Free Trade Summit
Join us in Buffalo, NY on April 22
while the third Summit of the Heads of State of the Americas meets in Quebec City.
The summit will principally deal with the creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), which would essentially expand NAFTA to all of North and South America. The effects of corporate exploitation of the environment and human rights during the NAFTA era have been horrifying and the FTAA would only exacerbate these social ills. We are planning large scale, highly visible actions to protest the FTAA and the destructive effects of Global Corporate Rule.
Why Buffalo? This demonstration is being planned in Buffalo because of the city’s position on the border of two NAFTA nations. (Canada is trying to block entry by U.S. demonstrators.)
Also, Buffalo has been significantly hurt by NAFTA. In addition, Buffalo is a major place of transnational commerce. Buffalo used to be one of the biggest steel producing cities in the world: with Bethlehem Steel and Republic Steel. They housed many automobile manufacturing plants: Trico, Ford, Chevrolet, General Motors.
Many of the job transfers, plant closings, and neighborhood deteriorations that Buffalo has seen are the direct result of big companies maximizing profits by cutting American jobs and moving them to poor, indebted countries (where they pay the workers down to 30 cents/hour). Let’s announce our opposition by uniting the People of the Americas with dignity, solidarity, and respect for the Earth. People returning from Quebec City can join a festive rally in Buffalo, or those unable to make the trip to Quebec can come to Buffalo as an alternative. Metro Justice calls for opponents of corporate globalization to attend the Buffalo demonstration on Sunday, April 22. There will be a peaceful mass rally near the Peace Bridge in Buffalo starting at 11:00 A. M.
This will take place in Front Park in Buffalo, situated at the foot of the trans-national Peace Bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada. There are massive rallies planned at both ends of the bridge, colorful and festive street theater, a well organized legal rally with bands and key speakers, and more! This is being billed as a ‘bring the whole family’ event. In addition, non-violent acts of civil disobedience may take place at other sites.
We will be forming a car pool to leave for Buffalo at 9:00 A.M. on the 22nd. Please meet on Mortimer Street at St.Paul in downtown Rochester. If you are leaving your car, you may park for free in either of the city parking garages: Mortimer Street—entrance on North Clinton;
St. Joseph’s—entrance also on North Clinton.
Metro Justice is offering civil disobedience training on Tuesday, April 10, 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. in the Shaw Room of the Downtown United Presbyterian Church (DUPC), 121 N. Fitzhugh Street. We encourage all who plan on going to Buffalo or Quebec to attend. Even if you are not planning on participating in civil disobedience, the information may prove useful to you. Local info, call 325-2560. Buffalo info, call 716-881-7023 or www.a22buffalo.org