1.0 Introduction

1.1 Executive Summary:

 The North American Forum on a People-Centered Approach to Trade Summary Report will highlight key messages from the collective perspectives of North American progressive legislators and civil society actors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

 Participants of the Forum worked to build an inventory of the North American actions which affect the way trade has been managed under NAFTA and to examine the Security and Prosperity Partnership Initiative (SPP), two components of the broader neo-liberal market-driven agenda, a legal bill of rights for transnational corporations. NAFTA and NAFTA Plus serve to prevent our respective governments from doing anything that would interfere with corporations' freedom - even when their activities are detrimental to peoples' economic, social and environmental well-being.

The Summary Report aims to document central ideas coming out of the Forum and to raise awareness of solutions that are available to improve and anticipate emerging priorities/actions items which will serve as guidelines for future efforts relating to sectoral strategies, alternatives, parliamentary agendas and research

1.2 Background:

North American legislators and civil society actors met in Ottawa on June 5 2006 to formulate people-centred alternatives to the deep-integration agenda. The session extended the work of the first Tri-National Forum held May 4-5, 2005, in Washington.

Participants included:

• Progressive legislators such as Victor Suarez, Deputy, PRD, from Mexico's Chamber of Deputies, Marcy Kaptur, Congresswoman, Democrat (OH) from the US Congress and Peter Julian, NDP Member of Parliament and NDP Critic on International Trade at the House of Commons and Pierre Paquette, Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament and Trade Critic; and
• Civil society representatives from each country, including the Canadian Common Frontiers, the Alliance for Responsible Trade from the U.S,, a Frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC) and the Réseau québécois sur l'intégration continentale (RQIC).

 Participating civil society networks have documented growing gaps between rich and poor under NAFTA, arguing that social programs and protections have been sacrificed for narrow economic gain for the wealthy. One recent analysis shows that 60 per cent of Canadian families are now worse off under the deal and the Free Trade Agreement that preceded it.

For their part, progressive legislators have voiced concerns about NAFTA promoting a "race to the bottom" rather than equitable development in all three countries. The spark for this North American process is the refusal by all three governments to conduct open reviews of NAFTA's effects on people, communities and regions.

 Instead, the three heads of state continue to meet behind closed doors to extend a little-known Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) agreement. Press releases promote this retooling of some 300 policy and program areas as benign "efficiency" measures meriting no legislative or public input. Many forum participants contest the secrecy.

 Participants continue to examine SPP measures as possible wedges for deeper integration. Indeed, the leaders' discussions have already ranged to an energy pact and the harmonization of migration and security policies. These themes are a slippery slope toward "NAFTA-plus" - a general melding of national policies to eliminate what the multinational-corporate lobby refers to as profit-limiting "incompatibilities."

 The year's forum is especially timely for Canadians. The federal government's surrender on the softwood lumber issue underlines what Canada sacrificed for a NAFTA agreement that is failing to protect our national interest.

 This year's forum aimed to harness participants' well-developed opposition for positive proposition. Participants shared knowledge and explored progressive approaches to social and economic relations in North America. The goal for June 5: a North American work plan toward a people-centred trade model with quality-of-life, democratic rights, social and labour standards and environmental protection as first principles.

2.0 Key Issues

The objective of the panels was to contribute to the overarching statement and action plan coming out of the Forum. This was done by a panel of legislative and civil society representatives working together to promote peoples' participation and trading partnerships based on dialogue, transparency and respect, and that seek greater equity in international trade.

2.1 Panel #1 - Free Trade and Security Agenda: Impact and Challenges

• Alberto Arroyo, RMALC, explained that in Canada and Mexico, the economy is being ‘de-nationalised' and he highlighted the fact that the agricultural sector of the three countries is greatly affected. The trade agreements limit the ability of duly elected officials to pass legislation within their respective parliaments. Proposal to reform these accords to emphasize human rights. All sectors must work together in order to redefine NAFTA. It is important to find ways in which parliamentarians from the three countries can work together on subjects of common interest and to increase cultural awareness.

