The Council of Canadians - Winnipeg Chapter

ACTION ALERT: Stop Public Money for Private Water Park

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:50:00 +0000

We need your help.

Contact your City Councillor and tell them to vote "no" on public money for a private water park...

especially:
Devi Sharma 986-5264 dsharma@winnipeg.ca
and
Thomas Steen 986-5195 tsteen@winnipeg.ca

"Old Kildonan Coun. Devi Sharma appears to hold the deciding vote on Winnipeg’s water-park subsidy on Wednesday, as all 14 other councillors have come to a decision about their intentions.

Elmwood-East Kildonan Coun. Thomas Steen said today he’s leaning in favour of voting for a plan to sell Parcel Four, a city-owned surface lot at the southwest corner of Waterfront Drive and William Stephenson Way, for $6 million to Alberta hotel chain Canalta, which itends to build a 250-room hotel, 50,000-square-foot water park and 450-stall parkade on the site. The proposal calls for the city to offer Canalta a $7-million grant in exchange for $700,000 worth of admission credits every year for the next 25 years.

Up until today, Steen and Sharma were the only members of council who had yet to decide on the plan. Sharma said she remains undecided, but Steen said he’s leaning in favour of voting yes because water park’s location at The Forks will be convenient for children in his ward.

Only 15 members of council will vote on the plan because Mayor Sam Katz has recused himself from the vote. Katz is the majority owner of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, which play at Shaw Park, immediately north of Parcel Four.

Seven councillors now plan to vote in favour and against the Canalta proposal. None of them are bound by their intentions and may change their mind on Wednesday."

Winnipeg Free Press - By: Bartley Kives 04/23/2012

It's roundabout privatization: reduced hours in public pools, fewer pools, and huge increases in the fees over the last couple of years. Then talk about getting out of the business altogether. Now Sam Katz is trying to give public money for a private pool.

1. Public money should not be for private profits.
Another proposed water park is already planned for the "Seasons of Tuxedo" development. If another company can make this project without public money, why should the proposed one at the Forks use our public money?

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/epc-everyone-into-the-pool-148056525.html

If this proposed water park truly needs $7 million in public funds to design this facility, it is probably not profitable enough to attract investors. This means there's a good chance it will be asking for more public funds in the future, leaving the city on the hook once again.

2. Architecture
The location is to be next to the historic Forks Market buildings, the the Espanade Riel, and the Museum for Human Rights - three of Winnipeg's greatest architectural destinations. The hotel chain specializes in poor cookie-cutter architecture, which should not be built at the this location.

http://www.canaltahotels.com/locations

3. Size
This water park is far from world class. It will not be on the list of the top 30 largest water parks in North America.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/world-class-water-park-sooner-or-later-148056295.html

4. Public Access Agreement
Details of the Access Agreement are not being revealed until after the vote. How low income individuals will have access to this site has never been publicly discussed in detail. Allowing social service agencies decide who gets a voucher and who does not will provide those low income individuals who use social services but exlude those who do not from receiving vouchers. This is one of the many possibly problems in the access agreement, which should be publicly debated before holding a vote.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/world-class-water-park-sooner-or-later-148056295.html

Winnipeg's existing recreational services are being cut. These are the facilities built within existing communities. In the 2012 Operating Budget, operating expenses towards wading pools has a decrease of $871 thousand since 2011, and total Recreation operating expenses have decreased by $1.48 million. Reducing existing services and providing private centralized services reduces access to low income residents.

Operating Budget 2012 page 186

5. Conflict of Interest
While the mayor will recluse himself from this vote, the ethical concerns remain. The mayor's private business and restaurant (Goldeye's and Hu's on First) will likely increase in land value and business activity due to the adjacent recreational destination. The mayor was involved in promoting the $7 million grant for a water park, and his business partner Sandy Shindleman, as a director of the Goldeyes, has helped secure this deal. Although the mayor won't vote, he was heavily involved in making this deal come to light and will see a financial gain as a result.

Please act now.

Time is of the essence.

Please SHARE this message widely.

Thank you!

Citizen and Labour Groups Sign-on to Stop CETA

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000

PRESS RELEASE:

For Immediate Release

Premier Selinger Gets the Message:
Over 100,000 Manitobans Don’t Want CETA!

March 2, 2012 – Winnipeg, Manitoba

Local Council of Canadians activists have increased pressure on Selinger’s Provincial Government to keep Manitoba out of CETA, the controversial economic and trade agreement currently under secretive negotiation with the European Union.

