The Problem
The on-going debt crisis of developing countries is integral to the perpetuation of an unjust economic system, one that concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few. EVERY SINGLE DAY in 1999, $128 million was transferred from the poorest countries to the richest in debt repayments. For every one dollar in aid to developing countries, more than seven dollars comes back to rich countries in the form of debt servicing.

Ottawa Premiere of the award-winning documentary "Life and Debt"
A scathing indictment of economic globalization

Ottawa - Life and Debt, winner of the Critics Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival 2001, will be shown on the same day as the World Bank and the IMF meetings in Ottawa. Life and Debt offers a clear analysis of globalization and its negative impacts, focusing on the impacts of the World Bank and the IMF on Jamaica. Canada represents the World Bank and the IMF on the Board of Directors of both of these institutions.

This film is being shown by World Inter-Action Mondiale and Halifax Initiative following the November 17th Day of Action for Peace and Justice calling attention to the failures of economic globalization.

Roger Ebert, in a review of this film for the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote: "If you're curious about why the demonstrators are so angry, this is why they're so angry."

In Canada, CASA is being undertaken by a Steering Committee of non-governmental organizations from a

In Canada, CASA is being undertaken by a Steering Committee of non-governmental organizations from a number of sector

In Canada, CASA is being undertaken by a Steering Committee of non-governmental organizations from a number of sector

In Canada, CASA is being undertaken by a Steering Committee of non-governmental organizations from a num

Excerpts from a letter sent to the IMF & WB (July 1999)
Excerpts from a letter sent to: Tom Bernes, Executive Director for Canada, International Monetary Fund
Terrie O'Leary, Executive Director for Canada, World Bank

13 July, 1999

Dear Ms. O’Leary and Mr. Bernes,

I am writing, belatedly, on behalf of the Halifax Initiative, and the NGOs who joined us, to thank you both for meeting with us while we were in Washington for the Spring meetings. The meeting on April 26th, as well as the related meeting with Minister Martin on the 28th, was useful in learning more about the unfolding debt and financial architecture discussions as well as current Canadian positions in these areas. We also appreciated the opportunity to question you about the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) process and to briefly discuss the Structural Adjustment Participatory Review Initiative (SAPRI).

Halifax Initiative coalition submission to the 1999 Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Debt Initiative Review and C

Halifax Initiative condemns debt relief conditioned on IMF austerity programs
27 April 1999
Washington - The Halifax Initiative, a Canadian coalition of social justice, development, faith and environment oganizations, is dismayed by the failure of the international financial institutions to remove structural adjustment conditionality as a requirement for implementation of their debt reduction program.

Time is running out for international efforts to resolve the debt crisis
For Release: September 9, 1996

Time is running out for international efforts to resolve the debt crisis facing the poorest countries. At the end of September, Finance Ministers from around the world will gather at the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in hopes of finalizing a plan for debt reduction. At this late date, however, many key issues remain unresolved and the entire initiative could yet collapse.