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May 30
June 6
June 13
June 20
June 27
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Take action! Write a letter to any or all of the following:
- your Member of Parliament (addresses)
- Prime Minister Jean Chretien
- the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bill Graham
- the Minister of Industry, Allan Rock
We recommend a snail-mail letter or fax rather than an email. It has
more presence. Please use your own phrasing, but feel free to use ideas
like those below (taken from our recent press
release). Mail may be sent postage-free to any Member at the following
address: House of Commons, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario K1A
0A6
What do you say? Express your dissatisfaction with how our government
is letting the current international trading system walk over the rights
of the developing world. Ask for Canada to take a lead in:
- Improving market access for poor countries and ending the cycle
of subsidised agricultural over-production and export dumping by rich
countries.
- Ending the use of conditions attached to IMF-World Bank programmes
which force poor countries to open their markets regardless of the
impact on poor people.
- Creating a new international commodities institution to raise prices
to levels consistent with a reasonable standard of living for producers,
and changing corporate practices so that companies pay fair prices.
- Establishing new intellectual-property rules to ensure that poor
countries are able to afford new technologies and basic medicines,
and that farmers are able to save, exchange, and sell seeds.
- Prohibiting rules that force governments to liberalise or privatise
basic services that are vital for poverty reduction.
- Enhancing the quality of private-sector investment and employment
standards.
- Democratising the WTO to give poor countries a stronger voice.
- Changing national policies on health, education, and governance
so that poor people can develop their capabilities, realise their
potential, and participate in markets on more equitable terms.
Our government does indeed listen to us ... but only when enough of
us speak out, and speak out often! Thank you for your contribution.
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