Our Response to NAFTA Expansion!
- Coming together for our communities.
- Linking the Gulf Coast struggle to the fight for the survival of communities in Mexico, Canada, Quebec & the rest of the United States.
- Building collective knowledge and action to transform NAFTA & other unjust economic policies pushed by Bush, Calderon, & Harper
Neo-Liberalism, the Security and Prosperity Partnership Agreement, and the assault on the Black Nation.
Written by Kali Akuno - May 19th, 2008
The Fourth North American Leadership Summit, held in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 21st and 22nd, 2008 marked a watershed in the Battle for New Orleans and the global peoples’ struggle against neo-liberalism and imperialism. The Summit was a continuation of the negotiations on the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) agreement between the Chief Executives of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. But, it was also much, much more.
President Bush’s mission for this Summit was to consolidate many of the transformative gains he and the reactionary forces he represents have attained in New Orleans via their neo-liberal reconstruction program. This program is the most ambitious and far reaching application of neo-liberalism within US national boarders to date. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina this neo-liberal program has virtually eliminated the cities labor unions and turned the public education, housing, health care, transportation, and sanitation systems into private profit making enterprises. And it doesn’t stop there. Bush also structured this Summit to be a international coming out party for Louisiana Republican Governor Bobby Jindal to showcase how an entire state government can possibly be privatized (Jindal aims to privatize the Louisiana educational system through the introduction of a state-wide voucher program).
SPP/NAFTA boosters on the defensive in New Orleans
by Blair Redlin - April 28, 2008
posted on Rabble TV http://www.rabble.ca/news_full_story.shtml?x=70667
Boosters of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)and the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) were clearly on the defensive as the latest SPP Leaders' Summit wrapped up in New Orleans April 22. The Leaders' Summit (this year dubbed the "North American Leaders' Summit") is an annual meeting between the U.S. and Mexican Presidents and Canadian Prime Minister with top corporate executives from the three countries.
The driving force of the SPP is the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC) which is made up of 30 CEOs from some of the biggest corporations in North America (like ExxonMobil, Lockheed Martin, Suncor, Chevron, SNC-Lavalin and Royal Bank). Each year, the NACC presents a report to the political leaders of the U.S., Canada and Mexico that is a corporate policy menu that is then quickly implemented by the executive branch of each country.
Open for Business Closed to the Public
April 22, 2008
The "Three Amigos" of North America
showed once more that they will ignore the growing clamor to
renegotiate NAFTA and will continue to push our countries in the same
direction through the North American Security and Prosperity
Partnership (SPP). With the fourth Summit shrouded in more secrecy, the
People's Summit gathered to build knowledge and understanding of how
what is being discussed inside impacts our daily lives.
Over 30 local, national and international organizations and networks
hosted the New Orleans People's Summit: Our Response to NAFTA Expansion
April 20-22 in New Orleans, LA with participation from groups based in
New Orleans, other parts of the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Quebec.
U.S- based Groups call on Congress to Reign in Undemocratic Security and Prosperity Partnership
On April 21 a group of U.S.-based non-governmental organizations (NGO's) and advocacy organizations issued a letter to Congress regarding the North American Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), while the leaders of Mexico, the United States and Canada attended the 4th Leaders Summit, in New Orleans, LA.
This letter, signed by more than 25 organizations and networks, calls on Congress to exercise its authority to regulate and oversee issues of commerce and security. Currently under the SPP there is no Congressional oversight, nor opportunity for investigation. There is also no opportunity for civil society to participate in the SPP meetings and dialogue. See letter and signature below.
Second Continental Conference Against Free Trade and Privatizations issues statment of solidarity
We, the participants of the Second Continental Conference Against Free Trade and Privatizations, stand opposed to the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) Conference of the Americas being convened by US President George W. Bush in New Orleans, Louisiana April 21st and 22nd.
This meeting is a heinous crime against the peoples of North America, but particularly against the dispossessed and displaced peoples of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
Summit Workshops Set to Address 4 Major Themes
More than 20 proposals have been submitted for The People’s Summit. venues have been confirmed and civil society organizations, local and tri-national, have contributed to workshop plans around four central themes. The summit will take place both April 21st and 22nd, however the workshops will take place in the morning and afternoon on Tuesday the 22nd. The three hour workshops will speak to the ways in which free trade and security policy affect everyday people, especially in relation to increased militarism, privatization, forced immigration and migration, and abuse of the environment.
Energy Sector Workers Support People’s Summit
Launched in March 2005 at a first Summit of Heads of State of the three countries, the Security and Prosperity Partnership for North America (SPP) represents a new phase of neo-liberal integration in North America where the issue of security is closely linked to economic and trade relations. The SPP places CEOs from the regions transnationals at the center of decision-making, allowing them to promote their corporations interests over the public interest.
Also known as NAFTA plus or "deep integration", the SPP includes 300 program areas that government bureaucrats are developing behind closed doors, many of which relate to energy integration, with the active participation of economic elite regrouped in new SPP bodies like the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC) and the North American Energy Working Group (NAEWG).
To challenge the democratic deficit behind the SPP, the four social multi-sectoral networks in North America (ART-US, RMALC, Common Frontiers and RQIC) in close collaboration with their member unions, succeeded in gathering in Montreal in August, 2007, more than 60 energy worker unions and social groups delegates to share experiences in the 3 countries and to identify common grounds for action at a North American level in order to challenge the SPP neo-liberal project in the energy sector.
New Orleans Gears up to Host North American Civil Society!
The Head of State of Canada, Mexico and the United States (Harper, Calderón, and Bush respectively) will be meeting April 21-22 in New Orleans Louisiana for a summit of the "Three Amigos." There, with their chosen corporate advisors, they will continue setting an agenda for the three countries through the Security Prosperity Partnership (SPP), without the consent from their citizens or legislative bodies. Civil Society organizations in New Orleans have been gearing up to host civil society from across the continent for The People's Summit: Our Response to NAFTA Expansion, an inclusive gathering to educate the public on the SPP process while grounding that learning in the New Orleans experience.
You may be wondering why these organizations are up in arms about this Three Amigos meeting and how it will really affect the average citizen’s day to day life.
People’s Summit on the Agenda in Havana
This week representatives of the four North American Hemispheric Social Alliance (HSA) networks will be in Havana. We will be there representing the respective networks from Mexico (RMALC), Quebec (RQIC), Canada (Common Frontiers) and the U. S. (Alliance for Responsible Trade) at a meeting of the HSA General Council. A priority of the gathering is to develop collective work priorities, strategies and plans for the coming year as well as analyze current globalization policies and possible alternatives.
