November 15, 1992, carnegie newsletter

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401 ~ a i ns t . , Vancouver. V6A Z'r7 ( 6 0 4 ) 665-2289

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NOVEMBER 15, 1992.

THE AUTUMN EQUINOX POETRY READING w a s a tremendous s u c c e s s !

It c o u l d n o t h a v e h a p p ened w i t h o u t t h e wonderf u l co-operation of t h e following people, i n p a r t i c u l a r : Mary Brogan f o r makingallthosegood sandwiches ; Dan Feeney , S t e v e Rose &Wayne Schmidt f o r sound and s e t prepara t i o n & t o t h e Carnegie Association f o r supporti n g f u n d s . I want t o convey my a p p r e c i a t i o n t o a l l . Thanks s o much.

B a r b a r a Gray

I phoned Doug Smith a t c i t y engineering f o r the l a t e s t news on access ( t o Crab Park) A report by Gibson/Daley consultants on the Columbia St. overpass issue w i l l be available t o c i t y s t a f f by December 17.It w i l l include drawings & cost estimates.

Smith said many d i f f e r e n t committees, including Heritage & Police crime section have had input. Because the s t a i r s j e l e v a t or plexiglas & s t e e l system w i l l .be next t o Gastown, the Heritage Committee didn't want simply a qlblock-looking" structure.

I spoke with Geoff McMurchie of the BC Coalition of People with D i s a b i l i t i e s &we $greed it was important the sub-committee of community groups meet before t h i s item goes t o City Council f o r a vote.

According t o Smith the f i n a l report goes t o Council on e i t h e r Dec.1 o r Dec.8 f o r approval.

Don Larson Disabled Access Update

* On J u l y 6, 1992, t h e Carnegie Newsletter got a l e t t e r from Gordon Campbell, s t i l l a c t i n g a s t h e mayor. I t was a response t o a l e t t e r s e n t from here c a l l i n g him t o account f o r t h e t o t a l lack o f movement on t h e p a r t o f t h e C i t y a f t e r 5 years. The sub-commit t e e r e f e r r e d t o by Don Larson met over a period of 3 years, exhausting a l l o p t i o n s ( o b s t a c l e s ) , meeting only a few times over a y e a r , waiting f o r what s i d e t r a c k o r tangent was c u r r e n t l y under p u r s u i t t o be given up u n t i l a consensus was f i n a l l y reached - a p e d e s t r i a n overpass a t Columbia S t . This went t o t h e NPA majority Council, who then t w i s t e d it t o seem a s though t h e committee was a t f a u l t f o r not agreeing t o b u i l d it a t C a r r a l l S t r e e t - t o be a c c e s s i b l e f o r t o u r i s t s & shoppers a t boutiques 4 shoppes i n Gastown Read t h i s l e t t e r again, 6 t a k e note of how i t ends: Dear M r . Taylor: Thank you f o r your l e t t e r of June 3rd, 1992, expressing concern t h a t t h e Standing committee on Access t o P o r t s i d e Park has not met i t s mandate t o provide an accessi b l e overpass t o CRAB Park. I a p p r e c i a t e your f r u s t r a t i o n which matches t h e emotion t h a t I f e l t when we had a f i n a n c i a l agreement with t h e Port, t h e merchants i n Gas-

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town, BC T r a n s i t & t h e f e d e r a l g o v ' t t o not only provide an overpass but t o provid e f r e e t r a n s p o r t s f i o n from t h e Downtown Eastside t o P o r t s i d e Park u n t i l t h e overpass was completed. Unfortunately, Council d i d not accept t h e (NPA1s) z o l u t i o n a s the t h r e e people from t h e community present i n Council s a i d t h a t t h e y were a g a i n s t Carra l l S t r e e t , Columbia S t r e e t being t h e i r preference. (What t h e y s t a t e d was t h a t the committee-as-a-whole had decided t h a t Columbia was t h e agreed s i t e - not " p r e f e r r ed" E not a r b i t r a r y . ) The p r i c e t a g i s now over $1 m i l l i o n , not t h e $110,000 which t h e City (Campbell & t h e NPA i n a backroom d e a l ) had negbtiated t o pay, and Portside Park remains i n a c c e s s i b l e t o some ---- people.

However, with r e s p e c t , I b e l i e v e t h a t t h e Committee has f u l f i l l e d its mandate.

The Committee was e s t a b l i s h e d t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e access a l t e r n a t i v e s 6 recommend a p r e f e r r e d choice t o Council. I t met extens i v e l y with t h i s purpose, including meeti n g s a t which you & o t h e r people from t h e neighbourhood presented a point of view.

I t f u l f i l l e d i t s mandate by recommending Columbia S t r e e t a s t h e p r e f e r r e d l o c a t i o n f o r an overpass. However, you a r e aware t h a t an overpass p r o j e c t a t Columbia S t . is the responsibilitu of several parties; t h e C i t y & t h e Port with regard t o funding E o o n s t r u c t i o n , & t h e CPRailway with regard t o t h e terms of permission t o b u i l d an overpass o v e r t h e right-of-way. City Council has never committed t o b u i l d i n g t h e overpass, o n l y t o t h e p r e f e r r e d l o c a t ion. There i s f u r t h e r work underway t o develop a working c o s t e s t i m a t e f o r an overpass. However, I must s t r e s s t h a t t h e work o f e s t i m a t i n g t h e c o s t commits n e i t h e r t h e C i t y nor t h e Port t o a c t u a l construction.

I a p p r e c i a t e t h a t t h e process has been long & - f r u s t r a t i n g . when- we have our working estimate, which i s a n t i c i p a t e d t h i s f a l l (Dec. 1 o r Dec. 8, a s above i n Larson' s -

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The underlined p a r t s weren't in Campbell ' s l e t t e r . The 'textensiveltmeet

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ings - a l e t t e r would be w r i t t e n . . 3 months l a t e r a r e p l y would come..the l a s t meeting was a year a f t e r t h e previous one. Now, when t h e committee d i d n ' t come back with t h e recommendation Campbell & t h e NPA want e d - t h e overpass a t C a r r o l l f o r t o u r i s t s 6 cruiseboat passengers etc. access Crab Park f o r l o c a l , low-income r e s i d e n t s , f a m i l i e s & s e n i o r s , i s going t o have t h e tqopportunity" of being assessed a g a i n s t a l l o t h e r c a p i t a l p r o j e c t s . Campbell E t h e NPA w i l l l i k e l y use t h e "promise" of soonto-begin c o n s t r u c t i o n during t h e 1993 e l e c t i o n s . I t 4 s been over 5 y e a r s now.

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By PAULR

TAYLOR

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"We're making a MOVIE!". .&our eyes a r e supposed t o l i g h t up with v i s i o n s of b r i g h t l i g h t s , a c t i o n E maybe a glimpse of t h e S t a r of t h e Show.

The Downtown E a s t s i d e has become a loca t i o n f o r movie-making on a l a r g e s c a l e but t h e d a i l y r e a l i t i e s o f blocked s t r e e t access, sidewalks closed, equipment cable E cameras E s e t s & t r a i l e r s E s o on can become more o f a pain i n t h e b u t t than a chance t o 'be where t h e a c t i o n i s ' .

A few s t o r i e s , , u s u a l l y negative, come with p r a c t i c a l l y every f i l m company. Use of a l l e y s o r s t o r e f r o n t s t h a t a r e purpose.l y made t o look grungy o r scummy; p i l e s of crap j u s t l e f t when t h e 'shoot i b over, t h e a t t i t u d e of people from producer t o , camerpeople t o s e c u r i t y tends t o be arrogant/uncaring/ i n s e n s i t i v e t o our r e a l it y of t h i s being our home.

Over t h e l a s t 3 o r 4 y e a r s community a c t i v i s t s l i k e Barb Daniel & Stephen Leap ey have c a l l e d s e v e r a l f i l m companies t o account f o r t h e i r a c t i o n s & lack of concern - f o r s t a g i n g c a r crashes o r chase scenes a t 3 am, f o r extremely loud sound e f f e c t s o r y e l l i n g of crews f o r hours between midnight E dawn, f o r havinga:scenes involving guns & shootouts, f o r giving notice t o area residents t h a t i n e f f e c t says " l i k e o r not t h i s i s going t o happen today o r t o n i g h t o r tomorrow." a

Following one p a r t i c u l a r l y obnoxious event, Beatrice ~ e r n e y h o u ~ ( ~h i c e + ~ ~ e s i a e l ; L of DERA) s t a r t e d c a l l i n g everyone involved i n t h e f i l m i n d u s t r y t o arrange a meeting to discuss all aspects of t h i s business how it functions in our neighbourhood. Included were the unions, t h e BC Film Cornmission, producersl E associations & City officials responsible for permits.

The meeting happened on October 29; t h e opening statement sets the tone: ,,The objective of t h i s meeting - explore ways to improve the relationship between the residents of the east side the f i l m crews who make frequent use of t h i s a r e a .

These downtown h e r i t a g e neighbourhoods r e p r e s e n t a unique "set" t h a t adds s i g n i f i c a n t l y t o t h e a t t r a c t i v e n e s s of Vancouver a s a shooting l o c a t i o n . Unlike o t h e r a r e a s where r e s i d e n t s a r e compensated & c o n s u l t ed, r e s i d e n t s on t h e e a s t s i d e a r e involunt a r y p a r t i c i p a n t s i n t h e f i l m l o c a t i o n busi n e s s who do not r e c e i v e economic impact.

The need f o r a major s h i f t i n a t t i t u d e and Lip s e r v i c e ( t o procedures i s evident.. e i t h e r i n d u s t r y p o l i c y o r community r u l e s ) o r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y buck-passing i s not acce p t a b l e . 'I I s s u e s include 1. Stewardship - a community rep at company expense t o ensure enforcement of permit r u l e s & community i n t e r e s t s ; 2 . Compensation - t a x e s on a per-day b a s i s s i m i l a r t o t h o s e paid by any o t h e r busi n e s s and/or donations t o programs and p r o j e c t s i n t h e a r e a i d e n t i f i e d by t h e community; 3. Accountability - p o l i c e a r e supposed t o be our employees; who a r e t h e y r e a l l y working f o r when t h e i n d u s t r y i s paying t h e t a b ? Enforcement has t o include hone s t d i s c l o s u r e by t h e f i l m company, a s well a s n o t i f i c a t i o n o f r e s i d e n t s . Inc i d e n t r e p o r t s have t o be acted upon.

4. Public Relations - t h i s i s where t h e a t t i t u d e i s s u e i s important. Courtesy & r e s p e c t cannot be l e g i s l a t e d . Set respo n s i b i l i t y f o r community l i a i s o n . This includes awareness t h a t t h i s i s a r e s i d e n t i a l a r e a , t h a t food i s not l a i d o u t banquet-style on t h e s t r e e t , n o i s e and d i s r u p t i o n a r e minimal, e t c .

5. Violence i n entertainment - c r a s h e s and

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guns E f i g h t s E screams a r e not p a r t of general community l i f e . "Staging" such keeps r a i s i n g t h e question of "What i s next.. ( l i k e a wholesale massacre! 1.

The m a t t e r of censorship was r a i s e d .

The general f e e l i n g of being invaded by f i l m companies who only comply with t h e bare minimum of community/industry guidel i n e s was t h e thread t y i n g a l l t h i s t o g e t h e r . The cloSing statement of t h e f i r s t r e p o r t says: "We a r e looking a t ways t o use our e x i s t i n g resources t o address t h e s e i s sues, not i n a crisis-management sense but with a long term s t r a t e g y t o h e l p t h e indu s t r y improve i t s r e l a t i o n s h i p with t h e downtown e a s t s i d e community 4 o t h e r neighbourhoods."

By PAULR TAYLOR

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...t h e r e ' s

m o r e . . t h e r e l s always more..

Okay. What you've read so f a r comes from t h e assilmption t h a t t h e meeting (129J10)was somehow the f i r s t . . t h a t t h e f i l m i n d u s t r y (producers/crews/unions/associat ions ,City) had f i n a l l y been brought t o g e t h e r E t h a t ch,ange would come... This was t h e 2nd o r 3rd time; f i l m companies, a f t e r each time of being Itcalled t o account" have been ftgoodfl f o r a few months, t h e n slack o f f un, t i 1 t h e same old s h i t goes on. There was a ttcommunications expert" a t t h e October mee, t i n g who gave a c r i t i q u e on how well t h e people present l i s t e n e d t o each other.The City o f f i c i a l was t h e guy responsible f o r a l l special events i n the e n t i r e City Sea F e s t i v a l , PNE parade, F i r s t Night & bombed, going along with t h e i n d u s t r y and business - t h e C i t y , with i t s NPA Council, i s not about t o p a s s by-laws making t h e i r behaviour 6 treatment of o u r neighbourhood c o s t l y . Our next s t e p may be p e t i t i o n s , d i s r u p t i o n of filming, even draping f l a g s on b h i l d i n g s t o flaw t h e i r Americanization of s t r e e t scenes. qgain, s t a y tuned1

...

Sometimes you j u s t want t o crawl . i n t o a warm s a f e p l a c e of t h e bank night deposit

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Blip Blip e n t e r your s i g n a t u r e by number, t h a t ' s a l l thereis-

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B l i p Blip here come t h e b i l l s silently spitted upon you You can t r a v e l t o t h e f a r o f f land: i n your dreams and s e e t h e d i s t a n t winds You can touch t h e godesses t h a t roam f a r beyond t h e l u s h groves o f Cyprus and eucalyptus But a s you d o n ' t l i s t e n t o t h e -people a s they s t e p over you t h e y do not hear you e i t h e r .

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in it's jest t o s t a r t o u r day j u s t r i g h t

Breaking Bread on a Sunday Fusion I t ' s easy, eeesy l i s t e n i n g jazz time Flowing from t h e t u r n t a b l e S o r t o f slow, swinging, f i n g e r - p o p p i n ' saxaphone smooth, trombone s l i t h e r y kind o f j a z z Brushes s l i d i n g , e v e r s o d e f t l y 'cross t h e hide T-TOO, T-TOO T-Too, T-TOO Stand-up b a s s , k i c k i n g i n t o t h e Sunday morning rythm of smoked bacon, s i z z l i n g i n t h e seasoned, c a s t i r o n pan

t e n thousand t i m e s on t h e h i l l s i d e f i r and c e d a r l i v e i n t h e assumption o f t h e i r s t a n d i n g i n e a r t h four bald eagles take forever - t h i r t y seconds t o c r o s s o u r sky w h i t e c l o u d s tower beyond u p l i f t e d cloud i n t o t h e e n d l e s s unsayable blue world where a l l o u r c e r t a i n t y and meaning s t a n d diaphanous there andy a l e x a n d e r

Someone's i n t h e shower, Here come t h e k i d s , tumbling i n t o t h e kitchen TV's on - No, n o t c a r t o o n s , n o t today No sound, o n l y a p i c t u r e o n l y on Sunday morning - -

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A l l t h e c o l l e c t e d cholesterol

Ronnie and Bob g r i n d away s t o v e l e n g h t s from t h e p i l e d s l a s h a t t h e o l d show Hans and Kent and I threw them on t h e t r u c k Work loud rhythms i n s i s t a w a l l around u s (world wails l i k e h e l d b r e a t h ) t h e n both saws s t o p a t once and

barely

And b u t t e r m i l k cornbread t a n n i n g i n t h e oven.

"Cornbread's almost done, Mom. l1 Okay, time t o l i n e t h e eggs up "Who's having what?"

The f a m i l i a r aroma o f s t r o n g , b l a c k j ava p e r k i n g up a storm, overfloring

just

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p i l e d high As we smack b u t t e r y l i p s and s e t t l e i n With o u r Sunday morning r i t u a l .

O f Sunday morning j azz, of breaking bread, and..

The f o o t b a l l game i s about t o s t a r t .