A letter signed by 19 citizen and labour groups, representing over 100,000 Manitobans has been delivered to the Premier after the federal-provincial-territorial trade ministers’ press conference held in Ottawa earlier this week. Please see letter attached.

This week, the City of Ottawa joined a growing number of municipalities across the country by passing a resolution to be exempted from CETA. In total, more than 30 cities (including Montreal, Toronto and Saskatoon), towns, school boards and municipal associations in eight provinces have passed resolutions against CETA.

“Provincial and territorial governments have been far too private about their intentions and support for ongoing Canada-EU free trade talks. The agreement on the table becomes more controversial with each quiet negotiating round and with each new municipal government asking to be excluded from proposed rules on public spending. From the effect of CETA on drug costs to environmental policy to public services like water, much more needs to be done at the provincial level to seek public input before any deal is signed with the EU,” says Stuart Trew, trade campaigner, Council of Canadians.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Mary McCandless, Council of Canadians Winnipeg Chapter Chair, please contact Louise May at 799-4076 or louisewillowmay@gmail.com.

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LETTER:

Take the Leap! Keep Manitoba out of CETA!

Dear Premier Selinger,

We, the Council of Canadians - Winnipeg Chapter, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Manitoba and the undersigned organizations representing over 100,000 Manitoba voters, implore you to act in the best interests of the people of Manitoba and pledge to keep Manitoba out of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) currently being negotiated between Canada and the European Union.

We believe that if CETA is signed it will have a significant negative impact on democracy and on public control over key services at all levels of government, from the federal to the municipal. If signed, CETA will:

open critical public services, including water and wastewater services, to bids by European multinationals, and lead to increased privatization

threaten local job creation and “buy-local” policies

cause Canadian prescription drug costs to skyrocket by at least $2.8 billion annually, including $79.8 million in Manitoba alone, as shown in a study commissioned by the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association

open governments to challenges by European corporations over environmental and other regulations made in the public interest

We are especially concerned about the impact of CETA on local governments. If CETA is signed, municipalities will “… lose one of the few and perhaps the most important tool they now have for stimulating innovation, fostering community economic development, creating local employment and achieving other public policy goals from food security to social equity.” (Steven Shrybman – from a legal opinion on CETA prepared for the Centre for Civic Governance at the Columbia Institute)

Unlike the corporations, the people of Manitoba – and all Canadians – have been left entirely out of the CETA negotiating process. The offers made to the European Union by the federal and provincial governments have not been made public, and there has been no meaningful discussion with the people of Manitoba as to the balance of benefits and costs associated with CETA.

We have had no opportunity to see or influence what is being put on the table; and no participation in the decision about whether entering CETA is in the best interest of our province, its municipalities, and the people of Manitoba.

We need to know that our tax dollars are spent for the benefit of the people of Manitoba, and not for the benefit of European – or any other – corporations.

We need to know that when our municipal governments make purchasing decisions that support local economies and sustainability policies, they will not be risking lengthy and expensive litigation from corporations that were not selected for the contract.

We need to know that our public services will remain public, and not be turned over to private profit-driven interests.

We need to know that laws and regulations put in place by our elected representatives to protect our environment are safe from corporate interference.

We are the people of Manitoba. We elected you to represent us and to ensure a fair and equitable society that puts people before profit.

For these reasons, we and the over 100,000 members we represent, urge you to keep Manitoba out of CETA.

Thank you,

Council of Canadians – Winnipeg Chapter
CUPE-MB
CCPA
Boreal Forest Network
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Project Peacemakers
Manitoba Federation of Labour
Winnipeg Labour Council
Green Party of Manitoba
Winnipeg Water Watch
Provincial Council of Women Manitoba
Growing Local Productions
UNPAC
CUPE Local 998
CUPE Local 3909
CUPE Local 2348
IATSE Local 63
Social Planning Council Winnipeg
CityWatch Winnipeg

Selinger: Don't be romanced by fairy tale trade deal!

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:05:00 +0000

Giant valentine delivered to Manitoba Legislature in opposition to CETA deal.

On Valentine's Day, the Winnipeg Chapter visited the Manitoba Legislature with a big Keep Manitoba out of CETA message. Chapter activists created a giant heart from 300 of the 3000 postcards distributed, and delivered it to the Premier's office along with a red-ribbon wrapped bundle of another 100 postcards. MLAs received individual Valentine hearts hand-delivered to their legislature mail boxes.
The Valentine's visit followed a message and gift from CETA Clause to the Legislative Assembly last December.

