An Alberta Federation of Labour media release notes, “About 400 delegates and guests will gather in Calgary (Thursday) morning for the biennial Alberta Federation of Labour convention… During the convention, which runs until May 1, delegates of the 140,000 workers the AFL represents will set policies for the federation for the next two years and will bring in some leading Canadian and global experts to discuss issues including (on Friday evening) the threat posed by the looming Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union… Guest speakers include Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians and Paul Moist, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.”
The event with Moist and Barlow (on Friday at 7:30 pm at the Westin Calgary) is free and open to the public. For more information please go to http://canadians.org/events/documents/CETA-tour-29-04-11.pdf.
The Tyee.ca adds, “This Friday, April 29, CUPE and the Council of Canadians kick off their Canadian Communities Not For Sale speaking tour about CETA in Calgary… ‘We’ve had communication with most towns and all cities across Canada because we represent people in those municipalities, and I think some of those municipalities are hearing about this for the first time from us, and many of them are adopting motions similar to the (Union of British Columbia Municipalities) resolution that was adopted last September at their annual conference,’ says Moist. ‘If Harper is re-elected I’m sure he won’t change his stance and he won’t have public hearings, but bringing pressure to bare through provincial and municipal arms is a good thing to do. And you need to educate citizens before that will happen.'”
Apart from Calgary on April 29, the 7-city CETA speaking tour will go to:
-Montreal – May 24 (with CUPE Secretary-Treasurer Claude Genereux)
-Toronto – May 26 (with CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn)
-Saskatoon – May 30
-Winnipeg – June 27
-Halifax – June 28
-St. John’s June 29
This tour will take place prior to the critical eighth round of CETA negotiations in Brussels this July 11-15, where offers on services are likely to take place. CUPE’s Paul Moist told The Tyee, “I know from first-hand experience they’re extremely interested in all water infrastructure in Canada: waste water treatment, water treatment, etc., because at the annual (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) convention (European corporations are) there in droves with their trade show materials.”
Just this month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he was committed to proceeding ‘full-throttle’ on CETA and on having the deal signed by January 1, 2012.
