The Guadalajara Reporter reports that, “Several Mexican newspapers are reporting that U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Guadalajara next month to take part in the North American Leaders’ Summit. Although the White House has not confirmed the reports, the stories suggest that intensive preparations for the visit have already started, including the dispatching of a U.S. delegation to tweak the agenda and set schedules for the August 8 to 11 event. …The U.S. State Department website confirms that summit will be held August 8-11 in Mexico but does not specify a location.”
The Council of Canadians will be organizing around this event, with plans for a short report on the damage inflicted by the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, a web-action that allows Canadians to voice their concerns about the agenda to be discussed at this summit, and a presence outside the summit itself.
We are also highlighting that in February 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama wrote in the Dallas Morning News that, “Starting my first year in office, I will convene annual meetings with Mr. Calderon and the prime minister of Canada. Unlike similar summits under President Bush, these will be conducted with a level of transparency that represents the close ties among our three countries. We will seek the active and open involvement of citizens, labor, the private sector and non-governmental organizations in setting the agenda and making progress.” With the summit less than six weeks away, and no formal announcement about it yet, we question the commitment of all governments to transparency and accountability for this meeting.
The Guadalajara Reporter article is at http://www.guadalajarareporter.com/news-mainmenu-82/guadalajara/25012-obama-to-visit-guadalajara-next-month.html.
An earlier campaign blog on this summit can be read at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=874.