• John Foster, North-South Institute, noted past meetings in Waco and Cancún and the upcoming March meetings. He highlighted the major elements of future discussion of further integration as being - security issues; the role of new economies; and specific tri-national strategies for the auto sector and the oil sands. He outlined the idea of forming a ‘North American Competition Council'. He stated that under the current tri-national governance model, (especially in the energy and security sectors), that ‘planning' generally involves a representative from the US telling the Canadian and Mexican representatives what the next steps will be. He highlighted that there are three ways to respond to this model - abridge NAFTA altogether; pursue sovereignty under the accord parameters; or work on an issue-by issue basis as per European Union practices.

Key issues/ideas that emerged from the first panel discussion include:

• The role of government and defense forces in quashing domestic movements organizing towards a more people-centered trade model.
• It is important to discuss the fallout of NAFTA on Latin America and the continuing mobilisation against this legislation;
• to discuss concrete strategies on how to increase knowledge of these issues amongst parliamentarians from the three countries;
• important for Canada to gain control of its energy supply;
• the need to create an energy security policy and the importance of discussing the energy proportionality clause of NAFTAs was highlighted;
• Labor standards and the need to have common standards across the three countries.
• The need to reshape integration and make it more inclusive; the allocation of development funds is integral to discussions about a progressive model of integration.
• Question about what type of legislation can be implemented to ensure more equitable relationships, in order to be effective, this legislation must address the effects of integration.
• Faith-based organizations have compiled several workable alternatives.

2.2 Panel #2 - People-Centered Trade Model: The Way Forward

• Marcy Kaptur, U.S. Congresswoman (Ohio), stated the need to be strategic in actions, to define the coalition and get the coalition's message out more clearly. She proposed the ‘caravan across North America' idea as a possible tri-national project. She highlighted the need to pass common legislation on a specific topic and a common statement of purpose. She mentioned that the cost of prescription drugs might be a shared public interest topic common to the three countries. She suggested creating a tri-national NAFTA-assessment taskforce; an intra-parliamentarian working group on continental labour strategies; and a tri-national security force to deal with US/Mexican border issues.
• Jacques Letourneau, Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), noted some of the major issues for NGOs working on integration issues - define the type of globalization that NGOs want to see; strengthen civil society networks; make public consultations more public; and strengthen external communications practices in order to get NGOs messages out more clearly and broadly.

Key issues/ideas that emerged from the second panel discussion include:

• Civil society organizations often have problems getting their message to elected representatives. There is mentions of the European Union's ‘Conseil des élus' as a possible model for civil society and elected representative meetings;
• ways of engaging public in order to increase knowledge about how trade deals directly affect communities;
• the proposal for a common legislative agenda is a good idea and needs to be expanded;
• how to increase the amount of elected parliamentarians that sympathize with the causes NGOs champion;
• mention of the ‘Alternatives for the Americas' document that many organizations use as a base for action;
• The issue of media plutocracy is highlighted.

3.0 Plenary Roundtable - Looking Ahead

Concurrent roundtable sessions were held in the afternoon- Legislators and Civil Society Actors. Each session related to the organization of civil society actors from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. as a network and similarly the parliamentarians discussed the development of action steps and a common legislative agenda. Following that, Civil Society actors and the legislators reported back to plenary. Overall, it was agreed that the work on deep integration is ongoing and increasingly synchronized to meet the challenges ahead.

Highlights of the Civil society roundtable synthesis:

• Development of common work plan and communications strategy
• To consolidate links among civil society actors
• To consolidate links between civil society and parliamentarians
• the need to strengthen and broaden national and international networks;
• Consolidate multi-sectoral wide approaches
• to consider bringing trade issues discussions into on-going campaigns
• Develop alternatives on security issues - refine democratic vision
• Some common policy opportunities might be found in the issues of gender, water, job losses, and militarization.
• The upcoming meetings of the ‘Three Amigos' in March 2007, the August 2006 tri-national forum hosted by Mexico are events around which to organize.
• Would like to encourage parliamentarians to study effects Researching NAFTA and NAFTA plus, research gaps between rhetoric and real results
• Stress that the power of legislatures is diminishing under these trade agreements, therefore it is crucial to document the failures of NAFTA.

