EDMONTON - Canada’s business elite is pushing Canada closer and closer to assimilation into the United States. By trying to “get in good” with their U.S. buddies, Canadian corporations - with the federal government in tow - are trading away Canada’s independence.

Three renowned speakers will come together Tuesday night in Edmonton to discuss the dangers of Canada’s increasingly close ties to the U.S.:

• Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians
• Murray Dobbin, activist and author of “Paul Martin: CEO for Canada?”
and
• Gordon Laxer, Director of the Parkland Institute.

Canadian corporate interests are lobbying the government to adopt U.S. policies such as collaborating on the controversial missile defence system, handing over more intelligence on Canadian citizens to U.S. authorities, and dropping our higher standards and regulatory protection to U.S. levels.

“The recent sponsorship scandal has revealed the corrupt and secretive relationship between the federal government and Canada’s business elite,” says Maude Barlow. “In light of the push from corporate Canada to adopt a number of troubling U.S. polices and practices, this relationship may be fatal to Canada’s independence.”

"Paul Martin basically ran the Liberal government for nine years as Finance Minister and his main accomplishment was to completely reinvent the federal government,” says Dobbin. “He made radical policy changes that removed our national government from any role in nation-building. In effect, he Amercanized Canada in a multitude of ways and will now take the next logical step: deep integration with the United States."

“The corporate elite and their supporters in Canada don't want an independent country anymore,” says Laxer, a Political Economist. “They've been discussing among themselves 'A Big Idea' to 'harmonize' Canadian policies with those in the United States. But the Big Idea promoters don't want Canadians to learn about the agenda, at least until after the next federal election, because the more Canadians learn of it, the less they will like it.

“With an election on the horizon and the Martin government intent on establishing cozier relations with the Bush administration, it is crucial that Canadians be made aware of what is brewing behind closed doors,” says Barlow. “We urge Canadians to make this a central issue in the upcoming federal election.”

“Colony or Country? The Future of Canada-U.S. Relations” takes place at the Maier Learning Centre - Engineering Teaching and Learning Centre (ETLC) at the University of Alberta. The event starts at 7PM, and admission is free.

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