Although the CETA negotiations are drawing to a close and there is a strong possibility that it will be signed by this summer, there are many areas where complete agreement has not been reached. Continued education of our politicians and pressure on provincial governments to stand against this trade deal - in particular, the procurement chapter - is one of the most likely methods to effect a change.

Winnipeg chapter continues its provincial government CETA education campaign next week on February 29th, with a letter from CUPE MB, MFL, WLC, CCPA, Peace Alliance Winnipeg, the Green Party of MB, the Boreal Forest Network, Winnipeg Water Watch, City Watch, the Social Planning Council and many other organizations asking Premier Selinger to take the leap, and keep Manitoba out of CETA!

Romancing Harper's EU Trade Deal will lead to Heartbreak

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

For Immediate Release

Premier Selinger and MLA’s get Valentines Day card from Council of Canadians re: CETA!

February 13, 2012 – Winnipeg, Manitoba
...

At 11am this Valentine’s Day, local Council of Canadians activists will present an oversized card to Premier Selinger asking his government to keep Manitoba out of CETA, the controversial economic and trade agreement currently under secretive negotiation with the European Union.

The card represents a 3000-person campaign of signed postcards indicating popular support to stop Manitoba from signing on to CETA – a Harper agenda. Each MLA will receive a Valentine’s Day card with the following text:

“It's Valentine's Day and love is in the air! And here in Manitoba there's a lot to love - so far.

We love and protect our natural resources, public drinking water and wastewater services, local food and local food programs, public libraries (that are still hanging on to the public part), a wide variety of local businesses doing business locally, public services and crown corporations (that also haven't been privatized and sold off), public transit and affordable prescription drugs.

We want to keep it that way - don't you?

Please Keep Manitoba out of CETA!”

For more information or to arrange an interview with Mary McCandless, Council of Canadians Winnipeg Chapter Chair, please contact Louise May at 799-4076 or louisewillowmay@gmail.com. Mary McCandless and other CoC members will be available for interviews on the steps of the Manitoba Legislative Building February 14th from 11am to noon.

-30-

Give your MLA the message - stay out of CETA!

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:50:00 +0000

Please call the Premier and your MLA and tell them to keep Manitoba out of C.E.T.A.

You can choose to read the main points below, to comment yourself on those points, to read one of the comments that correlate to the points or to read them all. The important thing is to call MLAs. Make sure their voice mail is FULL Monday morning!

You may refer them to canadianswinnipeg.org or canadians.org/CETA for more information.

Hi my name is _______. I am calling to tell you that C.E.T.A. (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada) would be a bad deal for Manitobans. It's an unfair trade deal, made behind closed doors, that will be devastating to communities throughout Manitoba and jeopardize our standard of living for generations to come.

  Main points 
If C.E.T.A. is signed it will: 
threaten our democracy by putting corporate rights first 

open public services to bids by huge multinationals and lead to privatization - Canada’s drinking water and wastewater services are particularly at risk  

threaten local job creation and “buy-local” policies

 cause Canadian prescription drug costs to skyrocket by at least $2.8 billion each year, 79.8 million in MB alone

allow big corporations to challenge environmental regulations   

Quick comments that correlate to the points above.
  A corporation's right to do business and make profit will come before our rights as people. For instance, accessible, affordable, clean drinking water for people will be secondary to the corporation's right to own and sell that water. 

Because water services will be open to bidding by corporations, there will be enormous pressure to turn water into a commodity instead of a human right, and to contract with companies like Veolia to sell our water to us. 

A venture like Diversity Foods at University of Winnipeg would not be possible under CETA. Diversity provides top quality meals from locally sourced fresh food, supporting local farmers; they have a successful program of hiring and training new Canadians and aboriginals. But if the contract for university food services comes up once CETA is signed, the university would have to open it to bidding from all EU and Canadian corporations and choose the lowest bidder - even if that meant pre-packaged microwave meals shipped across the ocean. 

Pharmaceutical companies are supposed to spend at least 10% of yearly revenue on research, but they still only spend 6%. Extending their patents isn't going to pay for research and development costs – it’s paying for advertising, lobbying of government and bloated executive salaries. 

