Activism
LONG-TERM CAMPAIGNS
Galvanizing Labor
Carl Finamore
POVERTY DEPARTMENT
Fearful Symmetry
James McEnteer
SCHOOLING
Militarism Playground
Jeff Nall
Commentary
URGENT
We Need Your Help
Z Staff
EDITORIAL
Cartoons
Various Contributors
CAPITUALTIONS
Military V. Health
Solomon Commissiong
HUMAN RIGHTS
Universal Jurisdiction
Lisa Skeen
EYES RIGHT
Powell Memo
Chip Berlet
CONSERVATIVE WATCH
Right V. NEA, Again
Bill Berkowitz
GAY & LESBIAN COMMUNITY NOTES
MJ's Queer Family
Michael Bronski
Culture
DOCUMENTARY
You, Me & the SPP
Tim Pelzer
BOOK REVIEW
Schwartz's Solidarity Stories
David Bacon
BOOK REVIEW
Gordon's Anarchy Alive
Hans Bennett
BOOK REVIEW
Yates's Working Class
Seth Sandronsky
BOOK REVIEW
Rich's Human Eye
Gregg Mosson
Features
SCENES OF RESISTANCE
Tegucigalpa Notes
Joseph Shansky
FOREIGN POLICY
Coups, UNASUR, U.S.
Noam Chomsky
GREEN TIDE
Hug Them While They Last
Robert Larson
DOMESTIC POLICY
Nowhere To Fall
Katie Beran
INTERVIEW
Hoodboy on Pakistan
David Barsamian
INTERVIEW
Ramiro on Drug War
John Gibler
Zaps
FREE LISTINGS
Zaps - 10-09
Various Contributors
NOTE: Z Magazine subscribers and sustainers have access to all Z Magazine articles here and in the archive. The latest Z Magazine articles available to everyone are listed in the Free Articles box at the top of the table of contents, and are starred in the list below. Questions? e-mail Z Magazine Online.
You, Me and the SPP
Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule
Directed by Paul Manly; Manly Media Productions, 2009, 91mins.
Canadian filmmaker Paul Manly did not originally set out to make a documentary about the Security Prosperity Partnership (SPP). The SPP, signed between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in March 2005, aims to harmonize trade regulations between the three nations. However, the more Manly delved into the agreement, the more it disturbed him.
The result is the documentary You, Me and the SPP: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule. Manly reveals that the SPP is really an agreement modeled on NAFTA that threatens to further erode democracy, the environment, and living standards across North America. It is about big corporations wanting to lower a broad range of regulations and practices. "Whichever province or state [that] has the lowest standards, that's the standards these companies are allowed to use as their benchmark," says Maude Barlow, Council of Canadian's chairperson.
According to New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Peter Julian, the SPP would lower standards in 300 areas of regulation in Canada. Julian cites the Canadian government's decision to allow the import of more pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables, putting at a disadvantage Canadian farmers who have higher standards while also harming human health.
The SPP is also about North American economic integration and ensuring the U.S. a secure supply of natural resources. Academic Gordon Laxer says that the SPP would lower Canada's environmental regulations to allow more oil and gas exports to the U.S. It will also allow Canada to bring in more Mexican workers with few labor rights. Exporting Canadian water to the U.S. is also being discussed.
Barlow said that when she asked U.S. embassy officials in Ottawa why the SPP was never brought to elected bodies for discussion and approval, she was told that they wanted "to avoid another losing NAFTA debate."
The documentary also sheds light on the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA), a supposed free trade agreement between Canadian provinces that eliminates trade barriers. Journalist Murray Dobbins asserts that TILMA is an essential part of the SPP. Because most regulations are controlled by the provinces and municipalities, the Canadian government cannot negotiate deregulation and harmonization with the U.S. and Mexico until this obstacle is dealt with. TILMA is really an investors' rights agreement under the guise of dismantling trade barriers, few of which even exist. Like NAFTA, it allows corporations to sue provincial or municipal governments and school boards that raise standards. Dispute panels that meet behind closed doors will make rulings, not the courts. Even when panels do not rule against elected bodies, it creates a chilling effect, say critics, discouraging democratic bodies from improving standards.
Dobbins remarks that the SPP is "a parallel government where important decisions are made outside elected legislatures or parliament or they make it impossible for these types of decisions to be made in these elected bodies." How do proponents of the deal respond to the accusation that the SPP will erode democracy and living and environmental standards? Each federal or provincial government minister Manly contacted was too busy to answer questions. According to constitutional lawyer Joel Bakan, trade agreements like the SPP "are very powerful, secretive and very difficult for us as citizens to penetrate and have any say over."
One of the most disturbing segments of You, Me and the SPP occurs when Manly films a peaceful group of citizens and trade unionists protesting against the SPP at a joint Canadian, U.S., and Mexican 2007 summit in Quebec. Suddenly, three masked men dressed in black clothing begin throwing rocks at the police from behind the protesters. The demonstrators confront the three masked men, still clenching large rocks in their hands, and demand that they drop their stones, accusing them of being provocateurs from the police intent on starting a riot. Later a Quebec police spokesperson admitted that the three masked men were indeed police officers.
