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Free Trade: Pathway to Prosperity - or Back Road to Corporatism?

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by Larry Powell As globalization reaches a frenzied pace, free trade agreements  (FTAs)  between nations are coming thick and fast, too.  Now, a knowledgable source with impressive credentials is sounding the latest cautionary note about "CETA,"   the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement which  Prime Minister Harper and the European Union signed ,  in principle last year.  Howard Mann   PhD (1988): London School of Economics. Master of Laws LL.M. (1984): London School of Economics. Bachelor of Civil Law (1982): McGill University.   Senior International Law Advisor to the  IISD. Photo credit – Sue Danahy, Ottawa A Canadian expert in international law, Howard Mann, (above)  is lending an important new voice to a now-familiar chorus  of alarm about " CETA,"  in particular.    For decades, large corporations have been using provisions within existing free trade agreements to sue sovereign nations who pass certain l

Grain, Trains and Autocrats: Farmers Pay the Price for Dismantling Wheat Board

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Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives There is a direct correlation between the loss of the farmer-elected Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and the current rail transportation boondoggle. Details here.

Strong Support Shown for Bees! More Needed!

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Wow! In just a week, enough of us chipped in to fund the world's first people-powered study on what's killing our bees. Let's build on this and create a massive global offensive to take on the chemical companies -- pledge below: Dear friends,  Billions of bees are dying , and it's causing an environmental holocaust that threatens all of us. Most scientists agree  pesticides are to blame, but pesticide companies are funding junk science  that gives politicians an excuse to delay taking action. If enough of us pledge,  we could launch a people-powered, totally independent study  that finally challenges big pharma. Click to pledge what you can:  $3      $5      $10      $20      $40 Pledge another amount .   Right now,  billions of bees are dying . Already, there are nowhere near enough honeybees in Europe to pollinate the crops, and in California -- the biggest food producer in the US -- beekeepers are losing 40% of their bees each year.  We're in the

Manitoba’s First Glyphosate-Resistant Weed Confirmed

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Manitoba Co-Operator The good news is, the weed was found at only two sites out of 283 surveyed last fall. Details here. Artist; Paul Hoppe

Is Fear a Useful Tool in Communicating Climate Change Issues?

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Lk. Manitoba - 2011 - PLT photo. Listen to this excellent debate on CBC Radio's, The Current , here.

Canadians Turn Up The Heat Against The Northern Gateway Tar Sands Pipeline

Climate Progress Residents of Kitimat, B.C. — the last stop of the proposed pipeline’s route — voted no to the pipeline’s construction… Full story here.