If a corporation thinks that they were not able to bid on a contract because of provincial or even municipal government policies for requirements (such as green energy) that the corporation couldn't meet, the corporation can take the government through a dispute settlement process. They'll get their money, and elected government will lose its ability to make policies stick.
Find your MLA

Honourable Greg Selinger • Premier
Phone: 945-3714 Fax: 949-1484
Constituency: 237-9247 premier@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Steve Ashton • Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation
Phone: 945-3723 Fax: 945-7610 minmit@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Dave Chomia • Minister of Innovation, Energy and Mines
Phone: 945-5356 Fax: 948-2692 miniem@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Gord Mackintosh • Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship
Phone: 945-3370 Fax: 948-3586 Constituency:582-1550 minconws@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Eric Robinson • Deputy Premier
• Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs
Phone: 945-3719 Fax: 945-8374 minna@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Ron Lemieux • Minister of Local Government
Phone: 945-3788 Fax: 945-1383 minlg@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Stan Struthers • Minister of Finance
Phone: 945-3952 Fax: 945-6057 minfin@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Nancy Allan • Minister of Education
Phone: 945-3720 Fax: 945-1291 minedu@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Jim Rondeau • Minister of Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs
Phone: 945-1373 Fax: 948-2703 minhliv@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Peter Bjornson • Minister of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade
Phone: 945-0067 Fax: 945-4882 minett@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Christine Melnick • Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism
Phone: 945-1133 Fax: 948-2684 minimm@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Theresa Oswald • Minister of Health
Phone: 945-3731 Fax: 945-0441 minhlt@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Kerri Irvin-Ross • Minister of Housing and Community Development
Phone: 945-6190 Fax: 945-1491 minhcd@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Andrew Swan • Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Phone:945-3728 Fax: 945-2517 minjus@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Jennifer Howard • Minister of Family Services and Labour
• Government House Leader
Phone: 945-4173 Fax: 945-5149 minfsl@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Flor Marcelino • Minister of Culture, Heritage and Tourism
Phone: 945-3729 Fax: 945-5223 mincht@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Erin Selby • Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy
Phone: 945-0825 Fax: 948-2216 minaed@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Kevin Chief • Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities
Phone: 945-1133 Fax: 948-2519 mincyo@leg.gov.mb.ca

Honourable Ron Kostyshyn • Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives
Phone: 945-3722 Fax: 945-347

Our Futures Were Bargained Away in the Name of "Good" Diplomacy

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:45:00 +0000

In the International Conference Centre the negotiations dragged into overtime into Sunday morning. Many of the meetings were behind closed doors, and the stunned looks on many of the people who wandered around the halls reflected the confusion about what was going on. We stayed until Sunday morning for the official outcome.

While Kyoto survived in the Durban Platform, it is held hostage by polluting nations and corporate interests. The world’s major emitters, Canada among them, refused to adopt new emissions targets resulting in a zombie Kyoto Protocol which covers only 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Green Climate Fund is an empty piggy bank with no decision on the sources of finances. Should those nations in desperateneed of adaptation financing shatter it they will find only the promises of therichest, most polluting nations. Unfortunately you can’t buy clean water, arable land and food security with promises.

Over the last two weeks my emotions rocketed up and down, like the value of the Dow Jones during avolatile week on Wall Street. There were times of intense sadness, when negotiators started talking about postponing a new climate change deal until 2015 or even 2020. There were flashes of anger, when we got into a confrontation with Canada’s lead climate negotiator to look us in the eye and tell us he was negotiating in good faith on behalf of our generation. There were moments of powerful pride, when I watched the six members of the CanadianYouth Delegation stand up in plenary, turning their backs to Peter Kent as he addressed the conference.

I felt proud andincredibly privileged to be part of the Canadian Youth Delegation. In two weeks we have achieved amazing things. We received international headlines! We were so successful in admonishing Canada’s record on climate change that Peter Kent wrote an op-ed in a Durban newspaper trying to justify his position. Over the next few days Peter Kent cancelled one press conference and held another overthe phone instead.

Yet, the Canadian government continues to bargain on behalf of big oil. We need to make this movement massive. The support that has flooded in over the internet and the ovations from students in a Vancouver school we skyped in have motivated all of us and proven that people back in Canada care deeply. We have to bring this momentum back to Canada, and make this movement impossible to ignore.

I left Durban 24 hours ago. While not surprising, Canada’s Environment Minister’s latest announcement is an outstanding example of our government’s loyal service to the fossil fuel industry. Just hours after returning from Durban, Kent blamed financial cost for a Canadian pull-out from the Kyoto Protocol. The truth is that inaction will be the real cost, both to our economy and to the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities. Our generation has to stand as our future is sacrificed in the name of short-term profit.

