Confirmation of various WTO postings

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This story just confirms most of the postings you have seen about the WTO protests.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/12/01/wtoprotest/index.html

-- John Ainsworth (ainsje00@wfu.edu), December 01, 1999

Answers

Excellent article.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 01, 1999.


Protests were being held around the world yesterday. At least three in Canada: Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto.

(for educational purposes only)

http://store.cadvision.com/accounts/news/h_p.asp (link probably dead by now)

"Provinces Wed Dec 1, 6:17 am

WTO/Vancouver Celebration

A crowd of more than a thousand people packed a Vancouver hotel last night to celebrate what they're calling a victory at the World Trade Organization conference in Seattle. More than 40 buses from Vancouver left for Seattle to join the protests that virtually shut down the WTO meetings yesterday. Maude Barlow with the Council of Canadians says the victory lies in shifting the media focus from the trade talks to the plight of working class people around the world. B.C. MLA Joy McPhail says the protests sent a clear message. She says that wide open trade is acceptable if handled responsibly in terms of the protection of the environment and basic human rights.

There were problems with the massive protest after police began using tear gas and pepper spray to control the crowd. Some suffered minor injuries. Police say that up to 60 arrests were made."

"In Toronto, about 200 people marched through the business district to protest against the WTO."

CBC

"Farm future hangs in balance at WTO talks WebPosted Tue Nov 30 15:17:32 1999

SEATTLE - Agriculture is the key sector up for negotiation at World Trade Organization talks in Seattle this week, and it's proving to be an extremely sensitive one.

The three major agricultural trading blocks are openly fighting over how to deal with support payments for their farmers. Differences are so entrenched they could end up scuttling an agreement.

The 135 member nations are trying to achieve an agreement to launch a new round of negotiations on breaking down barriers to global trade.

At issue in agriculture is subsidies, specifically those received by producers in Europe.

Australian farmer Graham Blight says it's hard to compete against producers who are being paid by their own governments.

"The people behind me are farmers and so we speak from the heart. And we've come to Seattle because farmers throughout the world are facing deep economic and social pressures," Blight said.

Australia, like Canada, belongs to the Cairns group of major agricultural exporting nations. The group is calling for the complete elimination of export subsidies and the reduction of government support paid to farmers.

Canadian Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief says the Cairns group has a powerful ally in the U.S.

"The United States is virtually totally on side with the thoughts of the Cairns group and that is very, very encouraging and going to be very, very helpful to all of us and to our industry," Vanclief told CBC News.

The alliances thus far isolate the other agricultural powerhouse -- the European Union, which has said bluntly it will not sign any deal here that calls for the elimination of subsidies.

The EU wants farmers to be recognized not just as commodity producers, but for their role in food safety and security as well as their responsibility for the countryside.

The Cairns group says that's just a smokescreen to allow Europe to continue paying its farmers a rate that's distorting agricultural prices for everyone else."

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), December 01, 1999.


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