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Fortunes changing d a i l y Dale Carnegie on t h e Penny s t o c k s a t t h e exchange pops t h e E s t r i n g on t h e g u i t a r on cue, s a y s , IfDon' t worry, Beaver' s h e r e . borrows $5 Brings a l o a d o f skater; (one v e r y a n c i e n t p a i r ) and saucepans hucks t h e s k a t e s down t o t i c t a k ' c r o s s t h e s t r e e t from t h e buy 6 s e l l s e l l s box o f s k a t e s , keeps a n t i q u e p a i r s e l l s f r y i n g pans t i n k e r i n g w i t h mouth h a r p h o l d e r buys it 4 a b i k e buys b e e r s e l l s antique skates buys a head helmet buys a bag, s t a s h e s helmet i n bag buys more b e e r , s a y s , "Hey t h e day a i n ' t done ' t i 1 i t ' s done" Laughs, r i d e s o f f on b i k e L i f e i s a song f o r t h e h e a r t t h a t i s f r e e Taum D

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HOW TO ANNOY YOUR FRIENDS & DEPRESS PEOPLE

S t e p # 3 : Know what annoys p e o p l e & do it o f t e n I f a f r i e n d h a s j u s t q u i t smoking, spend a c o u p l e o f d a y s s t u d y i n g t h e h i s t o r y o f S i r Walter R a l e i g h ' s noxiousweed I f y o u d o n ' t smoke, s t a r t . Now f o l l o w your f r i e n d around & chainsmoke t h e TMs you've i n v e s t ed i n . D i s c u s s n o t h i n g e l s e . T h e c u ~ i n g p r w cess,how t h e y package t a i l o r - m a d e s , d i f f e r e n t c u t s of l e a f ; go on i n an end1ess;drone.

Phone him/her i n t h e middle o f t h e n i g h t t o borrow money f o r a "pack o f b u t t s 1 ' .

I f you f o l l o w t h i s a d v i c e I can a s s u r e you of a r e p u t a t i o n t h a t w i l l p r e d e d e you & q u i t e p o s s i b l y a few d e a t h t h r e a t s .

A S e l f Help Guide

By Lloyd Bradley Fenton Hello. In t h i s s h o r t a r t i c l e I hope t o make a v a i l a b l e t o everyone t h e s k i l l s nece s s a r y t o become a t h o r o u g h l y a g g r a v a t i n g p a i n i n t h e s p h i n c t e r . "Sure, Lloyd," you may say, " t h a t ' s f i n e G dandy, bW what t h e h e l l kind o f s k i l l i s t h a t t o be t e a ching someone. I s it going t o make me f i n a n c i a l l y independent, a b e t t e r p e r s o n , someone t o w r i t e home about?" T h i s is o f c o u r s e a v a l i d q u e s t i o n which s h o u l d b e a d d r e s s e d . Which b r i n g s me t o t h e f i r s t l e s s o n i n becoming an i g n o r a n t l i t t l e p i s sant 1 ) I f somebody has a v a l i d p o i n t o r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o make, i g n o r e it c o m p l e t e l y . . o r a l e a s t g l o s s o v e r it s u p e r f i c i a l l y and move on t o something e l s e .

The n e x t t h i n g t o c o n s i d e r i n .becoming t h e c r e t i n you've always a s p i r e d t o b e i s your p e r s o n a l gloom q u o t i e n t o r GQ f a c t o r a s I c a l l i t . When someone comes t o you beaming w i t h energy about some new d i r e c t ion t h e i r l i f e has t a k e n , do you c o n g r a t u l a t e them & o f f e r your h e a r t f e l t s u p p o r t ?

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T h i s i s mistake 2 i n b e i n g t h e l e t h a r g i c waste o f DNA t i s s u e t h a t s e n d s p e o p l e runn i n g i n t h e o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n i n hopes o f avoidance. For i n s t a n c e i f your d a u g h t e r / s o n / f r i e n d ceomes t o you w i t h t h e n e w s t h a t s h e / h e / i t i s e x p e c t i n g a baby 9 m o n t h s f r o m now t h e p r o p e r r e s p o n s e i s , "Really? I t ' s t o o bad with a l l t h e p o l l u t i o n , t h e o z o n e depletion, the c i v i l s t r i f e , Ethepossibil i t y of being v a p o r i z e d a t any i n s t a n t by a n u c l e a r e x p l o s i o n brought on by one of t h e many f a n a t i c a l t h i r d world n a t i o n s t o have achieved atomic s o l v e n c y i n t h i s p r e c a r i o u s p i e c e o f c r a p world; t h e k i d w i l l be lucky t o s e e age s i x . " See, i s n ' t t h i s ' e a s y ? A few days o f t h i s behaviour & you! 1 1 b e g u a r a n t e e d a c o f f e e t a b l e t o y o u r s e l f . 1'

From T r i c k s of t h e Trade

Three t h i n g s we know about money: 1. I t comes & it goes. I t o n l y works when _ it changes-hands; 3 t s p a t h i s from t h e customer, t o t h e s t o r e , t o t h e s u p p l i e r , t o t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r , t o t h e employee, and f i n a l l y t o t h e bank. So, whenever you spend a d o l l a r , i t ' s gone, & i n a c o u p l e of moves o r l e s s i t ' s o u t o f t h e community.

2 . T h e r e ' s o n l y s o much o f i t . I t i s n ' t l i m i t l e s s - o t h e r w i s e i t c o u l d n ' t work.

So, we compete w i t h each o t h e r f o r what t h e r e i s , & when money comes from one * p l a c e , i t ' s gone from a n o t h e r .

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3 . We d o n ' t p r i n t it h e r e . The money supp l y i s c o n t r o l l e d by t h e c e n t r a l g o v l t & t h e banks. I t ' s not i n o u r c o n t r o l e i t h e r i n d i v i d u a l l y o r communally. So, w j en we're out o f money, we're out o f i t u n t i l someone sends some more.

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I n e v i t a b l y , communities run s h o r t o f money. People & communities world-wide have t o o l i t t l e money, & t h a t ' s simply because t h e r e ' s o n l y s o much o f i t . I t h a s gone elsewhere & we c a n ' t p r i n t o u r own, l e a v i n g u s w i t h l e s s and more.

Less jobs, b u s i n e s s ~ n v e s t m e n t ,w e l l being, s o c i a l s e r v i c e s , s e c u r i t y , c h a r i t a b l e d o n a t i o n s , c o - o p e r a t i o n , a t t e n t ion f t o t h e long-term, concern f o r o t h e r s and ! care f o r the planet. More poverty, s o c i a l i d i s t r e s s , b u s i n e s s f a i l u r e , p r e s s u r e on 1 governments, crime, competition, s h o r t ; term e x p e d i e n t s , r e l i a n c e on cash c r o p s & ; e x t e r n a l markets, & damage t o t h e environment.

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Now t h e r e i s something we can do about i t . Communities can have t h e i r own money.

A l l t h e problems i n a community t h a t a r e

caused j u s t by a l a c k o f money can be r e solved by u s i n g a l o c a l currency. Whether communities a r e l a r g e , small, urban, r u r a l , r e g i o n a l , neighbourhoods, church congregations, o r a reservation, local currencies w i l l i n c r e a s e t h e i r a b i l i t y t o support themselves.

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A Local Employment 6 Trading System i s t h e s i m p l e s t way t o s e t up a l o c a l currenMoney i s n ' t r e a l . Money has no v a l u e i n ; cy. I t works l i k e a c r e d i t union o r bank, except t h a t you can o n l y use your account i t s e l f . You c a n ' t e a t it, wear i t , b u i l d ' with i t . I t ' s o n l y u s e f u l t o g e t r e a l t o t r a d e w i t h o t h e r people o r b u s i n e s s e s . who a l s o have a c c o u n t s i n t h e LETSystem. t h i n g s l i k e food, t o o l s , a r t , & housing.

Money i t s e l f i s j u s t a s e t o f t i c k e t s . OfThen every d o l l a r you spend must s t a y i n t e n i t ' s o n l y anumber on your bank account. . t h e community, employing l o c a l people and c r e a t i n g l o c a l business.

A community s h o r t o f money i s l i k e a

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The Saskatoon LETSystem began i n 1991 & c a r p e n t e r s h - r t o f i n c h e s . There w i l l a l - . has o v e r 60 members o f f e r i n g such goods 6 ways be times when r e a l t h i n g s a r e scarce; ' s e r v i c e s a s l o c a l produce, s o l a r ovens, we can b e s h o r t o f b r i c k s , o u t o f f u e l o r i t h e h a r v e s t may b e poor. But were we e v e r i apartment r e n t a l s , food s e r v i c e s , welding, out of --- i n c h e s ? Did any c a r ~ e n t e r w i t h w o o d , ' c o n c r e t e & c a r p e n t r y work, b i k e r e p a i r s , t o o l s , p l a n s & t i m e e v e r q u i t because she ; tobacco p l a n t s , T - s h i r t s and more.

For most t r a n s a c t i o n s p e o p l e u s e b o b h t h e o r he had no i n c h e s ? Of c o u r s e n o t . Yetwe j l o c a l & f e d e r a l c u r r e n c i e s , a s some expena r e o f t e n i d l e , unable t o work o r t r a d e with each o t h e r , when t h e r e a r e p l e n t y of ! s e s a r e o f t e n i n c u r r e d i n f e d e r a l money goods brought i n , t a x e s , e t c . Generally, r e a l t h i n g s - m a t e r i a l s , equipment, s k i l l s , e time, goods on t h e s h e l v e s & needs t o be i v e r y t h i n g can be made a v a i l a b l e , i n t h e l o c a l currency, according t o t h e p r o p o r t met - simply because t h e r e a r e no t i c k e t s ion o f i t s c o s t t h a t i s value-added localaround. Of c o u r s e we need a new road o r l y - l o c a l wages & s a l a r i e s t h a t a r e p a r t more beds i n t h e h o s p i t a l o r more i n v e s t o f its selling price. ment & r e s e a r c h , o r youth training:&;betltten I f you a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n t h i s c o n t a c t : s o c i a l programs- b u t t h e r e j u s t i s n ' t enLETSaskatchewan, ough money. Howoftenhaveweheardthis?

P.O. Box 9431 SASKATOON, SK. S7K 7E9

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Nightmare a t Yellowknife4 On September 18, 1992, a t approximately 8:35 am, n i n e miners were k i l l e d i n an ex p l o s i o n a t t h e o l d Giant Yellowknife mine n e a r Yellowknife i n t h e North West T e r r i t o r i e s . This a r t i c l e l o o k s l a t some ofil . t h e e v e n t s susrounding t h i s enormous Oragedy.

The Giant Yellowknife mine has been run ning f o r about f i f t y y e a r s , and h a s had a union s i n c e 1946.

In November, 1990, t h e mine was t a k e n over by Royal Oak Resources, and t h e name was changed t o t h e Royal Oak Giant Mine.

Margaret Witte from Nevada i s p r e s i d e n t o f t h e company, and she r u n s t h e mine w i t t h e h e l p of mine manager Mike Werner, a l s from t h e United S t a t e s . They have importe American s t y l e s t r i k e b r e a k i n g t a c t i c s , i n cluding t h e u s e o f t h e infamous Pinkerton S e c u r i t y Agency.

Royal Oak Resources r e f u s e d t o extend t h e C o l l e c t i v e Agreement which had e x p i r e and r e f u s e d t o b a r g a i n w i t h t h e union l o c a1 #4 o f t h e Canadian A s s o c i a t i o n of Smel t e r 4 A l l i e d Workers. On May 23, 1992, t h company locked o u t t h e two hundred 4 f o r t miners a t t h e mine.

The R.C.M. P. ltK" D i v i s i o n t a c t i c a l squa a r r i v e d i n a Canadian m i l i t a r y a i r c r a f t within 72 hours from t h e s t a r t o f t h i s labour d i s p u t e . They worked i n c l o s e coo r d i n a t i o n with t h e mine management and t h e i r p r i v a t e p o l i c e force, t h e Pinkerton Agency, t o s y s t e m a t i c a l l y h a r r a s s & a r r e s union members on t h e p i c k e t l i n e .

Right from t h e time Royal Oak Resources took o v e r t h e Giant Yellowknife mine, it planned t o break t h e union; t h e union has i n i t s p o s s e s s i o n a document, d a t e d November 28, '91, i n which t h e company l a i d down e x t e b s i v e p l a n s f o r a s t r i k e i n t h e s p r i n g o f 1992.

Scab labour was brought t o t h e mine a f t e r t h e lockout o f May/92 & an i n j u n c t i o n b a r r e d workers from blocking a c c e s s t o t h mine. To e n f o r c e t h e i n j u n c t i o n t h e RCMP used t e a r g a s , p o l i c e dogs & a marching formation t h a t resembled t h e phalanx of t h e a n c i e n t Roman l e g i o n s .

In s p i t e o f p o l i c e 4 Pinkerton h a r r a s s ment, t h e union worked through p o l i t i d a l means t o t r y t o f o r c e t h e company back t o t h e b a r g a i n i n g t a b l e . Over t h e summer of 1992, support began t o grow f o r an INdustr i a l I n q u i r y Commission t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e f a i l u r e o f c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g process.

Then on Sept.18 an e x p l o s i o n took p l a c e a t t h e mine, k i l l i n g n i n e miners. Although the explosion happened a t about 8: 35 am, the mine management d i d n o t a l e r t p o l i c e or mine r e s c u e teams u n t i l 10:20 am. There Mas an unexplained gap o f one-and-a-half l o u r s between t h e t i m e o f t h e e x p l o s i o n 4 the a l e r t i n g o f t h e p o l i c e .

Almost immediately t h e RCMP c a l l e d t h i s l i s a s t e r a llmurder'l o r llhomocidell, and i n :he u n i o n ' s view, t h e RCMP have done every :hing i n t h e i r power t o p o i n t blame i n t h e l i r e c t i o n o f t h e union and i t s members.

The r e s u l t i n g anguish, d i s t r u s t & b i t t e r less i n t h e community o f Yellowknife has :aused wounds t h a t w i l l t a k e y e a r s t o heal.

The union b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e d i s a s t e r was :he r e s u l t o f an i n d u s t r i a l a c c i d e n t . I t says t h a t s i n c e Royal Oak Resources took w e r t h e mine i n November 1990, s a f e t y h a s l e t e r i o r a t e d . The union a l s o s a y s t h a t nine s a f e t y is one o f i t s major concerns in a new c o l l e c t i v e agreement.

I t might have been p o s s i b l e t h a t t h e ( l i n e r s who d i e d i n t h e e x p l o s i o n were c a r - ' Sying e x p l o s i v e s w i t h them. I t might have ,een p o s s i b l e t h a t e x p l o s i v e s were l e f t tn u n s a f e p l a c e along t h e underground r a c k s . An October ' 9 2 p r e s s r e p o r t s t a t e d h a t a mining i n s p e c t o r had found explos.ves o r caps i n twenty u n s a f e p l a c e s i n he mine.

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Because t h e union h a s s o much t o l o s e o l i t i c a l l y from t h i s t e r r i b l e e x p l o s i o n , r e a s o n a b l e person could n o t r u l e o u t he p o s s i b i l i t y o f an "agent provacateur". nfortunately, n e i t h e r t h e h i s t o r y of t h e i n k e r t o n S e c u r i t y Agency, n o r t h e RCMP t s e l f , i s f r e e from p r o v o c a t i v e i n c i d e n t s A s o f Nov. 1 1992, t h e RCMP h a s p r e s e n t e d

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no hard evidence f o r t h e use of t h e words flmurder" & "homocide" i n r e l a t i o n t o t h i s mine tragedy.

Today t h e mine i s o p e r a t i n g with scab labour and t h e union i s s t i l l f i g h t i n g f o r ' a new c o l l e c t i v e agreement. I t i s a l s o c a l l i n g f o r an independent i n q u i r y i n t o t h e mine d i s a s t e r & i n t o t h e conduct of t h e RCMP during t h i s labour d i s p u t e a t t h e Royal Oak Giant Mine.

By SANDY CAMERON

LINES FROM LEARNING CENTRE Your Learning Centre is Waiting f o r You! I f you have l i v e d i n Canada a l l your l i f e , o r s e v e r a l years, o r have j u s t a r r i ved here, we a r e a t your s e r v i c e . we +can h h e l p you upI f you speak %@ grade your reading, w r i t i n g & math & can . a l s o a s s i s t you i n g e t t i n g your high school diploma.

If you a r e s t i l l l e a r n i n g t o speak and w r i t e English we have s p e c i a l programs f o l you too.

Come & meet our f r i e n d l y , humourous and t a l e n t e d t e a c h e r GAIL HARWOOD. Let me t e l l you about Gail. She came t o us a s a volunt e e r t u t o r i n June 1990, but by Sept.l90 she was a member of t h e s t a f f .

Gail was born i n St.Catherines, Ontario, t h e "orchard b e l t " of t h e Nianara Peninsul a . She s t u d i e d i n Waterloo &-worked i n f a c t o r i e s t h e r e . She was a l s o involved i n t h e Trade Union movement t h e r e . '

From 1980 t o 1982 Gail taught secondary school i n t h e town of Bida i n Northern Nigeria, West Africa f o r Canadian Univers i t y Services Overseas (CUSO) and from 198 t o 1988 i n Marovsa Village, Zimbabwe, Sou thern Africa, f o r t h e World University S e r v i c e s of Canada. (WUSC).

In 1988 & 1989 Gail t r a v e l l e d i n India i n April 1989 she f i n a l l y landed i n B.C., where she worked i n Coquitlam & M e r r i t t teaching English a s a second language(ES1 Then we l u c k i l y g o t h e r a s 'one of u s 1 i n June 1990.

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A t p r e s e n t Gail teaches E.S.L. c l a s s e s , G.E.D. c l a s s e s (preparation f o r highschool diploma) & a s s i s t s with t h e Drop-In program f o r beginners & advanoed s t u d e n t s .

Gail loves Carnegie tlcan't think of a b e t t e r p l a c e t o work!" However, she eventu a l l y wants t o r e t u r n t o r u r a l l i f e , run

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a small business & become involved i n community development & p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n .

Gail says, "Carnegie i s s p e c i a l because people here c a r e about each o t h e r and t h a t people a r e respected f o r themselves, not f o r m a t e r i a l things."

Do yourself a favour - come t o t h e Learn ing Centre, meet Gail Harwood & maybe even change your l i f e l You a r e always welcome.

By JOAN DOREE Volunteer Tutor.

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Bigness i f h o s t i l e t o l i f e . The b i g g e r t i s , t h e more dangerous it is. The b i g e r it i s t h e more c o r r u p t , s t u p i d & o u t E-touch it w i l l h e . Biggness us way from o u r o r i g i n a l s m a l l n e s s .

Our whole i d e a o f how t o l i v e a . l i f e t i m e n t h i s p l a n e t s h o u l d b e c e n t r e d on smalless but s m a l l n e s s i s o n l y a word, a oncept, an i d e a i n o u r minds - i t would a t h e r f a d e i n t o t h e background, s t a n d i n g n t h e shadow o f b i g n e s s .

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"WHAT YOU SEE I S WHAT YOU LOST" Her c o a t h a s come t o r e p r e s e n t t h e ocea n ' s dawning a r t i f i c e o f r e c o g n i t i o n 1 Of c o u r s e , what appeared t o u s was g o s s i p coloured & p o l i t i c a l , b u t we s u s p e c t e d philosophy, o r d i n a n c e & p r o t o c o l . Every ~ o s s i b l ehuman a f f a i r can be a t t r i b u t e d t o l a t e n t p o e t r y , we g u e s s e d , & t h e a r c h e t y p a l w a t c h e r s themselves p r o b a b l y owe t h e i r s e n s e of p o i s e t o some a b r u p t , e p i grammatic, f u z z - b u s t i n g metaphor, some insomnia of l i n g u i s t i c f e r v o r .

Andy s a i d we a r e t h e u n i v e r s e e y e i n g itself.

There i s a l o u d s p e a k e r myth t h a t goes: i f only I could s a y ( s i n g , p l a y ) t h e s e t h i n g s t o everyone a t once, i n s u c h a way t h a t t h e y would t r u l y u n d e r s t a n d , t h e g r e a t e s t problems f a c i n g t h i s d would become i n s t a n t l y s o l v a b l e .

I s a y we may be language "I-ing" i t s e l f .

There i s a t y p e of c h a r a c t e r who would o n l y b e c o n t e n t i f a l l c o n t e n t were predi c t a b l e , p r e d i c a t e d , unambiguous. 'Everyone a t t h e p a r t y i s l a u g h i n g e x c e p t f o r t h i s person. It is physical abuse f o r these people t o b e i n t h e u n r e s t r a i n e d presence of o t h e r s , a t e s t of t h e i r t o l e r a n c e , an e x e r c i s e of t h e i r p a i n t h r e s h h o l d s . I n t h e i r p r e s e n c e , we might b e g i n t o assume t h a t , f o r them, p e o p l e a r e o t h er hells.

A d e s e r t e d beach i n t h e r a i n , some r u s t y loudspeakers b l a r i n g scratchy d i a t r i b e s a c r o s s t h e choppy w a t e r , o b l i v i o u s c o u p l e s s a u n t e r i n g up & down, i n d i f f e r e n t t o t h e i n d u s t r i a l v o i c e of c o n s c i e n c e , p o u r i n g from t h e s e s t e e l mouths.

Don't w a s t e g r i n d i n g moral a x e s o v e r t h e beauty you s e e . It o n l y makes u g l i n e s s grow l i k e a gangrenous sermon i n s i d e you.

By DAN FEENEY

Bigness seems t o b e t h e way t o go. We ~ r g a n i z eb i g g e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s 4 t h o s e orgm i z a t i o n s have as t h e i r purpose, f u r t h e r ~ i g n e s s bigger s a l e s next year - f u t u r e ~ r o w t hf o r p r o s p e r i t y - maximization o f he r e s o u r c e b a s e - i n c r e a s e d investment ~otential

... .

Whatever you c a l l i t , it "s b i g n e s s b u i l t

m b i g n e s s c r e a t i n g more b i g n e s s f o r b i g less' sake.

Smallness i s j u s t a concept i n t h e mind, ~ u it t ' s how we r e l a t e one-on-one, f a c e to-face, eye-to-eye. Smallness i s a v e r y ?owerful t h i n g . I t can d e f l a t e b i g n e s s .

S o c i e t y s h o u l d n o t b e run from t h e t o p jown b u t from t h e bottom u p . There i s s m a l l n e s s i n t h e s t r e e t - anonymous people! who's worlds a r e f u l l o f t h e most t r u t h f u l s m a l l n e s s , b u t you g o t t o have s m a l l eyes t o s e e i t , l i k e a s m a l l i n t e l l i g e n t animal.

Smallness i s t h e s a v i n g g r a c e of humani t y . We should p r a c t i c e s m a l l n e s 9 , t h e n we might c a t c h a glimpse o f t h o s e s m a l l world! beyond t h e h o r i z o n of t h i s busy bunch o f b i g n e s s we b e l i e v e i n , t o voyage beyond t h e known world of b i g n e s s & d i s c o v e r an i n f i n i t y of smallness.

On t h e b i g map of t h e b i g world, one b i g n e s s j u s t bumps i n t o a n o t h e r b i g n e s s , t h e n we have wars & b o r d e r d i s p u r e s & economic t r a d e walk t a l l - be s m a l l !

TORA

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YFCANADA UNDER SIEGE Three Years into the Free Trade Era Bruce Campbell Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives January 1992

INTRODUCTION : The Canada-US Free Trade Agreement came i n t o e f f e c t on January 1 , 1989. In i t s few y e a r s of o p e r a t i o n t h e d e s t r u c t i o n of jobs has been t h e most v i s i b l e m a n i f e s t a t i o n of t h e r e s t r u c t u r ing of t h e Canadian economy.

To f i n d a p e r i o d of g r e a t e r c o l l a p s e of mane f a c t u r i n g employment one has t o go back t o t h e Great Depression where, beginning i n 1929, it f e l l 29.7% b e f o r e bottoming o u t i n 1933. The c u r r e n t n e t d e s t r u c t i o n o f manufacturing jobs a t 23.1% o f t h e manufacturing work f o r c e ( a s o f Oct.'91) shows no s i g h of s t o p p i n g . A numberof s u b - s e c t o r s , i n c l u d i n g food & beverages,leather t e x t i l e s , c l o t h i n g , p r i n t i n g & p u b l i s h i n g , and chemicals, have a l r e a d y s u r p a s s e d Depression l e v e l s of jobs l o s t .

According t o S t a t s Canada's survey o f e s t a b lishments, "Employment, Earnings & Hours ," manu f a c t u r i n g employment c o n t i n u e s t o show $he most dramatic d e c l i n e . Between June ' 8 9 & O c ' 9 1 t h e r e was a n e t l o s s of 461,000 j o b s (23.1%).

Manufacturing now employs o n l y 15% o f t h e t b t a l Canadian l a b o u r f o r c e , l i k e l y t h e lowest l e v e l i n t h e i n d u s t r i a l world.

For f r e e t r a d e o b s e r v e r s i t ' s important t o n o t e t h a t o v e r 150,000 o f t h e s e jobs disappeared b e f o r e t h e formal o n s e t of t h e s o - c a l l e d rec e s s i o n . The connection between f r e e t r a d e and manufacturing job l o s s becomes apparent when i t is considered t h a t between 1981 61988 manuf a c t u r i n g employment o v e r a l l remained constant, with some s e c t o r s d e c l i n i n g & o t h e r s growing.

There was a d r o p of 270.000 j o b s ( 1 7 . 5 % ) i n t h e '81-'82 r e c e s s i o n but most o f t h o s e j o b s r e t u r n ed. Since t h e t r a d e d e a l took e f f e c t , a l l o f t h e major manufacturing s u b - s e c t o r s h a v e experiencd l a r g e d e c l i n e s i n employment i n t h e l a s t t h r e e y e a r s , with a l l but one by more than 15%.

A v i t a l c l u e t h a t t h e c u r r e n t employment c r i sis i n v o l v e s a f r e e - t r a d e - d r i v e n r e s t r u c t u r i n g superimposed on a b u s i n e s s c y c l e downturn can b e found i n t h e O n t a r i o g o v ' t f i g u r e s on p l a n t c l o s u r e s . Although no o t h e r governments compile such comprehensive s t a t i s t i c s , O n t a r i o i s t h e manufacturing h e a r t l a n d o f Canada & i t can safe l y b e assumed t h a t a s i m i l a r p r o c e s s i s going on i n o t h e r manufacturing c e n t r e s . In 1981-82, 22% o f workers who l o s t t h e i r jobs d i d so because o f permanent p l a n t c l o s u r e s . In t h e t h r e e y e a r s o f f r e e t r a d e 65% o f l o s t jobs have been

due t o permanent p l a n t c l o s u r e s .

Another important i n d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e t r a n s formation of t h e Canadian economy cannot be dismissed a s merely t h e r e s u l t o f " r e c e s s i o n v i s t o compare manufacturing job l o s s e s here with l o s s e s experienced i n t h e US economy. h r ing t h e same p e r i o d , June'89 -Oc191 t h e US ecw nomy l o s t 1,241.000 manufacturing jobs n e t , o r 6.3% of t h e manufacturing work f o r c e , roughly 1/4 o f t h e d e c l i n e i n t h e Canadian manufacturing s e c t o r . With one exception, e l e c t r i c a l / e l e c t r o n i c s , t h i s divergence i s r e f l e c t e d i n a l l t h e major manufacturing s u b - s e c t o r s .

Although t h e drop i n manufacturing i s t h e most pronounced, o t h e r s e c t o r s of t h e Canadian economy have a l s o experienced s h a r p d e c l i n e s .

Other goods-producing i n d u s t r i e s (construction, mining, f o r e s t r y ) have l o s t 173,000 jobs (21%) & s e r v i c e s , where most Canadians a r e employed, have l o s t 562,000 jobs (7.2%). Employment in s e r v i c e s c l o s e l y l i n k e d t o manufacturing ( i . e . s e r v i c e s t o b u s i n e s s ) has f a l l e n a t a g r e a t e r r a t e (14.7%). Employment i n t h e key a r e a of err g i n e e r i n g & s c i e n t i f i c s e r v i c e s has f a l l e n 9%.

Looking a t t h e economy a s a whole, i n t h e 5 y e a r s p r i o r t o t h e FTA's implementation, i t c r e a t e d an average o f 325,000 new jobs a y e a r .

I f t h a t t r e n d had c o n t i n u e d t h e economy should have c r e a t e d almost one m i l l i o n new j o b s i n t h e 3 years of f r e e trade. Instead, since Jan.'89, t h e r e h a s been n e t d e s t r u c t i o n o f 100,000 j o b s Almost h a l f a m i l l i o n people were added t o t h e unemployment r o l l s , pushing t h e o f f i c i a l r a t e up from 7.8% t o 10.3% (1,423,000 persons) a s of November 1991. (Now o v e r 11% - e d . ) Add t o t h i s t h e 800,000 l a i d - o f f workers who a r e no l o n g e r c o n s i d e r e d p a r t o f t h e workforce because t h e y ceased looking f o r work more than s i x months ago ( a n o t h e r 6.5%) & 93,000 who a r e s t i l l considered p a r t o f t h e workforce but a r e not seeking owrk because they have become d i s couraged o r a r e a w a i t i n g r e p l i e s from employe r s ( a n o t h e r 1%0; add 502,000 who a r e working p a r t - t i m e because t h e y c a n ' t f i n d f u l l - t i m e work ( a n o t h e r 4 . 2 % ) ; & t h e un/underemployment r a t e r i s e s t o 21%. This adds up t o a human c r & s i s which r i v a l s t h e 1930s.

Free t r a d e d e f e n d e r s respond t o t h e c u r r e n t economic c r i s i s i n a v a r i e t y o f ways. Some s a y i t ' s s t i l l t o o e a r l y t o judge t h e FTA's impact

& blame worldwide r e c e s s i o n , t h e ( t h e n ) high d o l l a r &/or globalization. Otherspoint towhat t h e y s e e a s p o s i t i v e s i g n s on Canada's t r a d e & f o r e i g n investment b a l a n c e s t o show t h a t f r e e t r a d e i s working, Most, although n o t a l l , deny t h a t t h e c u r r e n t s i t u a t i o n i s t h e intended consequence (although perhaps not a n t i c i p a t i n g i t t o b e q u i t e s o "painful") o f a c o - o r d i n a t e d p o l i c y response, o f which t h e FTA is c e n t r a l , t o a p e r c e i v e d r e a l i t y : i . e . "competitiveness i n an interdependent world.''

The most remarkable of responses comes from t h o s e who argue t h a t , a s bad a s it i s now, t h e s i t u a t i o n would b e even worse without t h e FTA i n p l a c e . The l o g i c o f t h i s a s s e r t i o n r e q u i r e s u s t o make t h e s p e c t a c u l a r l e a p of f a i t h t h a t o n l y 3 y e a r s a f t e r t h e promised e r a o f j o b s & p r o s p e r i t y we should b e g r a t e f u l t h a t we a r e n o t even c l o s e r t o t h e 19302 l e v e l o f c r i s i s than we a r e a l r e a d y . To support t h e i r c l a i m , t h e y a r e r e v e r t i n g t o more c o r p o r a t e / g o v l t fu* ded econometric a n a l y s e s , u s i n g t h e same t y p e of models on which t h e y r e l i e d so h e a v i l y i n t h e campaign t o s e l l f r e e t r a d e o r i g i n a l l y , & which completely f a i l e d t o p r e d i c t t h e e f f e c t s of t h e FTA. F o r t u n a t e l y , while t h i s c o n j u r i n g e x e r c i s e may comfort t h e t r u e b e l i e v e r s , i t i s n o t swaying t h e common-sense o b s e r v a t i o n s of most Canadians, who now oppose t h e FTA i n r e c o r d numbers.

The f r e e t r a d e agreement cannot b e viewed i n i s o l a t i o n from t h e b r o a d e r package o f p o l i c i e s which comprise t h e Conservative agenda. I s i s an i n t e g r a l p a r t of t h a t package. I t i n t e r a c t s with & r e i n f o r c e s (& i s r e i n f o r c e d by) o t h e r p o l i c i e s , f a c i l i t a t e s t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f polic i e s w i t h which i t ' s compatible & h i n d e r s t h o s e ( e x i s t i n g o r new) w i t h which it i s n o t . Moreover, it a c t s upon a complex s o c i a l r e a l i t y .

I t has p o l i t i c a l , p s y c h o l o g i c a l & s o c i a l e f f e c t s . I t has d i r e c t & i n d i r e c t e f f e c t s , some c l e a r & some obscure. I t produces e f f e c t s t h a t g e n e r a t e secondary e f f e c t s t h a t o v e r t i m e c a u s e s t i l l f u r t h e r e f f e c t s . The t h r e a d s o f c a u s a l i t y are intricate & t h e i r effectsarecumulative.

D i f f e r e n t e v a l u a t i n g c r i t e r i a w i l l y i e l d diff e r e n t e v a l u a t i o n s . The FTA & Conservative p o k i c i e s g e n e r a l l y can be seen t o beworking q u i t e w e l l when viewed through t h e p r i s m o f t h e l ' f r e e market" o r neoconservative ideology t h a t domina t e s c u r r e n t p o l i c y . That ideology, l i k e a l l i d e o l o g i e s , c o n t a i n s a v i s i o n o f t h e economy, g o v ' t & s o c i e t y , & an agenda f o r g e t t i n g there.

I t ' s d r i v e n by powerful c o r p o r a t e i n t e r e s t s c l o s e l y a l i g n e d t o t h e Mulroney g o v ' t , a r t i c u l a t e d i n economics departments 6 l b u r h e t s r r c h o o Z 6 heralded i n newspaper b u s i n e s s pages. Claims

f o r t h i s ideology i n terms o f advancing t h e p u b l i c good r a r e l y accord with observed r e a l i t y . However, t h e b e n e f i t s i t b r i n g s t o t h e m o s t powerful i n o u r s o c i e t y a r e e v i d e n t . Canadians generally, l i k e c i t i z e n s of other countries i n which t h i s ideloogy has dominated policymaking a r e now r e a p i n g t h e b i t t e r f r u i t . B a s i c t e n e t s of n e o c o n s e r v a t i v e i n c l u d e t h e following:

*

Reducing t h e power o f g o v ' t t o i n t e r v e n e i n t h e economy & s h i f t i n g t h a t power t o t h e mar k e t ( i . e . t o l a r g e c o r p o r a t i o n s which have pow e r i n t h e market). Dismantling t h e mixed e c o n e my of t h e post-war p e r i o d i s t h e r e f o r e conside r e d e s s e n t i a l . Competitiveness i s t h e c e n t r a l r a l l y i n g concept. The l e x i c o n a l s o i n c l u d e s : privatization, deregulation, l i b e r a l trade. * I n t e g r a t i n g t h e Canadian economy w i t h t h e US economy is a l s o e s s e n t i a l . Let companies s l u g it o u t i n t h e c o n t i n e n t a l market & t h e s u r v i v o r s a t t h e end o f t h i s "cold showert' o f r e s t ~ c t u r i n gw i l l b e l e a n e r , meaner, more e f f i c i e n t & c o m p e t i t i v e . Workers who l o s e t h e i r j o b s i t ' s assumed, w i l l f i n d new h i g h e r p r o d u c t i v i t y jobs.

* Recessions (encouraged by monetary p o l i c y ) a r e n e c e s s a r y , even d e s i r a b l e a s d e t e r r e n t s t o excess. They weed o u t weak & i n e f f i c i e n t f i r m s . They weaken unions, inducing g r e a t e r f l e x i b i l i t y i n l a b o u r markers & d i s c i p l i n i n g wage demands. They weaken t h e f i s c a l c a p a c i t y of gov't & therewith its capacity t o d e l i v e r p u b l i c goods & s e r v i c e s .

Making t h e r i c h r i c h e r by f r e e i n g up savings, which t h e y w i l l t h e n i n v e s t , r e s u l t i n g i n e e onomic growth & p r o s p e r i t y t h a t w i l l t r i c k l e down t o t h e r e s t of s o c i e t y . A c o r o l l a r y o f t h i s approach i s t h a t s o c i a l s u p p o r t s such a s unemployment i n s u r a n c e & s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e which make workers l a z y & "uncompetitivel' must be c u t b a c k E t a r g e t e d t o t h e m o s t n e e d y only.

THE MULTI-PURPOSE FTA: Looking back o v e r t h e l a s t 3 y e a r s , t h e FTA h a s been e f f e c t i v e a s a multi-purpose d e v i c e f o r s e c u r i n g & advancing t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e s t y l e r e s t r u c t u r i n g o f Canada. This r e p o r t w i l l exam i n e 5 ways i n which t h e FTA h a s been u t i l i z e d t o t h i s end: 1) i t ' s a c t e d a s a wedge, providi n g impetus f o r 2 major p o l i c y i n i t i a t i v e s t o f u r t h e r entrench o r "constitutionalize" t h e agenda; 2 ) i t ' s a c t e d a s a c e i l i n g , p r e v e n t i n g intervention-minded g o v e r n m ~ o mimplementing t h e i r agendas 6 t h w a r t i n g l e g i s l a t i o n t h a t r e s t r i c t s c o r p o r a t e a c t i v i t y ; 3) i t ' s s e m e d a s a vice w i t h i n which t h e Conservative g o v ' t continues t o u n i l a t e r a l l y deregulate, further con p r e s s i n g t h e p o l i c y space a v a i l a b l e t o f u t u r e governments; 4 ) i t ' s been used by t h e US i n tandem with GATT a s a whipsaw t o f u r , t h e r w e a k e n o r e l i m i n a t e i n t e r v e n t i o n i s t Canadian laws & r e g u l a t i o n s ; 6 5) t h e FTA h a s served t h e Tory g o v ' t a s a key l e v e r t o f a c i l i t a t e & h a s t e n i m plementation of i t s p o l i c y agenda:corporate r e

s t r u c t u r m g & downward harmonization of s t a n d a r d s , d i s m a n t l i n g o f t h e Canadian s o c i a l c o n t r a c t , & implementation o f " b i g - b u s i n e s s - f r i e n & ly" p o l i c i e s .

Indeed, t h e FTA might be termed t h e Swiss army k n i f e of t h e Tory/big b u s i n e s s agenda.

There a r e , however, some c l o u d s on t h e h o r i b on. Three f a c e t s of t h e FTA b e a r mentioning i f n o t d e t a i l e d examination, b e f o r e we proceed.

Firstly, t h i s free-trade-driven restructuring might b a c k f i r e , r e s u l t i n g i n f a r f e w e r c a n a d i a n "winners" & f a r more " l o s e r s " than expected, & consequently a permanent c r i p p l i n g ( c o n t r a r y t o n e o c o n s e r v a t i v e f a i t h ) of t h e whole economy.

I

Secondly, t h e flawed d i s p u t e s e t t l e m e n t mechanism could t u r n o u t t o be t h e A c h i l l e s h e e l o f t h e agreement. I t was supposed t o p r o v i d e g r e a t l y improved US market a c c e s s f o r Canadian e x p o r t e r s , s p e c i f i c a l l y t h o s e t h a t a r e n ' t USowned. T h i s o f c o u r s e h a s n ' t happened. The ~ m e r i c a n s have e s c a l a t e d t h e i r harassment & certa i n t y o f a c c e s s remains a s i l l u s i v e a s e v e r .

The s i t u a t i o n h a s become s o s e r i o u s t h a t some h i g h - p r o f i l e s u p p o r t e r s have gone p u b l i c with t h e i r c r i t i c i s m . Deputy n e g o t i a t o r Gordon R i t c h i e charged t h a t US a c t i o n s "defytHe s p i r it & sometimes t h e l e t t e r o f t h e FT'A." Cheif n e g o t i a t o r Simon Reisman f o r t h e f i r s t time r a i s e d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a b r o g a t i o n i n an i n t e r v i e w with The Toronto S t a r . "If t h e Americr u l e s o f t h e lumber a n s d o n ' t a b i d e by t h e d i s p u t e , Canada would have no o p t i o n b u t t o t e r m i n a t e t h e agreement."

T h i r d l y , t h e governme.nt's prosperity/competit i v e n e s s agenda, launched i n Oct.'91 with t h e r e l e a s e o f t h e summary r e p o r t o f a s t u d y cosponsored with t h e Business C o u n c i l o n N a t i o n a l I s s u e s on Canadian c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s authored by US b u s i n e s s p r o f e s s o r Michael Porter,uncovered a d i s t u r b i n g c o n t r a d i c t i o n . One of P o r t e r ' s conclusions, contrary t o neoconservative o r t h o doxy, was t h a t t h e l e v e l o f f o r e i g n ownership i n Canada i s t o o high & t h a t t h i s s i t u a t i o n should b e r e d r e s s e d by b u i l d i n g a s t r o n g cluste r o f "home-based" Canadian m u l t i n a t i o n a l comp a n i e s . However, t h e FTA removes most of t h e v e r y g o v ' t p o l i c y t o o l s t h a t would b e necessa r y t o achieve t h i s c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s g o a l .

...

A Wedge: 13.

The FTA has given impetus t o 2 major i n i t i a G i v e s i n 1991 whose purpose i s t o f u r t h e r tllock i n w t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e agenda & put it beyond t h e reach of f u t u r e governments.

Last June formal n e g o t i a t i o n s began t o e x t e n d t h e FTA t o i n c l u d e Mexico. A North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) remain's p a r t of t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ' s E n t e r p r i s e f o r t h e Americ a s I n i t i a t i v e t o l a y down new r u l e s o f e d o n o m i c o r d e r i n t h e hemisphere so a s t o c o n s o l i d a t e i t s sphere of dominance. As John Negroponte, US ambassador t o Mexico, wrote i n a c o n f i d e n t g a1 April ' 9 1 US S t a t e Dept. memo," The FTA can b e seen a s an instrument t o promote, c o n s o l i d a t e & g u a r a n t e e continued p o l i c i e s of economic reformuin Mexico beyond thk S a l i n a s Administra t i o n . " Other L a t i n American c o u n t r i e s a r e l i n ing up t o "dock in" once a t r i l a t e r a l d e a l i s concluded. US o f f i c i a l s expect t o s i g n framework t r a d e agreements (which a r e p r e c u r s o r s t o FTAs) with a l l L a t i n American & Caribbean c o u p t r i e s except Cuba by t h e end o f 1992.

The NAFTA i s a l s o an o p p o r t u n i t y t o reopen & "improve" t h e Canada-US d e a l . The Canadian gow ernment t e l l s u s t h a t we have t o b e a t t h e b a r g a i n i n g t a b l e i n o r d e r t o p r o t e c t t h e vaguelydfinded "hard won" FT'A g a i n s , t h e e f f e c t o f which cannot, we a r e t o l d , b e measured, 6 f o r which we p a i d a n extremely high p r i c e . F o r b o t h Canada & Mexico, t h e US i s t h e d e s t i n a t i o n f o r 3/4 o f t h e i r e x p o r t s . The s i m i l a r i t y o f t h e s e e x p o r t s t o t h e US i s h i g h & growing r a p i d l y , h e i g h t e n i n g t h e r i v a l r y f o r US market p r e f e r ence. Canada w i l l b e under p r e s s u r e t o match c o n c e s s i o n s t h a t Mexico makes i n a r e a s such a s i n t e l l e c t u a l p r o p e r t y & investment, i n o r d e a t o maintain (once a g a i n ) t h i s i l l u s o r y market a c e e s s t h a t we were supposed t o have secured i n t h e f i r s t round.

The second i n i t i a t i v e occurred i n September when t h e Mulroney g o v ' t unveiled i t s proposal f o r e n t r e n c h i n g t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e - c o r p o r a t e agenda i n t h e Canadian c o n s t i t u t i o n . The proposa 1 would have extended t h e b i n a t i o n a l m o b i l i t y r i g h t s & freedoms entrenched i n t h e FTA t o a p p l y w i t h i n Canada i t s e l f . I t would've a l s o cre* t e d an economic union with s t r e n g t h e n e d f e d e r a l a b i l i t y t o e n f o r c e t h e p r o v i s i o n s of bhe f r e e t r a d e agreement. The e f f e c t would've been t o remove important p r o v i n c i a l g o v ' t powers & r e a s s i g n t h e s e powers t o a Council of t h e Federa t i o n (one of t h e " s t i l l - t o - b e - n e g o t i a t e d W p a r t s o f t h e Charlottetown Accord) whose mandate would b e t o l i m i t p r o v i n c i a l a c t i o n s which might p l a c e "impediments ...t? t h e e f f i c i e n t f u n c t i o n i n g of t h e i n t e r n a l market."

This cumbersome body would be a r e c i p e f o r p a r a l y s i s & would i n e f f e c t t r a n s f e r t h i s prow i n c i a l power t o t h e "market." I t ' d make t h e c o r p o r a t e s t a t e , with i t s p r i o r i t i e s o f " e f f i c iency" & "competitiveness" o v e r - a l l , t h e fund* mental law of t h e land i n Canada.

A Ceiling

The c l e a r e s t example i n t h e p a s t y e a r of t h e success of t h e FTA i n p r o t e d t i n g t h e " r i g h t s " of c o r p o r a t i o n s by f r u i t r a t i n g or t h w a r t i n g t h e a c t i o n s of intervention-minded governments i s t h e c a s e of p u b l i c a u t o i n s u r a n c e i n Ontario.

One of t h e main promises o f t h e NDP g o v ' t e l e c t e d in S e p t . ' 9 0 was t o r e p l a c e p r i v a t e a u t o i w surance with a p u b l i c l y - a d m i n i s t e r e d system s i m i l a r t o ones a l r e a d y i n e x i s t e n c e i n t h r e e o t h e r provinces.

The FTA i n t h e o r y a l l o w s g o v t ' s t o do t h i s , but i n p r a c t i c e g r e a t l y r a i s e s t h e p r i c e of i m plementation. A r t i c l e 2010 r e q u i r e s p r i o r c o n s u l t a t i o n with t h e US g o v ' t & is s u b j e c t t o null i f i c a t i o n s & t h e impairment c l a u s e (Art.2011) s a y s t h a t , even i f an a c t i o n is c o m p a t i b l e w i t h t h e agreement, i f it reduces b e n e f i t s o t h e r w i a e expected, t h e n t h e US i s e n t i t l e d t o compensat i o n . Moreover, A r t i c l e 1605 r e q u i r e s " f a i r market compensation1' t o US f i r m s f o r measures which a r e considered "tantamount t o expropriation." Canadian law does n o t g i v e t h i s r i g h t t o Canadian companies.

The US a u t o i n s u r a n c e i n d u s t r y immediately began t o p r e p a r e claims f o r compensation under t h e FTA. Commissioned s t u d i e s claimed-that they would b e e n t i t l e d , under t h e FTA, t o more than a b i l l i o n d o l l a r s i f O n t a r i o btought i n i t s p u b l i c a u t o insurance scheme. No such l e g a l compensation o b l i g a t i o n would b e r e q u i r e d f o r Canadian companies, but i n p r a c t i c e not extending compensation t o them would b e p o l i t i c a l l y unacceptable. Gordon Cloney, p r e s i d e n t o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Insurance Council, wrote t o US Trade R e p r e s e n t a t i v e C a r l a H i l l s s a y i n g Ontari o ' s scheme "would compromise t h e most b a s i c i n t e n t i o n o f t h e Canada-US FTA." He urged h e r t o convey t o t h e Canadians "the s e r i o u s i m p l i c a t i o n s t h e O n t a r i o a c t i o n would have f o r f u t ure trade relations. " H i l l s agreed t o t h i s r e q u e s t . A t t h e August 1991 t r a d e m i n i s t e r s ' meeting i n S e a t t l e , s h e p u b l i c l y warned Canadian T r a d e M i n i s t e r Michael Wilson t h a t O n t a r i o ' s proposed p o l i c y would v i o l a t e t h e FTA & implied t h a t t h e US would exact a very high p r i c e i f O n t a r i o proceeded.

Consequently, a beleaguered O n t a r i o g o v ' t , weakened by a f r e e - t r a d e - d r i v e n r e s t r u c t u r i n g p r o c e s s t h a t has seen t h e l a r g e - s c a l e exodus of production f a c i l i t i e s , t h e l o s s of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs, t h e e r o s i o n of i t s revenue base & t h e growth o f i t s d e f i c i t admitted d e f e a t & reneged on i t s promise t o Ontario voters t o bring i n public auto insurance. ( I t ' s important t o n o t e a s well t h a t i f t h e FTA had been in p l a c e i n t h e 1960s, t h e s e same p r o v i s i o n s & t h e same c o r p o r a t e p r e s s u r e would probably have prevented Canada from brim ginn i n i t s p u b l i c l y funded 4 administered medical i n s u r a n c e ) . In l i n e with i t s agenda t h e f e d e r a l gov't h a s a l r e a d y passed B i l l C-69 t o b r i n g f e d e r a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o Medicare t o $0 by t h e y e a r 2005. - ed.

The a u t o i n s u r a n c e example demonstrates conc r e t e l y how t h e FTA o p e r a t e s a s a mechanism through which t h e US can s c r u t i n i z e , a p p l y p r e s s u r e & r e t a l i a t e a g a i n s t Canadian p o l i c i e s t h a t t h r e a t e n t h e i n t e r e s t s of i t s c o r p o r a t i o n s .

The FTA f r u s t r a t e s d e m o c r a t i c p o l i t i c a l c h o i c e by reducing t h e power of f e d e r a l & p r o v i n c i a l governments. But it d o e s n ' t t r a n s f e r power, a s t h e European Community does, t o s u p r a n a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s l i k e t h e European Court o r t h e European Commission. The FTA t r a n s f e r s power t o t h e c o r p o r a t i o n s & e s t a b l i s h e s t h e US a s t h e e n f o r c e r o f t h e new o r d e r . Canada h a s s u r r e n d e r e d s o v e r e i g n t y without having gained any voice in a supranational i n s t i t u t i o n .

Ontario l e g i s l a t i o n p s n d i n g i n 2 o t h e r a r e a s w i l l a l s o bump up a g a i n s t t h e c o n s t r a i n t s imposed by t h e FTA: changes t o l a b o u r l e g i s l a t i o n designed t o modestly i n c r e a s e union b a r g a i n i n g power i n n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h management, & l e g i s l a t i o n t o f a c i l i t a t e p a r t n e r s h i p s between publ i c c a p i t a l funds & worker ownership schemes.

With r e s p e c t t o t h e f i r s t , t h e o p p o s i t i o n i s coming from O n t a r i o b u s i n e s s e s which a r g u e t h a t t h e l e g i s l a t i o n w i l l d i s a d v a n t a g e them i n competing with t h e i r US c o u n t e r p a r t s . P r e s s u r e has a l r e a d y reached h y s t e r i c a l p r o p o r t i o n s w i t h t h e l i k e s o f Conrad Black warning t h a t " c a p i t a l & t a l e n t e d people w i l l avoid o r f 1 e e : O n t a r i o u n t i l a more f a v o u r a b l e c l i m a t e r e t u r n s . O n t a p i o w i l l pay d e a r l y & long- f o r i t s mindless adherence t o - t h e NDP . I 1 As f o r j o i n t g o v 8 t / w o r k e r buyouts, t h e f i r s t t e s t may b e t h a t o f a i l i n g- Algoma Steel i n S a u l t G . ~ a r i e , whose e x p o r t s could w e l l b e s u b j e c t t o c o u n t e r v a i l a c t i o n by US producers a l l e g i n g u n f a i r g o v ' t s u b s i d i e s . More g e n e r a l l y , t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t t h e US views O n t a r i o ' s i n t e r v e n t i o n s i n c a p i t a l markets a s d i s t o r t i o n which f a v o u r Canadian companies & h u r t US i n t e r e s t s , i t ' l l demand compensation o r r e t a l i a t e .

A r e c e n t example of how t h e Tory gov:; u s e s t h e FTA t o avoid b r i n g i n g i n r e g u l a t i o n s pursw a n t t o i n t e r h a t i o n a l agreements which might hinder corporate a c t i v i t y involves t h e advertis i n g p r a c t i c e s o f t r a n s n a t i o n a l s t h a t make baby formulas. O f f i c i a l s from Health & Welfare Can* d a and Consumer & Corporate A f f a i r s a d v i s e d t h e I n f a n t Feeding Action C o a l i t i o n i n t h e f a l l of 1991 t h a t t h e Canadian g o v ' t cannot b r i n g i n l e g i s l a t i o n t o comply with t h e World Health O r g a n i z a t i o n ' s code p r o t e c t i n g b r e a s t milk and b r e a s t f e e d i n g from t h e a g g r e s s i v e c o r p o r a t e a d v e r t i s i n g o f i n f a n t formula because t h e WHO code i s "superseded by t h e FTA." The code is p e r c e i v e d t o be a r e s t r i c t i o n of c o r p o r a t e r i g h t s under t h e FTA. T h i s should b e p a r t i c u l a r l y worrisome t o Mexico a s it p r e p a r e s t o e n t e r i n t o a NAFTA. The m o r t a l i t y r a t e i n Third World c o u n t r i e s o f i n f a n t s w h o a r e b o t t l e f e d i s 14 t i m e s h i g h e r t h a n b r e a s t - f e d b a b i e s .

Vice: Thirdly, A

t h e FTA h a s helped t o advance t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e agenda by o p e r a t i n g a s a v i c e .

Many p r e - e x i s t i n g r e g u l a t i o n s & o t h e r p v a c t i c e s which a r e seen a s b a r r i e r s t o ( o r d e r o g a t i o n s from) t h e b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e d e a l - i . e . .

Ifthe f r e e & unimpeded f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e marke t " - were grandfathered. However, e v e r y subsequent a c t i o n by t h e Mulroney gov't t o unilatt e r a l l y deregulate o r privatize turns the vice & reduces t h e p o l i c y space a v a i l a b l e t o a f u t u r e g o v ' t , preventing it from r e - i m p o s i n g t h e s e r e g u l a t i o n s & o t h e r p r a c t i c e s , should i t s o des i r e . Even i f such a measure by a f u t u r e gov't d i d n o t d i r e c t l y v i o l a t e t h e FTA, i t ' d be v e r y expensive t o implement. Thus, i t ' d be extremel y d i f f i c u l t , i f not impossible, t o unscrew o r reverse the direction of the vice.

Examples o f t h i s squeeze p l a y i n c l u d e : t h e p r i v a t i z a t i o n o f A i r Canada & P e t r o Canada;the deregulation of t h e trucking industry & f i n a n o i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s ; t h e removal o f t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s u b s i d i e s f o r g r a i n moving through e a s t e r n p o r t s ; t h e withdrawal o f l e g i s l a t i o n on f i l m d i s t r i b u t i o n ; t h e d e r e g u l a t i o n o f National Energy Board power t o apply domestic s u p p l y t e s t s a s a c o n d i t i o n o f g r a n t i n g g a s export l i c e n c e s ; I & t h e r e c e n t l y announced i n t e n t i o n t o remove f o r e i g n ownership r e s t r i c t i o n s on h e a l t h y Cane dian-owned o i l companies.

,

A Whipsaw: Fourthly, t h e US h a s used t h e FTA i n tandem with GATT (General Agreement on T a r i f f s & T r a d e - 108 c o u n t r i e s worldwide a r e members) a s a whipsaw t o f u r t h e r weaken o r e l i m i n a t e i n t e r v e n t i o n i s t Canadian p o l i c i e s such a s supply management, Canadian c o n t e n t & d i f f e r e n t i a l p r i c i n g . I t ' s s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t , although t h e Conservative g o v ' t h a s p r o t e s t e d U S a c t i o n s , i t s responses have been weak & r i n g hollow, given i t s own i d e o l o g i c a l a v e r s i o n t o t h e s e p o l i c i e s .

Prominent examples of t h i s whipsaw e f f e c t irt volved t h e US g e t t i n g GATT r u l i n g s d e c l a r i n g i l l e g a l : BC's domestic f i s h p r o c e s s i n g laws; f e d e r a l import quotas on processed food produ c t s , i c e cream & yogurt; & d i s c r i m i n a t o r y s a l e s & d i s t r i b u t i o n p r a c t i c e s a g a i n s t US b e e r imports. With r e s p e c t t o t h e f i r s t , Canada could've, under GATT, brought i n anothkr measu r e , an export t a x t h a t would've achieved t h e same e f f e c t o f safeguarding t h e BC processing i n d u s t r y . However, export t a x e s a r e i l l e g a l urt d e r t h e f r e e t r a d e agreement.

In t h e second c a s e , t h e FTA removed t a r i f f s on a l l imports, i n c l u d i n g processed d a i r y produ c t s , i c e cream & yogurt. T a r i f f s were importa n t t o o l s , along with milk import quotas, f o r implementing supply management i n t h e d a i r y s e c t o r . The g o v ' t t h e n t r a n s f e r r e d t h e s e produ c t s t o i t s import c o n t r o l l i s t , b u t GATTruled following a US complaint t h a t t h e Canadian go* ernment could only p u t such q u o t a s on b a s i c n milk & n o t on processed products.

Farmers, f i s h e r s , p r o c e s s i n g workers, many

small & medium-sized b u s i n e s s e s & communities a r e a l l h u r t by t h i s d e r e g u l a t i o n . Only c o r p o p a t i o n s which have t h e r e s o u r c ~ ?t ~ o relocate production t o "low c o s t " a r e a s & s h i p back i n t o Canada w i l l b e n e f i t .

In the third case, discriminatory practices a g a i n s t American b e e r imports were permitted under t h e FTA ( A r t i c l e 1204). Presumably t h e Canadian g o v ' t p a i d a p r i c e in t h e n e g o t i a t i o n t o s e c u r e t h i s exemotion. Nevertheless, t h e US ignored t h i s commitment & brought a complaint t o GATT which, a s expected, d e c l a r e d them ill* g a l . The US a d m i n i s t r a t i o n h a s d e c l a r e d i t s irt t e n t i o n t o r e t a l i a t e i f Canada d o e s n ' t end t h i s p r a c t i c e . GATT had r u l e d t h e same way i n 1986 on a European complaint a g a i n s t Canadian b e e r r e g u l a t i o n s . Then, u n l i k e i n t h e 1991 US c a s e , t h e f e d e r a l g o v ' t responded by not accepting & t h e r e b y blocking t h e r u l i n g .

A f i n a l example involves Canada's i n t e l l e c t w a 1 p r o p e r t y laws. I f t h e GATT Uruguay Round i s s u c c e s s f u l , i t w i l l l i k e l y contain p r o v i s i o n s extending from 10 t o 20 y e a r s t h e p e r i o d of monopoly p a t e n t p r o t e c t i o n f o r c o r p o r a t i o n s ' new drugs, This would f u r t h e r weakenour system of compulsory l i c e n c i n g which s a v e s Canadian consumers hundreds of m i l l i o n s o f d o l l a r s / y e a r i n drug c o s t s . Strengthening corporatemonopoly r i g h t s , although not p u b l i c l y admitted u n t i l v e r y r e c e n t l y , i s v e r y much i n l i n e with t h e Mulroney g o v t ' s own p o l i c y . Trade M i n i s t e r M i chael Wilson announced i n mid-January t h a t h i s g o v ' t would a c c e p t t h e GATT proposal f o r extending p a t e n t p r o t e c t i o n , even thoughtheGAIT n e g o t i a t i o n s a r e n ' t over. The law extending monopoly p r o t e c t i o n p e r i o d s from 4 t o 10 y e a r s back i n 1987 ( B i l l C-22) was, few would d i s agree, one o f t h e s i d e d e a l s t h a t accompanied t h e s i g n i n g o f t h e FTA. I t was t h e key precede n t i n a p r o c e s s t h a t could culminate i n a NAFTA which e l i m i n a t e s Canada's compulsory lie ensing system a l t o g e t h e r .

A Lever: F i n a l l y , t h e FTA h a s served t h e Conservative g o v ' t & i t s b i g b u s i n e s s a l l i e s well a s an e c e nomic & psychological l e v e r t o f a c i l i t a t e & h a s t e n c o r p o r a t e r e s t r u c t u r i n g & downward harm o n i z a t i o n o f s t a n d a r d s , d i s m a n t l e t h e Canadian s o c i a l c o n t r a c t & implement "big-businessf r i e n d l y " p o l i c i e s . Tying t h e Canadian economy t o t h e g i a n t US economy, where neoconservatism i s f i r m l y i n p l a c e , with an i n t e g r a t i o n agreement t h a t e n s h r i n e s c a p i t a l m o b i l i t y r i g h t s & o t h e r " f r e e market" r u l e s has l e f t t h e "mixed" Canadian economy no c h o i c e b u t i n t h e name o f harmonization t o reshape i t s e l f i n t h e image of the l a r g e r partner.

The l o g i c o f Canadian-based b u s i n e s s arguing t h a t it now h a s t o dompete on a l e v e l p l a y i n g f i e l d h a s become v e r y compelling; s o , , t o q given i t s new m o b i l i t y , a r e i t s t h r e a t s t o leave.

Herein l i e s t h e h e a r t o f t h e FYA's v a l u e a s an instrument d r i v i n g t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e transformrt t i o n of Canada.

To a d j u s t t o t h i s new r e a l i t y , governments must e l i m i n a t e many f e a t u r e s t h a t make t h e Canadian economy d i s t i n c t i v e , & remove o r weaken ( i n t h e name o f competitiveness) t h e s o c i a l s e r v i c e s t h a t g i v e expression t o v a l u e s which have defined u s a s a more c a r i n g s o c i e t y .

Thus, a l i g n i n g c o s t & r e g u l a t o r y s t r u c t u r e s means f o r c i n g down wages, weakening unions, f o r c i n g down s o c i a l & l a b o u r s t a n d a r d s , f o r e i n g down environmental s t a n d a r d s , f o r c i n g down COP p o r a t e t a x e s & s o c i a l program spending.

The e f f e c t o f t h i s l e v e l l i n g o n t h e p ~ i i t i a a l cohesion o f Canada was f o r e t o l d by p o l i t i c a l s c i e n t i s t Donald Smi1ey:"The bonds o f Canadian nationhood a r e p r i m a r i l y i n t h e s p h e r e o f go* ernment & i n a c t i v i t i e s d e c i s i v e l y shaped by g o v ' t . Thus p o l i c y harmonization i n h e r e n t i n t h e FTA c h a l l e n g e s Canadian d i s t i n c t i v e n e s s i n a v e r y d i r e c t way."

In i t s e a r l y y e a r s t h e Mulroney g o v ' t moved h a l t i n g l y t o implement i t s agenda & was f o r c e d under p u b l i c p r e s s u r e t o back down on such acti o n s a s pension d e i n d e x a t i o n & unemployment c u t s . I t was f o r c e d t o move more slowly & s u r r e p t i t i o u s l y . The T o r i e s even had t o promise dw r i n g t h e 1988 e l e c t i o n t h a t no harm would come t o o u r s o c i a l programs under f r e e t r a d e .

However a f t e r t h e e l e c t i o n t h e Conservative g o v ' t moved a g g r e s s i v e l y . Within months,OldAge S e c u r i t y , Family Allowance & Unemployment Insw rance were a l l on t h e chopping block. I t broke i t s agreement on p r o v i n c i a l c o s t - s h a r i n g f o r t h e Canada Assistance Program ( w e l f a r e ) by f r e e z i n g t r a n b f e r payments t o Ontario, A l b e r t a & BC where h a l f o f Canada's poor a r e l o c a t e d , even a s it was f o r c i n g more p r o p l e onto t h e welfare r o l l s through changes t o t h e UI and through r e p r e s s i v e monetary p o l i c y .

The cutbacks i n f e d e r a l t r a n s f e r s t o t h e p r e v i n c e s f o r post-secondary education & h e a l t h c a r e begun i n 1986 were g r e a t l y a c c e l e r a t e d . 1 t i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t by 1994 t h e y w i 1 l f v e d r a i n e d an e s t i m a t e d $22 b i l l i o n from t h e h e a l t h c a r e system, & by t h e y e a r 2000 f e d e r a l cash t r a n 9 f e r s t o t h e provinces w i l l have dropped c l o s e t o zero. I t ' s no coincidence t h a t t h e f e d e r a l gov't i s g e t t i n g o u t o f t h e h e a l t h business a s t h e d e a d l i n e i s reached f o r a c o m o n regime of FTA r u l e s on a c c e p t a b l e s u b s i d i e s . There w i l l be no need f o r any embarassing concessi o n s t o t h e Americans.

Forcing up t h e Canadian d o l l a r , beginning i n 1988, through a high i n t e r e s t r a t e p o l i c y was a c e n t r a l p a r t of t h e k o v t ' s d r i v e t o a c c e l e P

a t e t h e harmonization/restructuring process which t h e FTA had c a s t i n s t o n e . There i s a c i r c u m s t a n t i a l c a s e f o r arguing t h a t a commitment by t h e Canadian g o v ' t t o r a i s e t h e d o l l a r exchange r a t e was l i k e l y a p a r t o f t h e f r e e t r a d e package. Whether t h i s was imposedbythe US on t h e Conservative g o v ' t o r whether it was seen, with t h e FTA i n p l a c e , a s a necessary companion measure t o r e i n f o r c e t h e i n t e g r a b i o n o f t h e two economies, t h e p o l i c y has been deli b e r a t e . And i f it was d e l i b e r a t e , i t s e f f e c t s were a n t i c i p a t e d i n advance of t h e d e a l ' s i m p lementat ion.

I t ' s u s e f u l t o r e c a l l t h a t i n 1986,when t h e Economic Council came o u t i n f a v o u r o f t h e govt's f r e e trade i n i t i a t i v e , it presented a worst-case s c e n a r i o i n which, without a f r e e t r a d e d e a l , a p r o t e c t i o n i s t US Congressimposed a 20% s u r t a x on imports from Canada, d e s t roying 520,000 Canadian jobs o v e r 9 y e a r s .