To those who are waiting for climate change to be disproven, I would say that the science only becomes stronger every day. I am a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation andevery where I went, I was asked to explain the actions and positions of my government on climate change. I cannot. I continue to do my best, I continue to try, and I apologize on behalf of my government, but apologies will not save this situation.

It is up to my generation.We have to make the voices heard over the rumble of money and corruption. Please, consider participating in, or organizing, other actions. Considerj oining environmental organizations or getting involved in the political process.

Contributor: Anika Terton - Climate Change Connection Public Education and Outreach Coordinator

Anika is a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation to COP17 in Durban, South Africa representing Manitoba. Check out her complete account at the youthdelegatemanitoba blog.

"CETA Clause" Press release

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:30:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Manitoba MLAs receive LUMP OF COAL from Council of Canadians, and launch of "CETA Clause" Video.

Winnipeg, Manitoba - December 7th, 2011

At 8:30AM Council of Canadians – Winnipeg Chapter Chairperson Mary McCandless will deliver a Christmas letter and gift of coal to all Members of the Legislative Assembly to draw attention to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Europe and Canada (CETA). "CETA Clause" has made an appearance at the Provincial Legislature and Council of Canadians members were able to record an interview, launched concurrently as a CETA Clause video on YouTube.

The CETA negotiations are nearing completion as European Union and Canadian governments finalize this secretive, wide-ranging deal; and CETA will not be good for Manitobans.

CETA is the first international trade agreement to include provincial and municipal procurement, yet there is a lack of information available, and Canadians have been strategically shut out of the discussion about how it will affect us.

CETA will require government spending to be open to bids from European corporations, and will prohibit considerations of local economic development, local jobs, sustainability, indigenous rights, environmental considerations or anything other than lowest bid in choosing the winner.

-30-

Dear Premier and MLAs,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! For a while, we were worried. Well, to be honest, we're still worried. This Christmas is snowy, beautiful and full of possibility - but next Christmas isn't looking so good.

2012 is the year that CETA - the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the European Union and Canada - will be ratified. This is the widest ranging trade agreement that Canada has ever considered, and the first to include provincial and municipal procurement, yet media have not been reporting on it, and Canadians have been given very little opportunity to find out what it is and what it's going to do to us.

Fortunately, there are some things we have found out about CETA:

CETA will be good for corporations and bad for every day people.

European corporations want to sell Canadians the services we now receive publicly, services such as health care, education, water and mail delivery.
CETA will give these private companies the right to bid on all government tenders over $200,000 for goods and services including schools, hospitals, airports, public transit, ports, and hydro projects to name just a few.
Governments must by law choose the lowest bidder, without any considerations of local economic development, environmental policies, indigenous rights, or anything outside of direct dollar amount.
Any rules or practices that favour local economic development, support local food production or promote local or Canadian goods and services will be challenged as unfair barriers to trade.
As well, these corporations will have the right to challenge any local laws that promote fair trade or reflect environmental concerns of the community, such as bottled water bans
The section on intellectual property rights will allow big pharmaceutical corporations to increase their patents by an additional 5 years, thus adding $2.8 billion/year to the cost of pharmacare in Canada – $79.8 million of that in Manitoba alone.
We want next Christmas to be a happy one, a time for us to celebrate our values of freedom and democracy. We want to know that when we send our Holiday letter next year, it will be to Members of a Legislative Assembly that still has the right to make decisions without the fear of corporate interference.

We don't want to wake up Christmas morning to find that a CETA Clause put coal in our stockings!

Do you?

Happy Holidays!
The Council of Canadians – Winnipeg Chapter

Awethu! Amandla! - Power to the People

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:05:00 +0000

Impressions from COP 17
by Canadian Youth Delegate Anika Terton

The United Nations Climate Change Conference opened on Monday morning, 28 November and Canada is already the talk of the conference. While I experienced my first day at COP 17, struggled to figure out why the meeting rooms are named after plants, materials and geographical locations and wonder why no one has provided me with a giant map of the International Conference Centre - my email inbox filled up with rumors about Canada preparing to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol next month. Only a few minutes later it was confirmed that Canada plans to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol, the only legally binding emissions agreement, early next month. Peter Kent declared to the Canadian Press that he is coming into the negotiations ready “to play hardball with developing countries.” For some reason I thought it was those developing countries who should be playing hardball with developed countries.

Canada’s plan is a slap in the face to the international community. Canada is isolating itself even more in these talks as a country that not only is refusing to take meaningful action at home, but also one that has lost the trust and respect of the international community here in Durban and around the world.

