canadian government through the courts is simply not true.

 

[Toro]

And BTW, if Canadians think NAFTA is so horrific, perhaps they should elect the NDP to abrogate the deal.

Oh wait, they haven't!

 

[I think not]

Now you've done it Toro, throwing facts all over the place as opposed to leftist rumour.

 

[Dreadful Nonsense]

Why is it that Canada doesn't have the right to keep her resources for our own use when we are running short?

Mainly because we rape other countries for profit.....did i say we?..Canadian corporations rape other people's countries....
None of the stuff in the ground is ours....lol...it's there for a select few to continue to profit from....look at DeBeers...when diamonds were found up north, automatically,all rights went to DeBeers hands.....you try going against them...
the whole thing is rigged/or run not unlike mafia ....

It's the same laws made by the same people that allowed Africans to be bought and sold like cattle.....same mentality is in charge....it's just a tad harder to rape is all.....