[mobglob-discuss] Masks, Teach-ins and Halloween: Hemisphere wide to Stop the FTAA

[Macdonald Stainsby]

Last August, there was a national conference held in Montreal, Quebec with the
express aim of starting a national Canadian response to the upcoming massive
demonstrations against the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), the very same
trade framework that was protested in the tearing down of the Wall of shame in
Quebec City, April 2002.

It was decided that a coalition was to be put together, a coalition that would
cover all social groups in resisting the FTAA, a Solidarity Network to Stop the
FTAA (SNSF) would be established, with each region of the country coming up with
the action that makes the most sense for their region. In the province of
Quebec, the call was made for a student strike and mass action in solidairty
with the people of Quito, Ecuador who are protesting the FTAA, starting on
Halloween.

For endorsements and more information on the Hemispheric Group we are a part of:

www.snsf-rscz.com

Here in BC, we have put together a demonstration/march against the FTAA,
starting from Victory Square downtown (Cambie and Hastings) at noon on Halloween
(Thursday, Ocxtober 31, 2002).

People will hear quick, short speakers. Then, the march will start and end at
the Harbour Centre (downtown, SFU) before 1:30pm. Teach-ins to unmask the FTAA
and other connected social issues.

We are hoping all people in the crowd for the march and the teach-in will be in
costume. Let's mask up against corporate globalisation.

 The teach-in begins with a mass-plenary:
1:30pm
Intro to Globalisation and the FTAA
with Garth Mullins (anti-globalisation activist and phd student at UBC)
 and Gary Teeple (sociology professor, SFU).

then breaks into different workshops:
2:30 -3:45pm
A)
THe FTAA and the corporate takeover of education
with Robin Wylie (Douglas College instructor)
and Jamie Matten (student movement)
B)
The School of the Americas
with Veronica Miralles Sanchez
C)
Women and the Effects of the FTAA
a Grassroots Women workshop.
D)
BC and Globalisation in context--
the Crackdown on Working People.
with Blain  (Anti-Poverty Committee[APC], QUAK)
and Terry Engler (International Longshore and Warehouse Union[ILWU])
BLOCK B
4:00- 5:15pm.
A)
Militarism and Globalisation: Plan Colombia, the Middle East and the Imperialist
Context.
with Hari Sharma (South Asian Network for Secularism And Democracy),
Mordecai Briemberg (CanPalNet) and
Janet Munoz.
B)
 Indigenous Struggles & Globalisation Worldwide
with: TBA.
C)
The Environment and the FTAA
with Ken Wu (Western Canada Wilderness Committee).

5:30-6:00pm
Closing Plenary:
Round up and "what can we do?"
Reports back from far and near.




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Macdonald Stainsby
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
--
In the contradiction lies the hope.
                                     --Bertholt Brecht