March 15, 1999

February 10, 1999    

Lorne Nystrom's office has just informed us that the 3rd and final hour of debate on the Tobin tax motion (M-239) will be held at 5:30pm EST on Wednesday, March 17. The vote on the motion will likely immediately follow the debate. With a little luck (it is St Patrick's Day!) and all our hard work, we'll have a "Yes" vote to celebrate that night.

Please keep the Declarations and letters to the MPs coming.  Over the next weeks, Halifax Initiative will be circulating an Open Letter to MPs from economists, non-governmental organizations and prominate Canadians. We will also coordinate press work in Ottawa to present the Declarations to Paul Martin - Please try to have all your signed Declarations to us by March 11, 1999 (last minute Declarations can be faxed directly to our Ottawa office at 613-789-4447

Thanks for all your efforts,

Robin Round
Regional Coordinator

February 4, 1999
The second hour of debate on the Tobin tax motion was held in the House of Comons on Feb 3. The Bloc Quebecois has proposed that the motion be amended by removing the words "enact a tax on financial transactions" and replacing them with the following: "promote the implementation of a tax aimed at discouraging speculation on fluctuations in the exchange rate." The language is weaker but not seriously so, and if it brings Bloc support (44seats), is worthwhile.

My overall impression of the debate is that some MPs are ill-informed or are being deliberately misleading in their arguments. The taxes hurt  'average' Canadians" myth seems to be the favorite we must debunk as we argue in favour of the tax.

House of Commons Debate on the Tobin Tax on Feb 3, 1999   
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

February 1, 1999

Citizen's Declarations are pouring in - thanks for sending and sharing them!  Note that the Halifax Intiative site (www. sierraclub.ca/national/halifax)  now has an automatic email sendback for those wishing to sign the Citizen's Declaration on line.

I have included text of two letters recently sent to MPs in this mailout and urge you to use them (if you wish) in your letterwriting to your MP.

The Canadian Labour Congress has just posted its "Put the Brakes on Currency Speculation" campaign on its homepage and from it you can fax your MP directly. Visit the Canadian Labour Congress site and click the FAX YOUR MP icon. Select the "Put the Brakes on Currency Speculation" campaign, type in your name and postal code, and a draft letter(which you can edit) to your MP will appear on your screen. Edit and send!

PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
[English] - October 28, 1998
TAX ON FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS