About 20 people have gathered in downtown Ottawa for a lunchtime presentation by Manuel Pérez Rocha – an associate fellow with the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC – for a discussion on free trade agreements, corporate rights, and resource extraction in the Americas.
Pérez Rocha has been closely involved in the campaign against mining in El Salvador and in interventions against the multi-million dollar lawsuit launched by the Vancouver-based mining company Pacific Rim against the Government of El Salvador for their rejection of a permit for the company to open a water-damaging mine in that country.
Pérez Rocha spoke about the campaign by La Mesa Nacional Frente a La Mineria Metalica en El Salvador to secure the rejection of that permit. He noted that Costa Rica has already banned open-pit mining and about resistance efforts elsewhere to achieve similar bans.
He spoke about how common investment rules found in free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties give incredible power to corporations to undermine, place a chill on, or directly challenge governmental action in the public interest.
And he highlighted the ‘Public Statement on the International Investment Regime’ signed by lawyers from around the world, including Council of Canadians Board member Steven Shrybman.
The meeting – organized by MiningWatch and SalvAide – was sponsored by the PSAC Social Justice Fund, Council of Canadians, and LACSN.
Pérez Rocha was also in Toronto yesterday evening speaking at a public forum moderated by Council of Canadians trade campaigner Stuart Trew.
For Council of Canadians campaign blogs related to the Pacific Rim NAFTA Chapter 11-like challenge through the Central American Free Trade Agreement, please see http://canadians.org/blog/?s=%22pacific+rim%22.