Following these developments Canada has collected three fossil of the day awards as of today. Primarily for failing to support a second commitment period and undermining the value of the Kyoto Protocol as well as Kent's most recent comment: "There is an urgency to this," said Kent. "We don't need a binding convention, what we need is action and a mandate to work on an eventual binding convention." What can I say– he nailed the first half of the sentence. Earlier last week Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent said he hoped to win fewer fossils then his predecessors, he is not off to a very good start!

In a turn of good old-fashioned Canadian manners, the Canadian Youth Delegation is publicly apologizing for a problem they didn’t create. On Wednesday an apology letter by the Canadian Youth Delegation, was published in The Mercury, a Durban daily newspaper. The letter cited irresponsible Canadian policies, such as Environment Minister Kent’s declaration to defend the tar sands at the COP17 climate negotiations and Canada’s recent rejection of the Kyoto Protocol.

Yesterday was Young and Future Generation’s Day at COP17. Many young people I have met here come from countries where they are already suffering climate change impacts and they came to Durban to send a message to negotiators: This is not about what is politically possible, it is about survival for young people and future generations.

In solidarity with youth from around the world, the Canadian Youth Delegation and the United Kingdom Climate Coalition have partnered together to hold a bake sale in order to raise funds to buy back our common future – which is jeopardized in the current negotiations by governments acting on economic short-term goals. Evidently money speaks louder that the voices of their electorate. Therefore youth have decided that it is time for us to start speaking the only language that these governments seem to understand.

In South Africa, Ilearned a common rally cry, which is heard amongst people demanding their rights. Dating back to the days of anti-apartheid resistance – a call and response, the leader yells out “Amandla!” (Power!) and the crowd replies “Awethu!” (To Us!).

I would put the same call out to Canadian people. It is time for us to send a clear message to our government to stand up for our common future.

Awethu!
Amandla!
Power to the People

Contributor: Anika Terton - Climate Change Connection Public Education and Outreach Coordinator

Anika is a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation to COP17 in Durban, South Africa representing Manitoba. Follow her updates regularly at the youthdelegatemanitoba blog.

Manitoba's Youth Delegate to Durban assesses the Environment

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:05:00 +0000

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol, Working Together - Saving Tomorrow Today is being held from November 28 to December 9th 2011. COP17/CMP7 website

Ani is a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation to COP17 in Durban, South Africa representing Manitoba. Follow her updates regularly at the youthdelegatemanitoba blog.

Excerpt from: Ani's youthdelegatemanitoba blog - Novemer 21, 2011
Climate Change Policy – A Hot Potato

“It is the youth of the world who can set the agenda for the future and pursue it with diligence. We must do all we can to empower young people to take action, because the future belongs to them” – R. Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Back in June, I was offered the great opportunity to attend the United Nations Climate Change Negotiations – *COP17 this December (Nov. 28 – Dec. 9) in Durban, South Africa* as part of the Canadian Youth Delegation to represent Manitoba. The UN process is generally inaccessible to the average person; thus this opportunity means an incredible experience as well as responsibility and privilege.
read the full posting

Excerpt from: Ani's youthdelegatemanitoba blog - November 28, 2011
Working Today – Saving Tomorrow Today

Despite the fact that Canada has already been singled out by Civil Society groups as one of the countries trying to obstruct progress during the negotiations, Climate Action Network International brought civil society members from all over the world together to bottom-line concrete asks to make this a successful COP, not some fuzzy “political commitment”. A positive outcome in Durban includes a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, securing a mandate to negotiate a legally-binding agreement no later than 2015, and the implementation of the Green Climate Fund.
read the full posting

Opposition against CETA grows

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:10:00 +0000

Excerpt from:
The Uniter Opposition against Canada-Europe trade deal grows
by Anne Thomas (Beat Reporter) - November 10th 2011

CETA opponents have been calling for a public debate, and the Council of Canadians organized a letter-writing campaign.

“If CETA is signed as it stands, it will prevent local governments from spending local tax dollars to build local economic health,” said Mary McCandless of the Winnipeg chapter of the Council of Canadians.

The group expects CETA to drive up prescription drug costs, threaten farm support programs and allow foreign corporations to ignore Canadian environmental regulations.

Unlike past free trade deals, under CETA, local governments would not be allowed to favour local or environmentally responsible suppliers or those suppliers creating local jobs. Small purchases would be exempt, but the group fears restrictions would apply to about 80 per cent of the over $100 billion spent annually on provincial and municipal purchases.

“We need to use that money to keep our communities strong and vibrant,” McCandless said.

...read the full article here.