Manly's You, Me and the SPP deserves to be widely seen. It sheds light on how the SPP will further undermine democratic rights and the ability of elected bodies to pass laws and regulations that protect the environment, workers' rights, and ensure that the economy serves the public.
Z Magazine Archive
Announcements
OCCUPY TOGETHER - Occupy Together is the unofficial hub for the various occupations springing up across the country in solidarity with Occupy Wall St. Towns and cities worldwide are participating.
Contact: http://www.occupytogether.org/.
MAY DAY - May 1 is May Day, also International Workers Day, celebrating the successful fight of workers for rights such as the eight-hour workday. A General Strike is called for May Day by many groups, and events are planned worldwide.
Contact: http://maydayunited.org/; http://www.may1.info/; info@maydayunited.org.
LABOR - The 2012 Labor Notes Conference, themed Solidarity for the 99%, will be held May 4-6, in Chicago. Thousands of union members, officers, and grassroots labor activists will attend the event, which features workshops, meetings and organizing opportunities.
Contact: 313-842-6262; http:// labornotes.org/conference.
MARIJUANA MARCH - On the first Saturday of May (this year: May 5) marijuana legalization activists will hold informational and educational events, rallies and marches in over 300 cities around the world.
Contact: http://globalcannabismarch.com; http://cannabis.wikia.com.
AMERICAN MUSLIMS - KinderUSA will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with a Fundraising Banquet Dinner in Los Angeles on May 5. The keynote speaker will be Norman Finkelstein. KinderUSA was founded as a group of concerned humanitarians and physicians, and has become a leading American Muslim charity organization helping families through health development and emergency relief.
Contact: http://www.kinder usa.org/.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE - SWAN (Service Women’s Action Network) will present Truth and Justice: The 2012 Summit on Military Sexual Violence in Washington, D.C. on May 8. The conferences will give survivors the opportunity to share their stories with congressmembers, policy experts and the general public; with key panels by military law and policy experts on major topics involving military sexual violence and survivors’ access to justice.
Contact: http://truthandjustice summit.org/.
MEDIA - The Alliance for Community Media Youth Summit 2012 will be held May 8 at Pierce College in Philadelphia, PA. The summit will consist of four one-day symposia that provide a public forum for discussion about media and news literacy in America. Participants will include educators, community leaders, media professionals, journalists, nonprofit leaders, policymakers and students.
Contact: http://www.allcommunitymedia.org.
MOMS/BOMBS - Moms Against Bombs and the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action will honor the long history of women’s resistance to injustice, war and nuclear weapons on May 12. A full day of activities is planned, including Orientation to the Trident Nuclear Weapons System, Nonviolence Training, Action Planning and Preparation, Mother’s Day Proclamation for Peace, and a Vigil and Nonviolent Direct Action at the Bangor Trident Submarine Base.
Contact: Anne Hall, 206- 545-3562, annehall@familyhealing.com; gznonviolencenews@yahoo.com; www.gzcenter.org.
MOTHER’S DAY/PEACE - The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace began in 1996 for families who had lost their children to violence. On a day that celebrates mothers and children, the Walk became a place for families and friends to feel support and love with thousands of others who pledge their commitment to peace.
The day has also become a way for thousands of people to financially support the work of the Louis Brown Peace Institute. Mother’s Day is May 13.
Contact: http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/; http://www.ldb peaceinstitute.org/.
BRECHT FORUM - The Beginning Is Near: An Evening with Michael Moore & Cornel West, a special benefit for the Brecht Forum, will be held May 18 at Hunter College in New York City.
Contact: https://brechtforum.org.
LABOR - The Pacific Northwest Labor History Association’s 44th annual conference, A Century of Bread and Roses, is scheduled for May 18-20 in Tacoma, WA.
Contact: PNLHA, 2402-6888 Station Hill Drive, Burnaby, BC, V3N 4X5; 604-540-0245; pnlha@shaw.ca; www.pnlha.org.
HOMELESSNESS - PM Press and First Presbyterian Church will host author Summer Brenner at the Conference on Homelessness on May 19 in Palo Alto, CA.
Contact: First Presbyterian Church, 1140 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, VA 94301; http://www.pmpress.org/.
NATO/G8 - The Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda is organizing protests at the NATO and G8 meetings being held in Chicago, May 19-21. A legal, permitted, family-friendly march and rally are planned for May 19. An Occupy Chicago month-long occupation is being planned to begin May 1. The Network for a Nato-Free Future and American Friends Service Committee will also be hosting a Counter-Summit for Peace and Economic Justice May 18-19 at People’s Church in Chicago.
Contact: http://cang8.wordpress.com/about/; http://www.natofreefuture.org/.
ANARCHY FEST - A month-long Festival of Anarchy is scheduled for May in Montreal. The festival includes The Montreal Anarchist Bookfair (May 19-20).
Contact: http://www.radical montreal.com/;http://www.anarchist bookfair.ca/.
