WASHINGTON - October 11– In two weeks, Mexican, Canadian and American
civil society, academic and government representatives will gather in
Minneapolis to evaluate the controversial North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and make proposals for a new fair trade system.
The meeting will look at NAFTA’s impact on hot button issues
such as: immigration, job outsourcing, globalization, environmental and energy
policy, and food and farming. The final provisions of NAFTA go into effect on
January 1, 2008
“Recent polls have consistently shown that Americans don’t
feel that free trade agreements have benefitted them and trade has already
become an issue in the U.S. Presidential race,” said Jim Harkness, President of
the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. “NAFTA is the blueprint for
free trade, and it’s critical that we understand its impact, where it has
failed, and what needs to be changed.”
“Lessons from NAFTA: Building a New Fair Trade Agenda,” will
be held October 22 and 23rd at the Minneapolis Convention Center, (details at:
iatp.org). The conference features a wide-ranging collection of speakers
including:
• John
Nichols – political columnist for The Nation (keynote).
• Maude
Barlow – author and President of the Council on Canadians
• Mark
Ritchie – Minnesota Secretary of State and former President of IATP
• Peter
Julian – Member of Parliament - Canada
• Dan
Magraw – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
•
Victor Suarez – former Mexico legislator and director of Asociación Nacional de
Empresas Comercializadoras de Productores del Campo (ANEC)
• Jose
Antonio Almazan - Federal Deputy (PRD), Mexican Parliament
•
Martha Ojeda – Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras (CJM)
• David
Morris, Institute for Local Self-Reliance
• David
Ostendorf - Center for New Community
• David
Bacon – author of Children of NAFTA
The read the agenda and full list of speakers, as well as
register for the conference, go to: www.iatp.org
The Institute for
Agriculture and Trade Policy works globally to promote resilient family farms,
healthy communities and ecosystems through research and education, science and
technology, and advocacy. http://www.iatp.org
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