Highlights of the Legislative roundtable synthesis:

• To consolidate links among social-democratic legislators;
• To consolidate links between civil society and parliamentarians;
• To create a Secretariat, hosting services provided by Marcy Kaptur's office, this would include four parliamentarians and four civil society actors. The Secretariat would host a website, gather related documents and research pertinent to the North American People-Centred Forum collective and act as a communication conduit. This secretariat will need sufficient monetary resources to operate. Canadian legislators would provide translation for the necessary documents;
• Development of a common legislative agenda;
• Draft a Charter of the peoples of North America;
• Draft a ‘tri-national forum statement of purpose' which would establish framework for future meetings;
• Idea of a ‘Bus across North America' idea as a tool for public engagement.
• The meetings of August 2006 in Mexico, March 2007 in Ottawa, and March 2008 in Washington are highlighted as strategic dates for furthering the tri-national parliamentarian working group
• The emerging issue of white and yellow corn and how that trade is regulated by NAFTA is highlighted as a prime example of how the three countries can work together on common transparency issues.

Key issues/ideas that emerged from the discussion during the plenary session include:

• Forum is an important catalyst to start strategizing for a common multi-sectoral strategic policy;
• Important to develop mechanisms for dialogue and find common action where both parliamentarians and civil society can continue to deepen their collective agenda

 

4.0 Summary Recommendations

This summary report offered a glimpse at the wide ranging issues that were discussed, the new actions that were reported, and the commitments and recommendations that were made during the 2^nd North American Forum on a People-Centred Approach to Trade. The legislators and civil society actors participating in the Forum have re-committed themselves and their networks to continuing to work collectively to raise awareness, build public support and to build bridges within their respective countries in our common work on countering the deep integration agenda.  It is believed that the continuing development of our progressive trade model will contribute to sustainable development by remaining firm on our commitments to govern in the public interest rather than the corporate interest by offering better trading conditions to and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers, in Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

•  To consolidate links and increase collaboration between civil society and parliamentarians;
• a call for more public consultation during the process of drafting treaties;
• an emphasis on transparency of operations; strengthening the networks between parliamentarians and civil society organizations
• Need to expand the public debate on deep integration, show its relevance to a wide range of sectors and how and to what extent citizens' lives have been adversely affected by NAFTA;
• North American Peoples Trade Secretariat ,via Marcy Kaptur's Office, - to house a web-site and be a repository for key documents/research materials;
• Coordinating the work on preparing a Charter of the Peoples of North America , via Peter Julian's Office;
• Strategizing around a common Agricultural policy for N.A. (defacto Victor's office seems to be running with this given the Aug 2-4 meeting in Mex. City);
• March 2007 as possible target date for the 3^rd North American Forum for a People-Centred Approach to Trade, to be held in Ottawa;
• Increasing the numbers in the legislators networks ( Legislators with support as useful from 4 networks);
• Legislators to tackle question of democratic deficit and lack of transparency around the SPP, and compel governments to open up NAFTA to be reviewed;
• Preparation of research and education materials targeting the SPP (4 civil society networks to take lead);
• Transparency - public debates on NAFTA plus in all three countries using pertinent local examples i.e. agriculture, the fight to eradicate poverty, the increase of the pro-business politico model;
• Get a NAFTA plus public engagement education campaign going;
• Organize in advance of the projected March 2007 'three amigos' heads-of-state meeting in Canada ( Leadership on this is not crystal clear to me, but probably requires some sort of collaborative structure to be put in place in the fall of 2006);

5.0 Annex 1 - Joint Press Release, June 6, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

JUNE 6, 2006

Legislators and civil society groups of the North American region call for halt to Security and Prosperity Partnership and replacement of NAFTA

Ottawa - At a press conference today, legislators and civil society networks from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico unveil a collective plan to bring an end to deep integration and replace NAFTA with a people-centred trade model.

"We must reshape trade agreements in North America to ensure rising standards of living for our peoples," says U.S. Congresswoman, Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, Ohio).

The groups met in Ottawa on June 5, 2006, to extend the work of the first North American Forum held in Washington in May 2005. This second forum brought progressive legislators together with representatives from civil society networks Red Mexican de Acción frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC) of Mexico, Canadian organization Common Frontiers, le Réseau Québécois sur l'intégration continentale (RQIC), and the Alliance for Responsible Trade (ART) from the United States.

"NAFTA has aggravated poverty across the continent," says Pierre-Yves Serinet of RQIC.

According to NDP Trade Critic, Peter Julian, "there is no doubt that under NAFTA most Canadians are poorer. We have been fighting to make adjustments and now it is clear that NAFTA has to be replaced. It is not working for the vast majority of inhabitants of North America. It has failed on the bottom line."

