The Council of Canadians has been actively opposing the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. To see our web-page with actions and information, please go to http://canadians.org/trade/issues/CCFTA/index.html.
Earlier today, Members of Parliament were in their third hour of debating C-23, the free trade agreement’s implementation act, and many critical questions are being asked. The Bloc Quebecois have put forward a motion that would stop C-23 and the NDP are supporting the Bloc’s motion. The key will be to add Liberal opposition to C-23 going forward.
At this critical time, we would like to ask you to support a creative Amnesty International action against the Canada-Colombia FTA.
They are asking that you “add your face to our photo petition. It calls for a human rights impact assessment of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA). By collecting photos, instead of signatures like a regular petition, we’re hoping to make visible that people from different communities and all walks of life are concerned about the human rights situation in Colombia and want a third party human rights study to make sure the FTA doesn’t make the situation worse.”
They will be presenting this photo-petition “to the Canadian government and to Opposition leaders, who will ultimately be called to vote for or against implementing legislation. It’s important to remember that Parliament’s Committee on International Trade recommended not to proceed without an independent human rights impact study, a recommendation the government has so far chosen to ignore.”
They ask that you “take a photo of yourself, like the one at http://www.amnesty.ca/blog_post2.php?id=875, against a neutral background, holding a sign with your name, location and occupation written in large dark letters. Take photos of your friends, family and colleagues too.”
Then send your digital photo, as soon as possible, to Amnesty International campaigner Sarah Beamish at kaaotera@gmail.com.
