Even though this isn’t happening here at home, it’s important. From June 11-16, 2007, in Halifax, NS.
Check it out. http://resist.stopatlantica.org/ or email resistatlantica2007@gmail.com
The schedule is posted at their website (above), and includes a critical mass, a rally and march, a food not bombs picnic, a reclaim the streets party, a picket and some workshops.
What’s Atlantica? Here’s some basic info from the website:
Atlantica is the abbreviated name for the Atlantic Northeast Eco-nomic Region (AINER), a cross-border trade concept spanning the Maritime provinces, Newfoundland, southern Quebec, and the New England states ( i.e. Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and upstate New York). Its main proponent and originator is a right-wing think-tank group called the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS), whose board of directors represents many big-business interests in the Atlantic region.
The proponents of Atlantica wish to develop a conduit to channel Asian goods to the United States through the Atlantic Provinces. Massive container ships called “post-Panamax” are too large to pass through the Panama Canal and Halifax is the closest North American port for ships from Asia via the Suez Canal. These containers would reach their destinations via “truck trains,” resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions, higher fatal-crash rates per mile, as well as the likely expansion of superhighways through communities, wilderness, and farmland.
Atlantica is also about increasing exports of unprocessed resources, like energy and water, from Canada to the United States. The intent is to export oil and gas from the Atlantic offshore as quickly as possible on terms that favour industry and leave decisions regarding exports to deregulated markets.
The Atlantica tag line is “business without borders,” which has adouble meaning: business unhampered by the international border, but also unbound from what AIMS refers to as “policy distress factors” such as minimum wages, social program spending, environmental regulation, public ownership and unionization. This kind of language is eerily familiar to that of NAFTA and the FTAA, stemming from a neo-liberal agenda that aims to dismantle “trade barriers.”
The results of Atlantica would be to expedite a race to the bottom for the majority of people in the region. Knowing this, the governments and institutions involved have tried to negotiate and implement this policy undemocratically behind closed doors.
The Alliance Against Atlantica (AAA) has formed to bring together grass-roots organizations, labour, environmental organizations, peace groups, religious organizations, students, and anyone who cares about social justice to stand-up and say No to Atlantica! On June 14th, 15th and 16th Premiers, Governors and others that support Atlantica will be meeting in Halifax. Member groups of the AAA a are organizing three days of events including teach-ins, a critical mass bike ride, a march through downtown Halifax, a street party, and a picnic. We invite you to come join us on these days and voice your opposition to Atlantica!
