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.
Hon. Paul Martin, Minister of Finance
House of Commons
Centre Block, 309-S
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
April 30, 2002
Dear Mr. Martin,
On behalf of the Halifax Initiative, I write seeking clarification as to whether and why the Government of Canada no longer supports the Tobin tax. When questioned by Lorne Nystrom in the House, John McCallum, Secretary of State for Financial Institutions said that he "would commend the government for ceasing to support a Tobin tax because I think it is a pretty bad tax." (House of Commons Hansard, 21 March 2002).
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
The following letter was sent to the Prime Minister with copies to the Finance Minister and the Foreign Affairs Minister on March 14, 2002. It was signed by leaders representing over 100 Canadian development, social justice, labour and faith organizations.
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Centre Block, 309-S
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
March 14, 2002
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing to you, as representatives of Canadian non-governmental organizations, to express our dismay at the proposed outcomes of the UN Financing for Development process and Canada’s role in the negotiations leading to it. We call urgently for renewed leadership on the road to Kananaskis.
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
The following letter was sent to the Prime Minister with copies to the Finance Minister and the Foreign Affairs Minister on March 14, 2002. It was signed by leaders representing over 100 Canadian development, social justice, labour and faith organizations.
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Centre Block, 309-S
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
March 14, 2002
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing to you, as representatives of Canadian non-governmental organizations, to express our dismay at the proposed outcomes of the UN Financing for Development process and Canada’s role in the negotiations leading to it. We call urgently for renewed leadership on the road to Kananaskis.
O
ttawa 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."
MEDIA RELEASE
NGOS CONDEMN THE EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR FAILING TO RELEASE BASIC INFORMATION
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.
“A Global Agreement towards a United World”, June 1 – 3, 2001, Genoa, Italy
Experience with Currency Transactions (Tobin) Taxes – Debunking the Myths and Building Political Support
by Robin Round, Policy Analyst
The world of finance has become a global gambling casino, where investors seeking quick profits bet huge sums around the clock. Big banks and investment firms are the players, profiting from the minute-to-minute, hourly or daily fluctuations in prices on bond and currency markets around the world. These players are not investing in the `real economy', which generates jobs and produces goods and services, they are investing in the ‘paper economy’ in which money becomes a commodity rather than a means of exchange.
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