Since t h e Council made t h i s p r e d i c t i o n , t h e d o l l a r h a s r i s e n over 20% ( t h e e q u i v a l e n t o f n o t only a s u r t a x on Canadian e x p o r t e r s b u t i n a d d i t i o n a 20% subsidy f o r US e x p o r t e r s ) with t h e corresponding d e s t r u c t i o n of jobs.

(Now t h a t much o f t h e t a k e o v e r s & buyouts & r e s t r u c d u r i n g i s happening, t h e d o l l a r i s goi n g down r a p i d l y ; t h i s lowers t h e c o s t s o f American s u b s i d i a r i e s shipping t o p a r e n t HQ.) I t ' s also useful t o r e c a l l t h a t the r i s e in t h e exchange r a t e was completely t h e o p p o s i t e o f what f r e e t r a d e proponents s a i d would h a p p en t o t h e d o l l a r i f wages & t a x e s g o t o u t o f l i n e a s economic i n t e g r a t i o n proceeded.

The high i n t e r e s t / e x c h a n g e r a t e p o l i c y w h i c h was s o l d t o Canadians a s being n e c e s s a r y t o f i g h t i n f l a t i o n h a s been, more a c c u r a t e l y , a p o l i c y of wage compression. High i n t e r e s t r a t e s & t a x e s such a s t h e GST were much more i n f l a t i o n a r y than p r e s s u r e from wages, which were c o n s t a n t l y f i g h t i n g t o c a t c h up. But even though r e a l wages i n t h e ~ 8 O s l o s t m o r e g r o u n d t o l a b o u r p r o d u c t i v i t y growth t h a n a t a n t time t h i s century, US wages l o s t even more ground; & t h e r e f o r e Canadian wages had t o be f u r t h e r d i s c i p l i n e d & harmonized i n t h e new f r e e t r a d e environment. The r i s e i n t h e exchange r a t e s has g r e a t l y i n c r e a s e d u n i t l a b o u r c o s t s r e l a t i v e t o t h o s e i n t h e US, a c c e n t u a t i n g t h e " u r g gency" t o c u t Canadian wages, which a s a r e s u l t a r e now s i g n i f i c a n t l y h i g h e r a c r o s s t h e board t h a n t h e i r US c o u n t e r p a r t s .

The p o l i c y had i t s intended e f f e c t on wages by producing one of t h e worst economic c r i s e s i n t h e i n d u s t r i a l world. As Wood Gundy econom i s t J e f f Rubin put i t : "The high d o l l a r is a very powerful impetus f o r c o s t d i s c i p l i n e Without i t , wage s e t t l e m e n t s wouldn't be s l i p ping t o 3% i n '91 from 6% i n '90." T h e a n x i e t y caused by t h e t h r e a t of j o b l o s s Cexacerbated by a weakened s o c i a l s a f e t y n e t has curbed wage demands. I n t h e f e d e r a l p u b l i c s e c t o r a b l u n t e r approach t o wage compressionwas taken - a l e g i s l a t e d wage f r e e z e .

...

Monetary p o l i c y has a l s o been a key t o o l t o c r e a t e t h e s e n s e of "urgency" t o c u t s o c i a l 6 o t h e r g o v ' t spending under t h e g u i s e of reduci n g t h e d e f i c i t . A 1991 S t a t i s t i c s Canadastudy exposed t h e C o n s e v a t i v e / c o r p o r a t e l i e t h a t "rampant s o c i a l spending" was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e f e d e r a l debt d e f i c i t c r i s i s . I n f a c t , f o r t h e l a s t 5 y e a r s t h e g o v ' t h a s run o p e r a t i n g budget s u r p l u s e s , w i t h revenue r e g u l a r l y e x c e e d i n g f e d e r a l program spending by $ 1 0 - 1 2 b i l l i o n each y e a r t o p a r t i a l l y o f f s e t t h e roughly $40B y e a r l y o u t l a y i n i n t e r e s t payments on i t s $ 4 0 0 B d e b t . A l l t h e w h i l e t h e g o v ' t maintained t h e f i c t i o n t h a t i t c o u l d n ' t lower i n t e r e s t payment 6 c u t b i l l i o n s from t h e d e f i c i t , t h a t i t could not e l i m i n a t e t h e b i l l i o n s of d o l l a r s i n corporate tax subsidies, 6 t h a t it couldn'tfinance i t s d e f i c i t by r e t u r n i n g t o a p o l i c y of c r e a t i n g money i t s e l f through t h e Bank of Canada ( r a t h e r than l e t t i n g p r i v a t e f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t * t i o n s do i t e x c l u s i v e l y ) , t h e r e b y b r e a k i n g t h e c y c l e of i n c r e a s i n g g o v ' t d e b t i n o r d e r t o pay i n t e r e s t on i t s o l d d e b t .

The FTA h a s a l s o been an important hook'around which t h e Conservative g o v ' t h a s reshaped t h e t a x system t o b e n e f i t b i g b u s i n e s s . Most dramat i c h a s been t h e GST, which t r a n s f e r r e d $4 b i L l i o n of t a x e s from c o r p o r a t i o n s t o consumers.

Prudential-Bache S e c u r i t i e s , i n its f i r s t a s s essment of t h e ETA, c i t e d t h e importance of b r i n g i n g i n t h e GST i n a f r e e t r a d e environment dominated by t r a n s n a t i o n a l s . I t n o t e d t h a t i n t h i s environment, w i t h t h e e x i s t i n g m a n u f a c t u r i n g s a l e s t a x (MST) on Canadian-made i n p u t s l e f t i n place, transnational corporations,most of whose t r a d e i s i n t r a - f i r m o r non-market,can simply p a s s on t h i s t a x , r a i s i n g t h e p r i c e of Canadian-made i n p u t s r e l a t i v e t o i n p u t s imported from t h e US 6 t h e r e w i t h t h e c o s t of production i n Canada. I n a p r e - f r e e t r a d e environment t h i s a c t i o n could b e o f f s e t by t a r i f f s a n d / o r c o n t e n t requirements.

Thus, n o t e s Prudential-Bache, t h e GST was an i n i t i a t i v e by t h e Canadian g o v ' t t o a d d r e s s t h i s consequence of f r e e t r a d e . I t removes t a x from t h e manufacturer (h p l a c e s i t on t h e consumer) & "should add t o Canada's a t t r a c t i v e n e s s a s a manufacturing p l a t f o r m i n t h e US."Besides making Canadian e x p o r t e r s (mainly t r a n s n a t i o n a l s ) more "cornpetit ive" by reducing t h e i r t a x e s t h e GST, by t a k i n g i n more revenue than t h e t a x i t r e p l a c e d , a l s o makes up f o r t h e $3 b i l l i o n per y e a r t a r i f f revenue l o s t t o t h e t r e a s u r y .

A s w i t h monetary p o l i c y , t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n of t h e GST was c l e a r l y r e l a t e d t o f r e e t r a d e 6 i t s e f f e c t s were a n t i c i p a t e d b e f o r e t h e FTA was i m plemented. Knowing t h a t t h e GST would s a d d l e consumers with t h e consequences of removingthe t a r i f f s 6 t h e manufacturers s a l e s t a x , t h e g o v t f r a u d u l e n t l y proclaimed d u r i n g t h e ' 8 8 e l e c t i o n campaign t h a t t h e consumer wouldget m a j o r p r i c e r e d u c t i o n s under f r e e t r a d e . As it t u r n s o u t , Canadian consumers only g e t a b r e a k on p r i c e s when they make t h e i r purchases i n t h e US.

corporate r e s t r u c t i n g i n t h e new c o n t i n e n t a l market has been t h e exodus of Canadtan j o b s 6 production, a s companies, both Canadian-owned a s w e l l a s US-owned, r e l o c a t e t o t h e US, p a r t i c u l a r l y t o t h e s o u t h e r n s t a t e s 6 t h e Mexican maquiladora, t o t a k e advantage of lower wages, lower t a x e s , weaker hnon-enforced l a b o u r 6 environmental laws, e t c .

One of t h e ways t h e US s u n b e l t s t a t e s keep ages 6 s t a n d a r d s low is through " r i g h t t o work" laws. These laws permit workers t o o p t o u t of c e r t i f i e d unions 6 n o t pay dues, while r e q u i r i n g t h e unions t o r e p r e s e n t tham a t t h e b a r g a i r r i n g t a b l e . T h i s i n c e n t i v e t o " f r e e r i d i n g " has undermined t h e c o l l e c t i v e b a r g a i n i n g p r o c e s s t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t u n i o n i z a t i o n r a t e s have dropped below 5% i n some s t a t e s . Tennessee b u s i n e s s r e c r u i t e r Alf B a r n e t t e t y p i f i e s t h e "employer f r i e n d l y " c l i m a t e i n l a r g e p a r t s of t h e new f r e e t r a d e l e v e l playing f i e l d : "We d o n ' t c a r e i f you b u i l d bombs i n our towns; j u s t d o n ' t b r i n g a union."

Jim S t a n f o r d . i n a study published Dec.'91 by t h e Canadian Centre f o r Poliicy A l t e r n a t i v e s d e c l a r e s t h a t r i g h t t o work laws a r e d e l i b e r a t e a r b i t r a r y r e s t r i c t i o n s on l a b o u r p r a c b i c e s which have had t h e e f f e c t of s u p p r e s s i n g o r s u b s i d i z i n g t h e wage c o s t s of manufacturers ( p a i d f o r i n v o l u n t a r i l y by t h e workers) by $1.45 an hour. S t a n f o r d c a l c u l a t e s t h a t f o r a group of n i n e such s t a t e s , t h i s amounted t o a subsidy t o manufacturers of some $10 b i l l i o n a y e a r , o r 15% of t h e i r t o t a l l a b o u r c o s t s .

F u r t h e r s o u t h i s t h e maquiladora, t h e M e x i c an manufacturing export p r o c e s s i n g zone, an a r e a which one businessman d e s c r i b e d a s "parad i s e . " Besides i t s l o c a t i o n on t h e d o o r s t e p of t h e American market, t h e most powerful mag n e t i s rock-bottom wages. Between 6 0 ~6 70C an h o u r , t h e s e wages, among t h e lowest anywhere, have been achieved 6 maintained w i t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e of an imploding currency 6 an a u t h o r i t a r i a n g o v ' t t h a t smothers p o l i t i c a l o p p o s i t i o n 6 s u p p r e s s e s independent l a b o u r movements. Business proponents of f r e e t r a d e p e r p e t r a t e t h e myth t h a t Canadians d o n ' t have t o worry about low Mexican wages because prod u c t i v i t y l e v e l s a r e s o low. While t h i s may be t r u e f o r t h e Mexican economy a s a whole i t i s a d i s t o r t i o n of t h e r e a l i t y i n t h e Maquil* d o r a which i s populated almost e n t i r e l y by t r a n s n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t i o n s , mainly US-owned, many of whose e x p o r t p l a n t s c o n t a i n s t a t e - o f t h e - a r t equipment h p r o c e s s e s a l l o w i n g high l e v e l s of l a b o u r p r o d u c t i v i t y As b u s i n e s s guru P e t e r Drucker s a y s , "It t a k e s 3 y e a r s a t t h e most f o r a maquila t o a t t a i n t h e l a b o u r p r o d u c t i v i t y of a well-run US o r Japanese p l a n t . " Drucker s e e s a good c a s e f o r moving production when wages a t e 15% o r more of d i r e c t manufacturing c o s t s .

I n Canada wages a c c o u n t , on average, f o r 18-20% of d i r e c t manufacturing c o s t s . The simp l e a r i t h m e t i c of t h i s r u l e of thumb i n d i c a y e s

.

.

t h a t a s i g n i f i c a n t chunk of t h e Canadian manuf a c t u r i n g s e c t o r i s a t r i s k from t h e " m a q u i l a d o r i z a t i o n " of t h e Mexican economy.

The low-wage-high-productivity m i x h a s given t h e c o r p o r a t i o n s producing t h e r e an enormous w i n d f a l l p r o f i t 6 an enormous i n c e n t i v e t o r e l o c a t e production. The Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce h a s e s t i m a t e d t h e average c o s t advantage of a maquiladora p l a n t o v e r i t s US c o u n t e r p a r t a t $13 per worker p e r hour.

T h i s amounted t o a c o l l e c t i v e w i n d f a l l i n 1990 of $15-20 b i l l i o n f o r t h e 2,000 p l a n t s l o c a t e d t h e r e . Nothing remotely l i k e t h i s e x i s t s i n t h e European Community w i t h which NAFTA propon e n t s a r e c o n s t a n t l y making comparisons. Diffe r e n c e s i n wages throughout t h e Community a r e matched more o r l e s s evenly by d i f f e r e n c e s i n p r o d u c t i v i t y t h a t n u l l i f y t h e c o m p e t i t i v e advantage t o c o r p o r a t i o n s which might o t h e r w i s e s e e k o u t cheap-er l a b o u r .

Wilson's response: Trade M i n i s t e r Michael Wilson claims t h a t t h e f r e e t r a d e d e a l is working w e l l by p o i n t i n g t o a p o s i t i v e Canadian export performance.

He s u p p o r t s h i s c l a i m w i t h f i g u r e s showing t h a goods e x p o r t s t o t h e US i n c r e a s e d by $8 b i l l i o n i n t h e f i r s t 2 y e a r s of f r e e t r a d e 6 reached record l e v e l s i n Aug.'91. He a l s o p o i n t s t o record n e t f o r e i g n d i r e c t investment i n f l o w s of $5.1 b i l l i o n i n 1990; Even i f we b e l i e v e d Wilson's c l a i m t h a t ex-

;+,

- -',

response i s , "But a t what a t e r r i b l e c o s t t o t h e domestic economy!" However, c l o s e r examin a t i o n of t r a d e s t a t i s t i c s does n o t even.bear o u t Wilson's argument. I n t h e 2 y e a r s p r i o r t o t h e FTA's implementation, e x p o r t s t o , t h e US grew 4.9% p e r y e a r i n c o n s t a n t d o l 1 a r s . h t h e f i r s t 2 y e a r s of f r e e t r a d e t h e y grew 3.7% p e r y e a r & i n t h e f i r s t h a l f of ' 9 1 t h e y f e l l 4.3%. Looking a t b o t h s i d e s of t h e c o i n , i . e . i n c l u d i n g i m p o r t s , we f i n d t h a t i n t h e 4 y e a r s p r i o r t o t h e FTA's implementation, Cana d a ' s merchandise t r a d e b a l a n c e w i t h t h e US averaged $17.3 b i l l i o n a n n u a l l y . I n t h e 3 y e a r s of f r e e t r a d e i t averaged $ 1 4 . 6 b i l l i o n .

For Wilson t o p o i n t t o a b l i p i n merchand i s e e x p o r t s , which i n nominal b u t n o t r e a l ( i . e . i n f l a t i o n a d j u s t e d ) terms may b e a r e c o r d , a s compelling evidence f o r t h e l ' s u c c e s s of t h e f r e e t r a d e agreement, i s indeed t o gras,p a t s t r a w s . A much more ominous b l i p i s t h e O c t . ' 9 1 t r a d e p i c t u r e which r e g i s t e r e d Canada's f i r s t merchandise t r a d e d e f i c i t i n 15 y e a r s

W

a

d

More d i s t u r b i n g s t i l l i s Canada's c u r r e n t account b a l a n c e which comprises goods 6 serui c e s , 6 f a c t o r payments ( d i v i d e n d s & i n t e r e s t ) I n t h e y e a r s 1985-88, Canada averaged an annu a l $4.7 b i l l i o n s u r p l u s w i t h t h e US. That s u r p l u s t u r n e d i n t o a $2.4 b i l l i o n d e f i c i t i n 1989. $.4 b i l l i o n i n '90, 6 t h e d e f i c i t is p r o j e c t e d t o reach $4 b i l l i o n i n 1991.

