Barlow Challenges Fortress North America

Best-selling author Maude Barlow's newest book, Too Close for Comfort: Canada's Future Within Fortress North America, calls for an end to the integration of Canada's foreign, defence and trade policies with those of George Bush's America. Despite the deep unpopularity of President Bush in this country, Canadians are increasingly finding their long-held values challenged by the national security interests of his administration.

The national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, Nobel Prize nominee, and recent Right Livelihood Award recipient argues that Canada is at risk of losing what has been acquired through decades of democratic progress. “The federal government has failed to listen to Canadians and has instead taken its direction from big business lobby groups,” says Barlow.

As Paul Martin, George Bush and Mexico's Vicente Fox prepare for their second closed-door meeting to discuss the so-called "Security and Prosperity Partnership" for North America, Barlow provides Canadians with crucial information about the fateful impacts of these decisions. She demands a moratorium on ongoing talks or other measures aimed at deeper continental integration until the public has been fully consulted.

Coming on the eve of an anticipated federal election, Too Close for Comfort provides essential reading for the voting public. "The same lobby groups that sold us NAFTA with the promise of jobs and respectful trade relations with the U.S., are now trying to sell us more of the same," Barlow says. "Canadians rejected free trade in the 1988 election and given the chance will reject deep integration in this election."

Barlow will be launching Too Close for Comfort, her 15th book, at the Council of Canadians 20th anniversary annual general meeting on Friday November 4 at 5:30 pm in Ottawa. Following this, she will embark on a 15-city book tour that will take her from Victoria, British Columbia to St. John's, Newfoundland.

Too Close for Comfort will be available in bookstores across Canada starting October 25.

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For more information, please contact:
Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians: (613) 233-4487, ext. 249; 1-800-387-7177, ext. 249; .