Our trade justice group is a tough bunch! Last week's frigid, windy cold ( -30 degrees with wind chill) didn't deter 20+ concerned citizens from standing outside at Gore Park with placards, CoC flag, real coffin, megaphone, etc in solidarity - 'Say No! to NAFTA'. January 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of NAFTA.

Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 Mourning March against NAFTA - Hamilton, ON

NAFTA has had devastating consequences for working families, small farmers, indigenous peoples, small business and the environment in all 3 countries and beyond. The pending TPP has been described as “NAFTA on Steroids”. NAFTA has killed 35,000 manufacturing jobs locally in the last 10 yrs. Our moribund, cherished Canadian values & sovereignty have been destroyed by NAFTA. Our guest speaker from FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities & the Env) Graham Flint gave an excellent presentation about their 9 yr struggle against St. Mary's Cement in Flamborough who brought a ch.11 NAFTA challenge against them.

Protecting the Great Lakes Forever

Great Lakes Need Great Friends

Protecting The Great Lakes Forever

The Great Lakes of North America form the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world, holding more than 20 per cent of the world’s surface freshwater and 95 per cent of North America’s. They provide life and livelihood to more than 40 million people and are the economic centre at the heart of the continent. Yet the Great Lakes of North America are in serious trouble. Multipoint pollution, climate change, over-extraction, invasive species, and wetland loss are all taking their toll on the watershed.

With a patchwork of limited government protection that is hampered by inadequate funding and differing political priorities, the Lakes urgently need people to join together to forge a new future for them, one that will ensure the Lakes will thrive for generations to come. To help forge links and build relationships in communities surrounding the Great Lakes’ waters, the Council of Canadians has launched the “Great Lakes Need Great Friends” tour.

Visiting eight Canadian cities, and with allied groups, several U.S. cities the “Great Lakes Needs Great Friends” Tour will help:

• Foster connections along the Great Lakes by making the links between current fights against threats such as fracking, bottled water withdrawals, invasive species, and nuclear waste storage and shipments;
• Cultivate a Great Lakes stewardship by encouraging people to recognize they not only have a right, but a responsibility to protect the Great Lakes’ waters;
• Invite community involvement and encourage inspiring actions that will help shift the current market economy priorities that govern the Great Lakes to priorities based on commons and public trust principles.

Protecting the future of the Great Lakes is in all of our hands. When communities come together with passion and purpose, they can change political priorities and shape a better future for our shared water. We invite communities and organizations to join us in this exciting campaign to build a new Great Lakes commons vision that prioritizes people and the environment over industry and commodification, and builds a healthy vibrant future for our shared water.