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Canada-Colombia Free Trade AgreementDespite widespread public demands to put human rights before corporate interests in Colombia, on June 14 Liberal and Conservative MPs voted ‘yes’ to the third and final vote on the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (Bill C-2). This agreement has been stalled for over a year because of a persistent human rights crisis in Colombia that continues to see labour leaders assassinated and rights activists threatened with murder. A human rights side agreement to the FTA, proposed by the Liberals and tabled on May 31st in the House of Commons, is wholly inadequate. Human rights and trade justice advocates continue to call for an independent human rights impact assessment to be carried out before the free trade deal is ratified. But on June 1, Liberal and Conservative members of the committee abruptly shut down debate on C-2 without hearing from a list of witnesses who could have spoken to the deal and its human rights side agreement. It is the responsibility now of the Senate to hear from those witnesses and to put rights before trade. VIDEO - Mock burial on Parliament Hill part 1 VIDEO - Mock burial on Parliament Hill pt. 2 Joint Statement: Canada-Colombia Human Rights Deal “Empty”: Civil Society Leaders, June 14, 2010 Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement update:On Thursday May 13 the Committee heard from Barbara Wood, Executive Director of Co-Development Canada and Council of Canadians Director of Organizing Carleen Pickard. Both spoke to their experience in Colombia as part of the International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission in February. Barbara Wood's testimony can be read here and Carleen Pickard's testimony can be read here. A full report on the activities of the International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission, including the final report with recommendations can be read here. Both the Conservatives and the Liberals showed contempt for the witnesses, as did the lobbyists in the room, who joined the Tweet In with various comments such as:
Tweet-In 4 ColombiaOn May 25, 2010, Council of Canadians had its third Tweet-In 4 Colombia as Canada’s trade committee heard from various witnesses for and against an FTA. Council of Canadians' board member Steven Shrybman presented on the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. On Tuesday, May 11, our first Tweet-In stopped the Harper Conservatives from moving to SHUT DOWN DEBATE by the Standing Committee on International Trade on the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement. On Thursday May 13, we were on Twitter again as the Committee heard from Barbara Wood, Executive Director of Co-Development Canada and Council of Canadians Director of Organizing Carleen Pickard. By tweeting the words and actions of our MPs in real time we gave tens of thousands of people who could not be at the trade committee meeting in person updates on what was happening on the room as well as encouraged then to take action. International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission to Colombia questions timing of Canada–Colombia Free Trade AgreementThe International Pre-Electoral Observation Mission to Colombia was led by Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org), with the participation of professionals, analysts and citizens of more than seven countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, the U.K. and Mexico. Four delegates from Canada were part of the Mission, including Carleen Pickard of the Council of Canadians. The mission brought together 22 individuals with collective experience of electoral observation in eleven countries. From Feb. 3-15, the group conducted pre-electoral observation in Colombia, prior to the 2010 elections. The Mission divided into four teams to observe conditions in municipalities in the departments of Antioquia, Córdoba, Valle del Cauca and Santander.
VIDEO: Fair elections in Colombia must precede trade deal ResourcesCanadian Labour Congress Statement on Passage of Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, July 12, 2010 Colombia's Elections: Under the Gun, Laura Carlsen, Center For International Policy, March 23, 2010 The Canada-Colombia Project: An information source on Canada-Colombia relations by the La Chiva Collective Making a Bad Situation Worse: An analysis of the text of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, by the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, Canadian Labour Congress and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Top Ten Reasons Why Canada Should Cancel Harper’s “Free Trade” Deal With Colombia, a four-page fact sheet from the Canadian Labour Congress Trading Away Human Rights: Why the EU-Colombia free trade agreement is a step in the wrong direction, a joint report of the Trade Union Congress, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Justice for Colombia, Unite, and Workers Uniting The Struggle for Survival and Dignity: Human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples in Colombia, a report by Amnesty International Key Benchmarks for a Human Rights Impact Assessment for the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – A guideline for future parliamentary action on Colombia commissioned by the CCIC’s Americas Policy Group What's wrong with Canada-Colombia FTA, Manuel Rozental, Rabble.ca Prominent Canadians ask Ignatieff to put human rights before free trade in Colombia Canadian Labour Congress letter to Michael Ignatieff regarding the ratification of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. (English / Français) -Colombia Letter to Parliament from 4 Union Leaders » Canada-Peru FTA
Senate passes Peru FTA; Council of Canadians protests Petrolifera in Alberta Letter to Prime Minister Harper from the CCIC’s Americas Policy Group on halting the Canada-Peru FTA, June 15, 2009 Letter to President Alan Garcia expressing deep concern over the recent police attack on peaceful Indigenous protesters in Peru. June 12, 2009 Civil society organizations address government senate leader Marjory LeBreton (download PDF) and opposition senate leader James Cowan (download PDF) in letters urging senate to halt the passage of Bill C-24. June 11, 2009 |
FEATURES
[27-May-10] Canada - Colombia free trade agreement hit with forgery scandal Op-ed: Too many unanswered questions, Chronicle Herald, Carleen Pickard, May 20, 2010 [25-Mar-10] Liberals sell-out on human rights with amendment to Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement [17-Mar-10] Free trade deal won’t strengthen Colombia’s democracy warn Canadian election monitors Wolfville challenges Liberal support for Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Council of Canadians and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) organized a forum and rally on December 3-4, 2009 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Canadian Labour Congress submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade concerning the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, September 14, 2009. Manuel Rozental on the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Action alerts: Tell Liberal caucus Canadians still oppose free trade with Colombia Hold Senate accountable for hasty passage of Canada-Peru free trade agreement Canada must halt free trade agreement with Peru Oppose free trade repression in Peru Tell your MP 'vote no to the Canada-Colombia FTA' Week of Action on Colombia-Canada FTA; MPs must defend human rights before trade
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