TRUTHDIG - Truthdig.com will be gathering May 20-25 in New Mexico with other concerned people to assess current prospects for progressive change. Speakers include Dennis Kucinich and Chris Hedges.
Contact: http://www.truthdig.com/event/santafe.
FEMINIST SCI-FI - The feminist science fiction convention WisCon 36 is scheduled for May 25-28 in Madison, Wisconsin, featuring discussion and debate of sci-fi/fantasy ideas relating to feminism, gender, race and class.
Contact: WisCon, c/o SF3, PO Box 1624, Madison, WI 53701; concom35@wiscon.info; www.wiscon.info.
MULTICULTURE - The 25th Annual National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE) holds its annual conference May 29 -June 2 in New York City.
Contact: Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies, 3200 Marshall Avenue, Suite 290, Norman, OK 73072; 405- 325-3694; www.ncore.ou.edu.
BIKING - Bikes Not Bombs is holding its 24th annual Bike-A-Thon and Green Roots Festival in Boston, MA on June 3, with several bike rides scheduled, music, exhibitors and more.
Contact: Bikes Not Bombs, 284 Amory St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130; 617-522-0222; mail@bikesnotbombs.org; www.bikesnotbombs.org.
RADIO - The 37th Annual Community Radio Conference is scheduled for June 13-16 in Houston, TX with discussions and workshops.
Contact: National Federation of Community Broadcasters, 1970 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland, CA 94612; 510-451 -8200; conference@nfcb.org; www.nfcb.org.
PEOPLE’S SUMMIT - The People’s Summit for Social and Environmental Justice during Rio+20 is an event by global civil society that will take place between the 15 and the 23 of June at Flamengo, in Rio de Janeiro—alongside the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), Rio+20.
Contact: contato@rio2012. org.br; http://cupuladospovos.org.br/en/.
ADC CONFERENCE - The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ACD) holds its annual conference June 21-24 in Washington, DC, with panel discussions and workshops on civil rights, media, the Mideast, etc.
Contact: ADC, 1732 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington DC, 20007; 202-244-2990; convention@adc.org; www.adc.org/convention.
MEDIA - The 14th annual Allied Media Conference will be held June 28-July 1 at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Participatory workshops and skillshares will emphasize DIY alternative media to advance visions of a just and creative world.
Contact: Allied Media Projects, 4126 Third St., Detroit, MI 48201; www.alliedmediacon ference.org.
LA RAZA - The annual National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Conference is scheduled for July 7-10 in Las Vegas, with workshops, presentations and panel discussions.
Contact: NCLR Headquarters Office, Raul Yzaguirre Building, 1126 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036; 202-785-1670; www.nclr.org.
PEACESTOCK - On July 14 the 10th Annual Peace- stock: A Gathering for Peace will take place at Windbeam Farm in Hager City, WI. Peacestock (formerly “Pigstock”) is a mixture of music, speakers, and community for peace. The event is sponsored by Veterans for Peace, Chapter 115 and has a peace-themed agenda.
Contact: Bill Habedank, 1913 Grandview Ave., Red Wing, MN 55066; 651-388-7733; billhabedank@yahoo.com; http://www.peacestockvfp.org.
POPULAR ECONOMICS - The Center for Popular Economics is holding its 2012 Summer Institute July 23-27 at Columbia University in New York City. No background in economics is needed for this intensive training. This year’s theme is Economics for the 99%.
Contact: Center for Popular Economics, PO Box 785 Amherst, MA 01004; 413-545-0743; programs@populareconomics.org; www.populareconomics.org.
CUBA/PASTORS - The 23rd annual Pastors for Peace Friendship Caravan to Cuba is scheduled for
July1-July 31. Volunteers will travel across the U.S and Canada collecting aid and educating about the unjust blockade against Cuba, before an orientation in Texas July 15-18, followed by an education program in Cuba July 21-29, and finally a return back to the U.S. People can participate by attending or hosting local events, donating materials, or sponsoring a traveler.
Contact: IFCO/Pastors for Peace, 418 W. 145th St., New York, NY 10031; 212-926- 5757; cucaravan@igc.org; www.pastorsforpeace.org.
COMMUNITY MEDIA - The Alliance for Community Media 2012 National Conference is scheduled for July 31-August 2 in Chicago. Hands-on workshops and skillshares will be offered by this grassroots coalition of community media groups. This year’s theme is Collaborate!
Contact: ACM, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102; www.alliancecm.org.
VETERANS - Veterans for Peace is holding the 27th annual convention August 8-12 in Miami, FL. This year’s theme is, Liberating the Americas: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Contact: Veterans For Peace, 216 S. Meramec Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105; 314-725-6005; www.vfpnationalconvention.org
COMMUNITIES - The Communities Conference is a networking and learning opportunity for co-operative or communal lifestyles, with workshops, events and entertainment; scheduled for August 31-September 3 at the Twin Oaks Community in Louisa, Virginia.
Contact: Twin Oaks Communities Conference, 138 Twin Oaks Road, Louisa, VA 23093; 540-894-5126; conference@ twinoaks.org; www.communitiesconference.org.