I t a p p e a r s t h a t t h e t o u t e d i n f l u x of f o r e i g n c a p i t a l i s compounding t h e d e f i c i t o n t k c u r r e n t account by adding t o t h e dividend 6 i n t e r e s t o u t f l o w . Investment Canadamonitored $15.3 b i l l i o n of f o r e i g n d i r e c t investment i n 1990-91. It found t h a t 97% of t h i s took t h e form of t a k e o v e r s of Canadian-based comp a n i e s , w h i l e o n l y 3% was new investment.This i s even h i g h e r t h a n t h e 5-year average propo r t i o n of f a k e o v e r s which i s 90%. I t ' s s u r e l y no cause f o r c e l e b r a t i o n t h a t t h e FTA i s inducing f o r e i g n investment, a l r e a d y a t in tole^ a b l y h i g h l e v e l s , t o come i n 6 t a k e o v e r even more c o n t r o l ~ o f our economy, u s u a l l y d e s t r o y ing jobs i n the process 6 bringing, as fore i g n c o r p o r a t i o n s u s u a l l y do, a g r e a t e r t e n & ency t o i n c r e a s e Canada's imports of goods 6 s e r v i c e s 6 an i n c r e a s e i n t h e outflow of d i v i d e n d payments.

Conclusion : I f t h e f r e e t r a d e agreement i s f u l f i l l i n g i t s intended r o l e i n reshaping Canada, then we have t o a s k : What k i n d of c o u n t r y a r e we l e f t ' w i t h i n t h e wake o f ' f r e e t r a d e 6 o t h e r Conservative ~ o l i c i e s ?

Canada a t t h e beginning of 1992 i s d i s i n t e g r a t i n g a t a pace unforseen even by t h e majo r i t y of c r i t i c s . The n a t i o n a l economy is b r e a k i n g down i n t o r e g i o n s i n c r e a s i n g l y d i s connected from one a n o t h e r a s they i n t e g r a t e a l o n g a north-south a x i s . The n a t i o n a l t r a n * portation/communication i n f r a s t r u c t u r e - t h e s t e e l , asphalt, f i b r e o p t i c 6 a e r i a l ribbons t h a t t i e u s t o g e t h e r - a r e weakening. The c u l t u r a l pathways t h a t l i n k u s a r e under t h r e a t . The system o f east-west f i n b c i a l t r a n s f e r s t h a t give expression t o our s o c i a l v a l u e s of community 6 s h a r i n g a r e s h r i n k i n g .

The f e d e r a t i o n is moving toward a major p o l i t i c a l f r a c t u r e . And t h e a l l i a n c e of b i g b u s i n e s s 6 right-wing p o l i t i c a l f o r c e s t h a t brought u s f r e e t r a d e i s now s t e e r i n g us t o w a r d a Canada where t h e supreme m a n d a t e o f t h e f e d e r a l g o v ' t is t o e n s u r e c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s 6 where p r o v i n c e s v i e w i t h one a n o t h e r t o o f f e r c o r p o r a t i o n s t h e most a t t r a c t i v e c o n d i t i o n s .

I t is h a r d t o b e l i e v e t h a t only 3 y e a r s have passed s i n c e t h e Mulroney g o v ' t b r o u g h t Canadians i n t o what it promised would b e t h e new dawn of f r e e - t r a d e - l e d p r o s p e r i t y , regi o n a l harmony 6 n a t i o n a l r e c o n c i l i a t i o n .

The FTA cannot be " r e n e g o t i a t e d " , a s t h e Liberals say.

The Reform P a r t y h a s s t a t e d t h e v "love" t h e i d e a of f r e e t r a d e from "pole-tb-pole.'* The d e a l must be t e r m i n a t e d . - PRT

:

Canada's n a t i o n a l debt could be @!W]3t /500 b i l l i o n by t h e time Carnegie Newslet, e r r e a d e r s s i t d ~ w nt o t h e i r d i n n e r on fhristmas Day. Most people I speak t o believe t h a t t h e g o v ' t must reduce i t s spenling, e l i m i n a t e t h e d e f i c i t & t a k e meaning f u l s t e p s t o begin reducing t h e debt.

What have t h e Conservatives done? They have decided t o exempt Canada's f o u r major t i r e makers from paying customs d u t i e s bver t h e next 5 years. This i s expected t o save t h e companies (E c o s t t h e taxpayers) j$92.2 m i l l i o n between now & Dec.31, 1997. pne o f t h e s e companies, Goodyear Canada, reported a p r o f i t l a s t year of $11 m i l l i o n ..paid no income t a x 6 received a t a x c r e -

d i t o f $1.4 m i l l i o n . Now they g e t t h i s !

Your r e a d e r s should know t h a t a married couple with two c h i l d r e n , s t r u g g l i n g t o make ends meet on earnings of j u s t over $20,000 a year, confronted a 386% r e a l inc r e a s e i n t h i e r income t a x burden during t h e f i r s t 7 y e a r s o f t h e Brian Mulroney a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . The family earning $50,000 paid ?5% more t a x & t h e family earning $100,000 paid 4% more tax. In t h i s same period, t a x e s c o l l e c t e d by t h e f e d e r a l g o v ' t from i n d i v i d u a l s n e a r l y doubled from $68.2 b i l l i o n t o $132 b i l l i o n . On t h e othe r hand, corporate E g o v ' t business e n t e r prose d i r e c t t a x e s increased only margina l l y from $15 b i l l i o n t o $16.3 b i l l i o n .

Is t h a t f a i r ?

Darren Loye

Most weight room u s e r s would agree t h a t impending changes a r e most welcome. Our Association has been wonderfully supporti v e i n funding t h e s e changes, including -

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A

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a power l i f t i n g rack two new benches over 500 l b s o f new weights an olympic l i f t s e t rubber mats carpeting yes, carpeting! i n s t r u c t i o n a l wall c h a r t s

...

Thank you CCCA! Now t h a t we have a r e s p e c t a b l e f a c i l i t y , it makes good sense f o r our u s e r s t o l e a r n how t o use t h e equipment e f f e c t i v e l y . . f o r a weight t r a i n i n g program. Therefore, we urge u s e r s t o t a k e advantage of our f r e e i n s t r u c t i o n . I t ' s open t o men & women; a l l it w i l l c o s t i s a buck f o r a weight room membership a t t h e f r o n t desk.

Women's weight t r a i n i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : every Saturday loam-12 noon with J e s s e H i l l s Men's i n s t r u c t i o n : look f o r s e s s i o n times posted i n t h e weight room.

Dreams. Dreams o f f r i e n d s . F a c e s . Helpi n g s p i r i t s , cofounding o n e s .

Who am I - what i s t h a t t o a l o t o f peoplc I pass..many p e o p l e . They would s e e me happy, by & l a r g e . They would remember a hero. But how can I l e a d i f I f a l l ?

My f a t h e r , I change; I grow F, move i n d i f f e r e n t waysc I can l e a d i n . a new way.

So I l e f t my Czechoslovakian a p a r t m e n t and boarded my bus w i t h drunken a u t h o r i t y . ~t was a b a t t l e a g a i n s t t h e gods and Troy was doomed t o f a l l . V i r t u e p e r s o n i f i e d , we voyaged down Main t o t h e b r i n k o f Mount P l e a s a n t . n e a r t h e p i l l a r e d r e d b r i c k - it s t o o d r e a d y t o r e c e i v e me. But I l o s t my head(-&r a n away up Main u n t i l t h e winds o f war b'lew i n my f a v o u r . Again E p r e s s e d on w i t h t h e a t t a c k , b u t a r u s t - c o l o u r e d c a t t u r n e d me back.

I was demoralized u n t i l I p a s s e d t h e golden-domed new Ukranian c a t h e d r a l . I swung a l o n g a slow walk 4 a f t e r some u t t e r i n d o l e n c e d i s c o v e r e d The G a u n t l e t .

There it l a y on t h e ground & I s n a t c h e d it up l i k e an e a g l e - m a n t i e n s l e d r o i t I wore The G a u n t l e t o f l e D r o i t b u t a g a i n became demoralized. But, l o o k i n g down, I beheld a bone. I t was The Bone. I g r a s p e d it f i r m l y i n The G a u n t l e t and commenced running I began r u n n i n g a l o n g 1 4 t h Ave F, t h e r e p a s s e r s - b y , two women, w i t n e s s e d The Bone.

And I sang o u t "The Bone l The Bone 1 I ' ' g i v e y o b - t h e Borie ! The Bone ! The Bone ! I g i v e you ther'Bone !I1 And on I r a n , r a n p a s t t h e h o s p i t a l . . t h e Very G r e a t H o s p i t a l . Again more p a s s e r s - b y & I solemnly i n t o n e d "Witness t h e Bone!" P a s s i n g t h e Bone i n t h e Gauntl e t I c a r r i e d f o r t h t h e s t r u g g l e . Each o f t h e s e s t r a n g e V a n c o u v e r i t e s I ward o f f w i t h The B o n e . . . u n t i l I approached Heml o c k S t r e e t . A s I approached I r e a l i z e d s p e c i a l t a c t i c s were n e c e s s a r y ; thereupon I performed i n a s t a t e o f w a r l i k e e c s t a s y t h e Hemlock and 1 3 t h Rag. I ragged and ragged u n t i l Crow

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I Am T h i n k i n g of V i c t o r y

Perhaps it is f o r e v e r a solipsism, a z o i n , merely a promise of r e l e v a n c e e l s e # h e r e , w h i l e around u s e v o l v e s a t a n g l e ~f e x p e c t a n c i e s 6 c o n n e c t i o n s , t h e prevar i c a n t rhythms o f s i g n a t u r e . P e r h a p s i t 3 t a r t s a t t h e p e r i p h e r i e s o f t r i v i a , work. ing inwards t h r o u g h t h e g l a s s sunday a f t ? m o o n of t h i n g s , t h r o u g h r a i n & t h e >road j o y l e s s n e s s of s t u f f , toward whatw e r it is . t h a t lies beneath t h e s e p a t t Zrns of r e s i s t a n c e t h a t c o n s t i t u t e t h e i h i c k n e s s o f names, o u r s y r u p y soup of Locality.

Sometime i t might happen t h a t , w h i l e rou a r e w a l k i n g a l o n g a s i d e w a l k , m o s t l y :onscious of t h e i n c i d e n t a l s around you, 1 sudden p a n i c w i l l a r i s e i n t h e form of L r e a l i z a t i o n p r e s e n t e d t o you a s t h e iollowing: I am a b r u p t l y , c o n v u l s i v e l y , ~ n e q u i v o c a l l yno l o n g e r t h e sum of my l a s t - how d i d I e v e r b e l i e v e t h a t ? - b u t h e a b s e n c e of my p a s t . I am t h e n e x t s e e ~ n db e f o r e I d e c i d e t o do a n y t h i n g w i t h .t. T h i s must b e t h e opening t o freedom.

I n t h e same way t h a t we would n o t speak f imprisonment w i t h o u t assuming p e c u l i a r , a r t i c u l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s , s o we might do e l l n o t t o t h i n k of freedom w i t h o u t pec* i a r , p a r t i c u l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s . The same p p l i e s t o j u s t about a n y t h i n g g e n e r a l l y poken of i n g e n e r a l t e r m s , l i k e "love" f "politics".

V i c t o r y , .I t h i n k , i s e x i s t i n g i n ; : t h a t oment of e n t r y , of opening t o freedom, he b r i g h t n e s s of o u r e y e s t h e r e ; working lways from i t .

By DAN FEENEY

THE SPAGHETTI HOUSE J u s t one block from t h e Carnegie Centre t h e r e i s a new neighhourhood c e n t r e , r e f urbished by a l l - l o c a l labour paid reasona b l e wages, w i t h a c a b a r e t Saturday n i g h t s Beaver, Wayne, Andy 4 many Carnegie musi c i a n s played ti1 t h e wee hours of t h e morning. The food i s good, t h e p r i c e inexpensive; so we have one 08 o u r own members t r y i n g hard t o make it work.

I ' m s u r e he'd l i k e t o thank t h e musicians who played a l l n i g h t t h r e e Saturday? running but had no time t o p a t r b n i z e t h e establishment's r e s t a u r a n t . With people l i k e t h i s he won't need a cash r e g i s t e r .

You would t h i n k t h a t when you g e t ' you'd give, but t h e s e ' d . a . ' s ' only t a k e . These f o l k s should remember when people g e t strong one should a t l e a s t be k i s s e d t o make them smile.

The p l a c e is open, t h e food i s good.

Please h e l p a l o c a l f e l l o w a s he has helped so many o f us.

Tom Lewis (Friendship i s a mutual exchange!! !)

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ACTIVITY Needle Exchange van - on t h e s t r e e t Mon-Sat SERVICES N . A . meets e v e r y Monday n i g h t a t 223 Main.

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evenings.

Bunch meets d a i l y a t 101 W . Cordova, 10-2:20.

1 Y O 2 1)ONA'rIONS: Cement Masons-$100 <cicIi C.-$20 Paula K.-$20 i c y W. - 0 0 Col l e a l E. -$25 Ikncl l lne I.ul)n P.-$10 S t u a r t M.-$10 NKXT I:JuI; CEEIIS - $50 I(ubcrt -$I0 26 November l<oLary Club of Chinatown -$767.15 I.'our S i s t e r s Co-op -$500 Jovce M.-$10 Tom S . -$5 [)ERA -$500 llazel M.-$25 Legal S e r v i c e s -$200 PLUM -$800 U I o~l d S a i l o r -$40 Etlenne S.-$50 Forest Lawn -$25 ill T.-$20 Cecil e C. -$20 J e a n [;.-$I 5 Yvonne $ . - $ l o E r i c E.-$10 Anonymous -$la Ken -$5 Wm.B .-$20 Roberts A.L.C.-$30 Mary C.-$25 Smithers S.S.-$45 Joy T . -$20

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The Downtown Eas t s i d e R e s i d e n t s ' A s s o c i a t i o n c a n h e l p you w i t h : any w e l f a r e problem i n f o r m a t i o n on l e g a l r i g h t s disputes with landlords unsafe l i v i n g conditions income t a x U I C problems f i n d i n g housing o p e n i n g a bank a c c o u n t Come i n t o t h e DERA o f f i c e a t 9 E a s t H a s t i n g s S t o r phone u s a t 682-0931.

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D E R A ' ~ G e n e r a l Membership m e e t i n g i s o n t h e l a s t ~ r i d a y

DERA IIAS BEEN SERVING THE

Crow, you know, was born long ago when n i g h t was unknown. He was swooping & d i v ing & climbing o v e r t h e mountain f o r e s t s one day when he s p o t t e d Great Bear. Grea Bear was j u s t waking, climbing o u t of a mountain snowbank, when he saw Crow o v e r head.

"Hey Crow!" shouted Great Bear. Crow looked down. "Have you seen Snow?" Crow looked r i g h t & l e f t & nodded. "Surely I have seen Snow." And he f l e w on, curving & a r c h i n g a c r o s s t h e sky.

However t h e wind came up f a s t GCrowsa white a s Snow came blowing round a1L)abou him. Crow s t r u g g l e d h i g h e r 6 h i g h e r b u t snow blew & blew u n t i l , exhausted & desp a i r i n g , Crow gave o u t & was c a r r i e d back by t h e , w i n d , h i s b l a c k f e a t h e r s s c a t t e r e d by t h e f o r c e o f t h e wind.

A day l a t e r , Crow awoke on t h e o t h e r s i d e of t h e medicine l i n e & h i s wings

were t a t t e r e d & broken. H i s head was d i z zy from t h e c o l d , g u s t i n g wind & a s hmwas shaking it t o come awake, a slow r a t t l e snake made toward him o v e r d e s e r t sand.

Well Crow, he saw t h e snake making f o r him 6 he hopped a few crooked s t e p s , t h e n g a t h e r e d h i s courage & p u l l e d once a t t h e wind with h i s wings. He was a l o f t .

He climbed i n t o t h e sky t o w a r d t h e N o r t h on h i s b r u i s e d & broken wings t o see\Great Bear onoe more. But t h i s time t h e ~ ewere t e a r s i n h i s eyes, l i k e small black diamends. A l l t h e way he c r i e d s o f t l y h i s s h i n y b h c k t e a r s . AS he was approaching Roger's Pass, Great Gear looked up, saw Old Crow 6 s t a r e d s a d l y , because Crow was no l o n g e r s w o o ~ i n g6 d i v i n g a s he once d i d . No. Now he flew i n a long s t r a i g h t l i n e . Behind him t h e sky was a s black a s h i s black f e a t h e r 3 and t e a r s .

C h r i s Crow

OVER THE TRUTH Private eyes in public places Looking around for friendly faces, Searching for smiles and seeking the end Of being too long in empty spaces.

Petrified feelings of no confidence.

Taking no risk makes the best kind of sense.

Hiding in corners, shy as a ghost, Rehearsing rejection for self-defense.

