http://www.canadians.org Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada's largest citizens' organization, with members and chapters across the country. We work to protect Canadian independence by promoting progressive policies on fair trade, clean water, energy security, public health care, and other issues of social and economic concern to Canadians. en-ca http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/23-Jul-08.html A new dispute resolution process, which Canada's premiers agreed to include into the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) at last week's Council of the Federation meeting, is unnecessary, anti-democratic, and represents a capitulation to corporate interests, says the Council of Canadians. http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/23-Jul-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/08-Jul-08.html OTTAWA - An emerging coalition of conservation, Aboriginal, and social justice organizations is calling on the federal government to immediately stop the practice of allowing mining companies to use Canada's lakes as dumping grounds for toxic mine wastes. http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/08-Jul-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/peace/2008/03-Jul-08.html Ottawa - The Council of Canadians is calling on the Harper government to respect the will of Parliament and the Canadian people. Despite strong public support for war resisters who want to stay in Canada, the Harper government has remained silent, apparently content to let deportation proceedings continue, the organization says. http://www.canadians.org/media/peace/2008/03-Jul-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/20-Jun-08.html Ottawa - On Friday, June 20 the Council of Canadians held a mock press conference and protest outside Ottawa's Chateau Laurier, where Republican Senator John McCain spoke to an elite audience of Canadian corporate executives. The action featured the "NAFTA-saurus", a representation of unjust trade policies that are facing extinction. http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/20-Jun-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/20-Jun-08.html The Council of Canadians is congratulating the Ontario cities of London and Kitchener for approving plans this week to ban the sale of bottled water on city property. The Council of Canadians welcomes these local victories as important steps toward a national water policy that would improve the public system and ensure clean drinking water standards for all communities across the country. http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/20-Jun-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/03-Jun-08.html Negotiations toward an Ontario-Quebec Economic Partnership Agreement, announced by Premiers Jean Charest and Dalton McGuinty at this week's joint cabinet meeting in Quebec City, must include a full public hearing of the issue and an opportunity for public comment in both provinces, says the Council of Canadians. http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/03-Jun-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/02-Jun-08.html Toronto - Recipient of the Canadian Environment Award's Citation of Lifetime Acheivement award, Maude Barlow will use a portion of her keynote address to highlight the impacts of the petrochemical industry on the environment and health, particularly of First Nations communities, in Canada. http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/02-Jun-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/30-May-08.html Despite significant public outcry, Bill 32 went into effect without any vote in the Legislature today. The enabling legislation sets the private courts system Trade Investment and Labour Mobility (TILMA) into motion, ceding the right to corporations to sue local governments and other entities for regulations deemed to impede profits. http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/30-May-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/28-May-08.html Ottawa - Maude Barlow and the Council of Canadians congratulate the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board on seeking to eliminate bottled water in its 150 schools. The Board passed a motion last night requiring staff to report on a plan to eliminate the regular sale and purchase of bottled water in all facilities of the school board. http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/28-May-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/21-May-08.html Following a new legal opinion on the constitutionality of inter-provincial trade pacts like the Alberta-B.C. Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement, the Council of Canadians is warning Ontario and Quebec to steer clear of a similar alliance when the premiers meet for a joint cabinet meeting in Quebec City on June 2. http://www.canadians.org/media/trade/2008/21-May-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/DI/2008/18-Apr-08.html While the Canadian, Mexican and American heads of state continue to discuss corporate priorities for North America behind closed doors at the fourth annual SPP summit in New Orleans next week, civil society from all three NAFTA countries will lay the groundwork for international cooperation of a more human kind that places the needs of communities, the environment and workers first. http://www.canadians.org/media/DI/2008/18-Apr-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/DI/2008/15-Apr-08.html As Stephen Harper prepares to attend the North American leaders' summit on the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) in New Orleans next week, a new Environics Research poll shows that Canadians disagree with key elements of North American integration. http://www.canadians.org/media/DI/2008/15-Apr-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/08-Apr-08.html The Council of Canadians and the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) sent the federal Liberal Party a letter today to correct the Party on statements made to the media last week about the consequences of Canada endorsing the right to water. http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2008/08-Apr-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/other/2008/27-Mar-08.html The Campaign for Democratic Media! is outraged at Bell Canada's recent announcement that it will begin throttling Internet service providers (ISPs) starting April 7 - a policy uncovered and made official after Canadian ISPs realized they were being shortchanged by the telecommunications giant which had begun selectively limiting the ISPs' bandwidth. http://www.canadians.org/media/other/2008/27-Mar-08.html http://www.canadians.org/media/energy/2008/20-Mar-08.html Edmonton - A group of British Columbian activists who have just completed a three-day "learning tour" of the Alberta tar sands are calling for an end to new approvals for tar sands expansion at a press conference today. http://www.canadians.org/media/energy/2008/20-Mar-08.html