Saturday, October 10th
Join us for a caravan and rally at Liberal MP Bob Rae?s Toronto Centre office
to protest the Harper-Liberal party alliance to ratify a Free Trade Agreement
with Colombia.
11:00 am-Car/bicycle caravan departs from south-west corner of Allen Gardens
Park (Carlton & Sherbourne Sts.).
11:30 am-Rally @ Bob Rae’s Constituency Office, 514 Parliament Street (Carlton
& Parliament Sts.).
Background
The Canadian House of Commons is debating Bill-C23, to implement the
CCFTA. The
Harper government, with crucial Liberal party support, is committed to
implementing the CCFTA and throwing right-wing Colombian president
Alvaro Uribe
a political lifeline, despite his corrupt, discredited regime and egregious
human rights record. Two Liberal MPs in particular, Bob Rae and Scott Brisson,
have shown themselves to be strong supporters of the CCFTA.
Come and tell our elected officials that we are opposed to the ratification of
the CCFTA. It has no effective, binding mechanisms to safeguard labour, human
rights and the environment. Like Mexico’s NAFTA, it will negatively impact
small and medium-sized producers who are among the most marginalized in
Colombia. It will mainly safeguard investors’ rights, especially Canadian
energy and mining corporations that are active in conflict-zones. CAFTA will
aggravate internal displacement, which at close to 4 million people,
is already
an alarming humanitarian crisis. At minimum, the Liberal party should honour
its earlier stated commitment to a full independent human rights impact
assessment before further consideration is given to a trade agreement with
Colombia.
Organized by: Colombia Action Solidarity Alliance (CASA), Toronto Chapter
Council of Canadians & Latin American Solidarity Network (LASN)/Endorsed by:
CUPE OntarioFor more Information: esguerra @vif.com 416.651.2409
Caravan Route:
First Loop
Departure – Allan Gardens Park @ 11am
EAST – on Carlton Street
NORTH – on Parliament Street (5 min. stop at 514 Parliament Street)
EAST – on Wellesley Street
SOUTH – on Sumach Street
WEST – on Carlton Street
Second Loop
NORTH – on Parliament Street (5 min. stop at 514 Parliament Street)
WEST – on Wellesley Street
SOUTH – on Jarvis Street
EAST – on Carlton Street
End – Allan Gardens Park
__________________________________________________
For more information about CASA please contact
[email protected]