For pdf, click here.

October 10, 2008

Re.: Canadian priorities leading up to the Doha Financing for Development Review.  

Dear Minister Emerson:   

The Halifax Initiative would like to thank John Foster, North-South Institute, for his help in developing these FAQs

Revised November 2007

Mind the (Growing) Gap – Debt, Aid, and Trade
1.2 billion people are still living in abject poverty as Prime Minister Stephen Harper heads to St. Petersburg for the annual Group of Eight (G8) meetings. With new promises on energy and security waiting in the wings, it is timely to reflect on how far the G8 has moved on its pledges since last year’s Gleneagles Summit.

According to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, 2005 was to be “the year for Africa”. The Africa Commission report, the Make Poverty History campaign and the Live 8 concerts focused attention on full debt cancellation, more and better aid, fairer trade and tackling poverty. Progress on these fronts, among others, was to help Africa “make serious inroads into poverty”, and towards achieving the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals.

Navigation Tips for a trade storm

With two-fifths of global trade falling under preferential trade agreements and numerous trade disputes hampering export flows in various parts of the world , plotting a secure route through the storms is not easy. Post the failure of WTO negotiations in Cancun, David Clarke examines the scene and assesses which path global trade is moving along and what impact this is having on financing.

Commonwealth Foundation
Brunei Darasalaam
July 22nd, 2003

The Role of IFIs
Pamela Foster
Halifax Initiative Coalition

I may have been asked to give this talk as I, among our Commonwealth colleagues, sit closest to Washington. As there is so much experience in the room in addressing issues of the World Bank and the IMF[1], I will merely start a list of all the ways that the IFIs are implicated in the relentless drive towards privatization of public assets.

First, I would like to quickly share two contextual comments regarding this push towards privatization. It must be situated within the drive towards the end of history, or the ultimate global supremacy of US-modeled capitalism. This victory was declared at the end of the Cold War. The end of history envisions the role of the state being limited to maintaining law and order and a sound investment climate.

The World Bank, the IMF and FTAA
Halifax Initiative Statement on the FTAA

NGOs respond to G8 Action Plan for Africa
NGOs are looking for commitments and follow-through in the following areas:
Bring NEPAD Home for Democratic Debate

Toronto Star
Jun. 15, 01:00 EDT
 
Manley blasts U.S. on farm-aid
Finance minister denounces $190 billion deal
Kelly Toughill
Atlantic Canada Bureau
 
HALIFAX — Deputy Prime Minister John Manley came out swinging in his international debut as finance minister yesterday, chastising a top U.S. official for helping the drug trade and hurting the poor.
 

REPORT FROM MEETING WITH NATIONAL FARMERS UNION MEMBERS

Background

Since the mid 1970s the realized net income of Canadian farms have fallen consistently. The farm crisis that dominated headlines a few months ago may have been triggered by environmental conditions but statistical information clearly indicates it is part of an ongoing trend that has seen net income per farm (in 1998 $) fall from $50,000 in 1975 to -$2,000 in 1999. Clearly this is part of an ongoing trend that the AFB must address in dramatic fashion lest we see the complete annihilation of the Canadian family farm and with it, the rural communities on which much of Canada was built.