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THEN Heaven found its way down here Bubbling in this glass of beer Now that I'm not feeling bad I ' m gonna Cheer the first person I find sad.

But who am I to play that game I told my heart that I was lame, Thus is how my emptiness has grown And now there's So much room I've got a World of my own.

I got my chute together Diving from the sky, And found I can't be satisfied Unless I've learnt to fly.

Garry Gust

THE IClClI - THE POOR - 6 -THE PISSED-OFF:

i d e a l i s t i c advocates f o r t h e poor r e f e r t o people who s l e e p o u t s i d e a s "the homeless". .sometimes t h e y even d e f i n e t h i s c o n d i t i o n a s not having a c e r t a i n s o c i a l l y a c c e p t a b l e s t a n d a r d o f housing - t h e y will even t e l l you t h a t y o u ' r e homel less^^ i f you l i v e i n a small h o t e l room; even i f you've l i v e d t h e r e f o r 20 y e a r s & have made i t i n t o a small comfortable home, on the o f f i c i a l lists of p d l i t i c a l l y correct people, you w i l l be c a l l e d "homelessv.

Jaded s o c i a l p s y c h o l o g i s t s w i l l even c a l l yt)u "hard-to-house" i f you move from place t o place too o f t e n .

Sometimes i t ' s t h e emotions t h a t a r e hard-to-house. We put them i n comfortable s o c i a l l y a c c e p t a b l e boxes & i t ' s o n l y a m a t t e r o f time b e f o r e t h e y ' r e o u t on t h e s t r e e t a c t i n g o u t t h e end o f t h e world again, 6 I'm n o t s u r p r i s e d - maybe i t fs the thi~g can under the circumstances- Maybe the end of the world i s being c o n s t a n t l y shoved down t h e i r t h r o a t through a t e l e v i s i o n s e t , & i f t h e y kick t h e s c r e e n i n , t h e y ' r e a u t o m a t i c a l l y hard-to-house. I f t h e y show any v i o l e n t emotions we can j u s t s a y t h e y went o f f t h e i r medication 4 l e a v e i t a t that.

How many s t r a i t - j a c k e t s can t h e c i t i ; zens of t h i s s o c i e t y wear w i t h p r i d e ? i Well, t h e r e ' s t h e emotional s t r a i t j a c k e t , t h e economic s t r a i t j a c k e t , t h e educationa1 s t r a i t j a c k e t . . . i n f a c t we've got r e s t r a i n t s f o r e v e r y s i t u a t i o n , j u s t so o u r "system1' can c o n t r o l t h e mental s t a t e s of i t s "subjects".

AS f a r a s "homelessnessl' i s concerned, i t ' s n o t j u s t t h e c l a s s i c drunken bum syndrome. I t ' s n o t a s simple a s t h a t .

Many have been d r i v e n n u t s by t h e i r own s o c i e t y . Some s l e e p i n doorways because t h e y s p e n t t h e r e n t on t h e u s u a l s e a r c h f o r e u p h o r i a winding up i n u s u a l oblivion.

Others a r e more s e l f - p r e s e r i r i n g i n t h e i r l f i r r a t i o n a l " urge o r " l o g i c a l " nece s s i t y t o walk t h e s t r e e t s , camp i n vaca n t l o t s , abandoned b u i l d i n g s , s l e e p und e r b r i d g e s , hanging o u t i n i n d u s t r i a l a r e a s ("zones o f t o l e r a n c e " ? ) by t h e docks o r r a i l y a r d s .

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* A l i f e of.boredom 4 poverty inevitably produces an a d d i c t i o n t o t a k i n g dangerous chances - e s p e c i a l l y when s o c i e t y ' s "heroes'' c o n s t a n t l y demonstrate t h i s p a t h & challenge c i t i z e n s t o take it.

Some even become s k i l l f u l campers c l a s s i c o u t s i d e r s - with p e r s o n a l ~ h i l o s O P ~ Y ,worked ~ out t o support t h e i r newfound l i f e s t y l e .

There are would Say t h i s i s "0 l i f e s t y l e a t a l l b u t simply a f a i l u r e - t o a d j u s t t o economic circumstances - 4 i o f course no one q u e s t i o n s t h e i d e a t h a t economic circumstances have t h e r i g h t t o run everyone's l i f e . I t wouldn't be p o l i I t i c a l l y c o r r e c t t o suggest t h a t i t ' s , p o s s i b l e t o become s u c c e s s f u l a t f a i l u r e . ; Think about i t . . .who a r e t h e r e a l l y , s u c c e s s f u l c r i m i n a l s ? - t h e ones who d i d ! not g e t caught & went on t o become r e s p e c t e d p i l l a r s of s o c i e t y w i t h a l l t h e i r 1 blood money s a f e l y laundered i n Swiss banks. Who are t h e successful drug add+ , i c t s ? The doctors & lawyers & e n t e r t a i n e r s who have enough money & p e r s o n a l sect urity to keep their habit clean & in t h e j closet. hookers?. .Mae who a r e t h e west, J a p e Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe 6 : a l l the anonymous pampered & p e t t e d m i s t , r e s s e s of m i l l i o n a i r e s t h e world over. fro are t h e successful a l c o h o l i c s ? Pea; l i k e S i r John A. MacDonald, Winston : C h u r c h i l l , Dylan Thomas & a l l t h o s e h i s t ! ory-making madmen & women who l e f t t h e i r j mark on r e a l i t y . ' Maybe we're a l l hard-to-house 6 j u s t 1 haven't found o u t about i t y e t . Maybe We a r e a l l c r i m i n a l s & some of u s j u s t get ! away w i t h i t & o t h e r s d o n ' t . . A t t h i s i D o i n t someone who i s without s i n might i c a s t t h e f i r s t stone?

Why c a n ' t we a c c e p t t h e homeless a n t i s o c i a l s p i r i t a s i t i s - on i t s own terms 6 p r o v i d e it w i t h whatever it needs t o l i v e s u c c e s s f u l l y w i t h i n i t s own d e f i n i t ion of r e a l i t y ?

Since we r e a l i z e no one can r e a l l y b e f r e e & independent i n t h e g r e a t western democracy, a t l e a s t we can o f f e r t h e i l l u s i o n o f freedom & independence. We're s o good a t c r e a t i n g t r a n s i e n t i l l u s i o n s E i m ages i n t h i s s o c i e t y anyway - b u t i f some

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# i n d i v i d u a l wants t o do it on t h e i r own, themselves, we c a l l them c r a z y , dangerous, hard-to-house.

Politics i s just the social s k i l l of knowing how t o f i t i n t o t h e p o l i t i c a l pack F, r e a l philosophy & an u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f human n a t u r e belongs i n g a r b a g e c a n s w i t h t h e s o - c a l l e d t'poorfl - who a r e n o t poor a t a l l , b u t simply h i g h - s p i r i t e d , i n t e n s e , nervous, wasted i n d i v i d u a l s t r y i n g t o make s e n s e out o f a h o r r i b l y d i s t o r t e d world. . But you judge them, make money on them ...c r e a t e w e l l - p a i d b u r e a u c r a t i c pigeonh o l e s by them. Low o r h i g h incomes a s i d e ,

we all really poor in s p i r i t ? I s n ' t t h a t t h e r e a l p o v e r t y ? & somewhere, i n t h e d e p t h s of o u r b e i n g d o n ' t we a l l s u s p e c t t h a t maybe we a r e r i c h a l r e a d y b u t j u s t believe it?

Money can buy your way around, it can make you look r i c h , f e e l r i c h & a c t r i c h no matter who you are - b u t suddenly, o u t o f t h e n i g h t comes t h a t s e c r e t someone who knows your soul, & you f i n d y o u r s e l f con-

fessing poverty.

- Only t h o s e who r e a l l y u n d e r s t a n d what p o v e r t y i s know t h a t t h e y a r e r i c h a l r e a d y .

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TORA

them have, s o a l l working f o r p o s i t i v e Poverty i s a r e a l i t y f o r o v e r 4 m i l l i o n change cannot a l l o w t h e i r s t r u g g l e t o depeople i n t h i s c o u n t r y . The P o v e r t y Line generate i n t o e i t h e r i n t e l l e c t u a l extravi s t h e amount of money needed a y e a r t o aganza o r bottom o u t i n t a l l t a l k . have t h e p u r c h a s i n g c a p a c i t y f o r t h e minP o v e r t y i s t h e fundamental economic i s imum n e c e s s i t i e s - food, c l o t h i n g , s h e l t e r , m e d i c a l a i d & e d u c a t i o n - 6 of t h e s e s u e . A s p e o p l e f i n d themselves underemployed, working b u t n o t making enoygh, un4 million a t l e a s t 1 i n 4 a r e children.

There a r e s i n g l e p a r e n t s , s t u d e n t s , s e n i employed 4 n o t making enough t o p u r c h a s e t h e minimum n e c e s s i t i e s , competing f o r o r s , p e o p l e who a r e p h y s i c a l l y o r mentalbad j o b s a t dismal wages, t h e n on w e l f a r e l y d i s a b l e d . . p e o p l e who work a 40-hour i t a k i n g any work a t any wage. .The r e a l i t y week a t t h e minimum wage & a r e s t i l l of l i v i n g below t h e P o v e r t y l i n e t a k e s a $3,000 a y e a r below t h e p o v e r t y l i n e . The ' l o t o f e f f o r t & c o - o p e r a t i o n . A working e f f e c t s of Tory p o l i c i e s l i k e s o - c a l l e d " f r e e " t r a d e , d e r e g u l a t i o n , p r i v a t i z a t i o n , p o l i c y i s r e q u i r e d around many a s p e c t s of & i r r a t i o n a l t a x a t i o n a r e adding hundreds jI l i f e i n p o v e r t y . . p o l i c i e s t h a t a r e n o t j u s t p o l i t i c a l l y correct but t h a t w i l l o f thousands more t o both working 6 nonworking poor. d e t a i l a c t i o n t o g e t governments t o r e I t ' s n o t my i n t e n t t o t a l k doom F, gloom. duce & end p o v e r t y .

"Policy S t a t e m e n t s " a r e o n l y a s v i a b l e a s A p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t on income would c a l l t h e b e l i e f & commitment t h o s e espousing f o r t h e i n c r e a s e o f minimum s o c i a l a s s i s -

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ante r a t e s t o e n s u r e t h a t s u p p o r t i s no t h a n t h e S t a t f Canada P o v e r t y l i n e is indexed t~ t h e c o s t of l i v i n g - Immei a t e change would i n c r e a s e the amount arnings one can keep while r e c e i v i n g e l f a r e . I t would i n c l u d e t h e i n t r o d u c t ionof a guaranteed adequate income f o r all - a minimum wage of $ 9 . 0 5 an hour. o f t h e s e g o a l s would r e s t o r e t h e purchasing c a p a c i t y t h a t poor people had 17 y e a r s ago 5 i n f u s e l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s w i t h new l i f e . Both g o a l s would b e funded

Funding f o r much o f t h e s e b a s i c s would be from r e c o v e r i n g t a x 6 a rat i o n a l & f a i r system o f t a x a t i o n .

A p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t on p o v e r t y would adm i t t h e good i n t e n t i o n s of c h a r i t i e s but recognize t h e f a c t t h a t .charity, per se, i s a bandaid - not a s o l u t i o n . ~t would n e g a t e t h e p r e v a i l i n g p r a c t i c e of blaming the victim t h e poor person - 6 s t a t e t h a t p o v e r t y i s t h e outcome of g o v ' t and Corporate agendas. I t would recommend t h e c r e a t i o n o f a new p o s i t i o n i n every union l o c a l i n t h e c o u n t r y . The person f i l l i n g 1 s . . *?.. .- - r , t h i s job would encourage c o - o p e r a t i o n and by r a t i o n a l & f a i r t a x a t i o n . ' u n i t y between working & non-workingpeople.

1 A p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t on j o b s would s p e c i or he would: f y job c r e a t i o n programs - l i k e b u i l d i n g low-cost housing, r e f o r e s t a t i o n , salmon enhancement & a v i a b l e merchant marine, municipal works programs, environmental I / clean-up F q u a l i t y p o l i c i n g , c h i l d c a r e , ! e l d e r c a r e , e d u c a t i o n & t r a i n i n g . Also i n t h i s a s p e c t would b e t h e r e c o g n i t i o n o f f c h i l d r e a r i n g as l e g i t i m a t e work deservi n g o f adequate income above t h e p o v e r t y l i n e . J o b c r e a t i o n would be p a r t of a , b r o a d e r p o l i c y - a n a t i o n a l program f o r , - a s s i s t i n o r g a n i z i n g unorganized low inf u l l employment through conversion of war t ' come & unemployed people; & defence i n d u s t r i e s t o c i v i l i a n product- , - h e l p c r e a t e , encourage & b e a p a r t of community-based c o a l i t i o n s ; ion i n such f i e l d s a s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and - t h e y would b e each l o c a l ' s l i n k with a energy equipment, development of s o f t p a t h network o f i n f o r m a t i o n s h a r i n g & a c t i o n s energy a l t e r n a t i v e s , i n c l u d i n g i n c r e a s e d . support f o r community c o n s e r v a t i o n & dev- . aimed d i r e c t l y a t t h e c o r p o r a t e agenda. e l o p h g new r e s o u r c e s ; r e d u c i n g o u r depThe c o r p o r a t e agenda h a s , a s i t s primary endence on t h e e x p o r t o f raw r e s o u r c e s 4 g o a l , t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a s o c i e t y where having a s o c i a l conscience i s a %*>*.p. ?-* t.*----l i a b i l i t y . T h i s union p e r s o n ' s job would ; i n c l u d e r a i s i n g t h e awareness o f t h e locdeveloping new models o f ownership & con, a l ' s members a s well a s t h e p u b l i c ' s ab'trol - including p r i v a t e , gov't, j o i n t o u t t h e motives, p l a n s & b l u e p r i n t s o f i t . v e n t u r e , employee & community owned, a l l A p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t on p o v e r t y w o u l d t a k e with t h e e x p r e s s purpose o f p r o v i d i n g : a s t r o n g s t a n d on i s s u e s o f c h i l d p o v e r t y meaningful work. Poor p e o p l e s u f f e r most & o u r f u t u r e . Poor c h i l d r e n a r e stigmatizfrom being stereotyped as l a z y O r j ed 6 h u m i l i a t e d when forced t o i d e n t i f y o r p a r a s i t e s . . l i e s & e x a g g e r a t i o n s promot- f. t h e i r need p u b l i c l y i n schoolrooms t o g e t ed by t h e r e a l w e l f a r e bums - t h e corporlunch coupons. A u n i v e r s a l p o l i c y would a t e w e l f a r e bums. f e l i m i n a t e t h i s immediately.

A p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t on e s s e n t i a l s e r v i c e s i Poverty is a p r e s e n t r e a l i t y f o r many would i n c l u d e f r e e medical, d e n t a l & a bus of u s , and j u s t one missed paycheque away p a s s f o r a l l w e l f a r e r e c i p i e n t s F pension- j e r s , a s w e l l a s q u a l i t y c h i l d c a r e access- 1 f o r many more. We're a l l p a r t o f t h e r s t r u g g l e f o r a s e n t i e n t peace.

I i b l e f o r a l l low income people.

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By PAULR TAYLOR

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The Bird

Ill l l l t RlOGt l l l t A l R t 1 6 1 H 6 RRBUlUS 138-6311

N O V 18

7 30 PM

THUOS. NOV I9

7 30 PM

WED

The c a t s a t watching t h e b i r d s Waiting t o pounce Back arched t e e t h ready yellow s l a n t e d eyes narrowed He pounces catching the bird by a wing Tossing it i n t h e a i r B i t i n g i t ti1 i t ceases the t e r r i b l e agonizing c r i e s I look a t t h e chicken I am cooking f o r supper How d i d i t d i e ?

Did it c r y with f e a r a s it d i e d t o g i v e me a s u p p e r I don ' t r e a l l y need.

S h e i l a Baxter

Who am I I t i s a weakness t o get upset when people a r e rude and a g g r e s s i v e T h e i r s h i t doesn' t have t o b e my s h i t .

Whoever t r e a t s me b a d l y o r whom e v e r has t r e a t e d me badly. I t d o e s n ' t make me a bad person ! I am me !

I t ' s t h e a b u s e r s o f "me" who have t o d e a l with t h e i r d e f e c t s , n o t me. ..

and s o I come t o know who I am by me. 'knowing me n o t m e t r y i n g t o know ' them.