ST. JOHNS The provincial leader of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is heading out tomorrow for the Peoples Summit on the Free Trade Areas of the Americas (FTAA). CUPE Newfoundland & Labrador president Wayne Lucas will be in Quebec City until Sunday and says hell be making daily reports to a local radio station on activities at the summit.
The decisions that will be made under this new trade agreement could have far reaching implications for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, says Lucas, We only have to look at what happened in Mexico, which was sued by a multinational for blocking its right to operate a toxic waste dump in a municipality, to realize the danger our own municipalities may be in.
Free trade between the Americas means there will be even more pressure from large multinationals to take control of our resources and services and lower our standards of living.
Lucas says he will be calling a local St. Johns radio station, VOCM on a daily basis to give a live report on activities going on outside the summit headquarters.
We may not have a voice at the table and thats a huge concern but we will do our best to have our voices heard in the streets, Lucas adds. Its very important that government decision-makers hear what citizens have to say about protecting things like health care, education, water and our right to municipal government.
For more information please contact Wayne Lucas at (709) 727-2509 (cell).