In anticipation of the March 2007 "Three Amigos Summit" that will be held in Ottawa, the new group will create a North American secretariat and introduce simultaneous legislation in Mexico, the U.S and Canada to replace NAFTA. It will build opportunities for public engagement on the issue of continental integration.

Rosario Quispes of RMALQ describes the Security and Prosperity Partnership, as "a distorted, more dangerous version of NAFTA."

"We need to work together to stop the Security Prosperity Partnership because the negotiations have been anti-democratic, without transparency and promise to benefit only the business elite of the region," says Victor Suarez, Member of the Mexican Parliament (Partido de la Revolución Democratica, D.F.).

Civil society groups applaud participating parliamentarians for involving the public -

Something the governments of the three states have failed to do. "We want to work to with civil society to develop another model of integration that will ensure prosperity for all, says Bloc Québécois MP, Pierre Paquette."

For more information, please contact:

Mooña Lahbabi, Parliamentary Assistant to Peter Julian: 613-222-4074 or

Nancy Gagnon, Office of Pierre Paquette: 613-996-6910

Meera Karunananthan, Common Frontiers: 613.795.8685 or

Pierre-Yves Serinet, RQIC: 514-705-7820

6.0 Annex 2 - List of Participants

NAME AFFILIATION/INSTITUTION

Arnold, Rick Common Frontiers

Arroyo, Alberto Red Mexicana de AcciÓn Frente Al Libre Comercio (RMALC)

Asselin, Michelle Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ)

Audet, Julie Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)

Bernier, France Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ)

Campbell, Bruce Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Cardona, Natalia American Friends Service Committee

Casselman, Louise Public Service Alliance of Canada

Clark, Aimée National Anti-Poverty Organization

Cornish, Chris Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)

Deveau, Dennis United Steelworkers

Drost, Nadja Canadian Council for International Co-operation

Foster, John North-South Institute

Grudniewicz, Krzysztof North-South Institute

Halupa, Paulette National Anti-Poverty Organization

Hart, Holly United Steelworkers of America

Healy, Teresa Canadian Labour Congress

Hodgson, Jim United Church of Canada

Jeremic, Rusa Kairos Canada

Julian, Peter,MP New Democratic Party of Canada

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur Democratic Party, US

Meera Karunananthan The Council of Canadians

Labaj, Annie Canadian Auto Workers (CAW)

Laliberté, Pierre Fédération des travailleurs du Québec (FTQ)

Laporte, Line Syndicat de professionnelles et professionneels du gouvernment du Québec / RQIC

Laxer, Gordon Parkland Institute

Lefort, Jean-Yves Council of Canadians

Lejarza, Mateo STRM - Sindicato de Telefonistas de la Republica Mexicana

Letourneau, Jacques Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)

Loudon, Tom Alliance for Responsible Trade

Macdonald, Laura Carleton University, Centre on North American Politics and Society

Marshall, Stan Canadian Union of Public Employees

Martel, Lise Fédération des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (FIIQ)

Masse, Brian, MP NDP Critic on Industry

Montoya, Dr. Alberto CEEN - Centro de Estudios de la Republica Mexicana

Olthuis, Doug United Steelworkers Canada

Paquette, Pierre Député (Joliette) Bloc québécois

Peckford, Nancy Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)

Quispe, Rosario Red Mexicana de Acción Frente Al Libre Comercio (RMALC)

Rocks, Mandy Public Service Alliance of Canada

Roberts, Bruce Canadian Auto Workers (CAW)

Rodriguez, Rafael ANEC - Asociación Nacional de Empresas Comercializadoras de Productores del Campo, A.C.

Sandoval, Juan Manuel Red Mexicana de AcciÓn Frente Al Libre Comercio (RMALC) - DEAS/INAH - Departamento de Estudios de Antropologia Social/Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia

Serinet, Pierre-Yves Réseau québécois sur l'intégration continentale (RQIC)

Suarez Carrera, Dip. Victor Partido de la Revolución Democrática

Szemraz, Roger Democratic Party, US

Tassé, Roch International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group (ICLMG)

Vaillancourt, Claude Attac-Québec

Vasquez, Congresswoman Regina Partido Acción Nacional

Villamar, Alejandro Red Mexicana de Acción Frente Al Libre Comercio (RMALC)

Walker, Jessica American Friends Service Committee