NAFTA with Guns - Defeating the SPP

SPP Forum and Protest August 19-21

The SPP threatens our environment, social programs, civil liberties, sovereignty and the foundations of democracy. The MAI was killed, and full corporate rule averted. Now we must do the same with the SPP. Time to act! Get informed. Get involved. Send this to everyone you know.

The RCMP, Surete du Quebec and US Army, who are providing security for the SPP meeting between Bush, Harper and Calderone this Sunday to Tuesday (Aug.19-21), have prevented a public discussion forum from being held in the nearby town of Papineauville. This is a good indication of the anti-democratic nature of this "Security and Prosperity Partnership." Fortunately, we still have freedom of speech. So speak up while you can. The internet is now the most powerful media and communications tool the public has. Let's use it.

JTR


The best overview I've seen to date:

The SPP Meeting in August -- and Preparations to oppose it


For further background search this blog for other SPP articles.


Integrate This!
Call to Action Against the SPP! August 19-21

http://www.canadians.org/integratethis/


Poster: Share, print and post this everywhere!

http://www.canadians.org/integratethis/summit/Forum_Aug07.pdf


Attention law students, lawyers and legal professionals:
BCCLA Call for Legal Witnesses

http://www.bccla.org/montebello.htm


Ride-Share to Ottawa & Montebello, Aug. 19

http://www.canadians.org/integratethis/summit/travel.html


An activist camp and gathering: Un Campement

http://www.uncampement.net/?q=en


Still in doubt? Read the following:

Canadian Sovereignty in Jeopardy: The Militarization of North America
by Michael Chossudovsky, Center for Research on Globalization,
August 17, 2007
http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=6572


Related article, reprinted from PEJ.org:

The RCMP, the rogue states, and the SPP Summit

Pej.org news - Joan Russow (PhD) Global Compliance Research Project. It is reported by the Council of Canadians (see below) that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and U.S. Army have blocked a public forum on the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) which was to take place during the SPP summit in Montebello, Quebec on August 20 and 21. If the RCMP is ever going to be credible in the eyes of the public, the RCMP must be perceived to be the enforcer not of the whims of the corporate sector but of fundamental peremptory norms to which most states in the world adhere.

www.PEJ.org

After months, if not years, of the RCMP engaged in range of questionable practices which culminated in the resignation of the Commissioner Zacardelli, the New RCMP Commissioner William Elliot is taking the RCMP to a new
level of ignominy. Before assuming the position of Commissioner of the RCMP, William Elliot, -a “terrorist expert” - in his various capacities, under Transport and Public Safety ministries has been playing a sycophantic role to his US counterparts. Now, with his first act as the RCMP Commissioner he demonstrates that, rather than enforcing the rule of law, he is willing, by denying the Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Association, to violate both the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights to which Canada, US and Mexico are signatories. .

If the RCMP is ever going to be credible in the eyes of the public, the RCMP must be perceived to be the enforcer not of the whims of the corporate sector but of fundamental peremptory norms to which most states in the world adhere. . The RCMP should be concerned that the SPP summit that the RCMP is so intent on protecting is one with at least two leaders who have seriously violated fundamental norms expressed in Conventions such as the Convention against Torture, and the Geneva conventions.

If the RCMP is to be credible, the RCMP should refuse to be an instrument of the US army, and should act to oppose the Security and Prosperity Partnership which further entrenches the licence to violate not only the fundamental human rights of freedom expression and assembly , but also key legally biding environmental, labour, social justice obligations and commitments.


The RCMP should also be concerned that the three countries have either failed to sign and ratify international agreements related to preventing war and conflict, to guaranteeing human rights, to ensuring social justice, to preserving and protecting the environments, or failed to enact the necessary legislation to ensure the implementation and enforcement of these agreements.

But no, the role of the RCMP has become to protect leaders of states which conspire to undermine the rule of law, and to prevent citizens from acting to protect the commons and the common good.

Pej.org news - Joan Russow (PhD) Global Compliance Research Project



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


RCMP and U.S. Army block public forum on Security and Prosperity Partnership


The Council of Canadians has been told it will not be allowed to rent a


municipal community centre for a public forum it had planned to coincide


with the next Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) summit in


Montebello, Quebec on August 20 and 21.


The Municipality of Papineauville, which is about six kilometres from

Montebello, has informed the Council of Canadians that the RCMP, the Sûreté

du Québec (SQ) and the U.S. Army will not allow the municipality to rent the

Centre Communautaire de Papineauville for a public forum on Sunday August

19, on the eve of the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership Leaders

Summit.

"It is deplorable that we are being prevented from bringing together a panel

of writers, academics and parliamentarians to share their concerns about the

Security and Prosperity Partnership with Canadians," said Brent Patterson,

director of organizing with the Council of Canadians. "Meanwhile, six

kilometres away, corporate leaders from the United States, Mexico and Canada

will have unimpeded access to our political leaders."

As well as being shut out of Papineauville, the Council of Canadians has

been told that the RCMP and the SQ will be enforcing a 25-kilometre security

perimeter around the Chateau Montebello, where Stephen Harper will meet with

George W. Bush and Felipe Calderón on August 20 and 21. According to

officials in Montebello, there will be checkpoints at Thurso and Hawkesbury,

and vehicles carrying more than five people will be turned back.

Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada's largest citizens'

organization, with members and chapters across the country. The organization

works to protect Canadian independence by promoting progressive policies on

fair trade, clean water, safe food, public health care, and other issues of

social and economic concern to Canadians.


http://www.canadians.org/media/DI/2007/11-July-07.html