Citizens' Trade Policy Commission Hears Testimony on Free Trade
Excerpted from Maine Labor News, with additional information from an article by JR Gibson, Solidarity News, issue 5, Winter 2005.
Ever wish you could have a real say in trade deals like the North American
Free Trade Agreement and the now-proposed Central American Free Trade
Agreement (CAFTA)? Well here in Maine you can, thanks to last year's passage
of the Maine Jobs, Trade, and Democracy Act. The law created the first-ever
state Citizen Trade Policy Commission (CTPC) to monitor the impact of trade
agreements on our jobs, our communities, and our democracy.
The Commission is not just another rubber-stamp committee designed to
deflect public input. It held an inspiring and informative public hearing on
CAFTA and other trade issues February 3 at Husson College in Bangor. Over
100 people attended the 3 1/2-hour hearing, and 37 people offered testimony,
sending a clear message that CAFTA is the wrong direction for Maine and
should be opposed. Speaker after speaker described his/her concerns about
"free trade" agreements' threats to good jobs, accessible public services, a
healthy environment, working family farms, small businesses, a strong
democracy and supportive, respectful relationships with our brothers and
sisters in other countries.
The public hearing helped to reframe the whole debate about trade agreements
by raising numerous questions about whether the rules were fair and who
benefits from the trade agreements. Speakers included Bangor UPS driver
Jimmy Cook, who serves as Business Representative/Organizer for Teamsters
Local #340; Maureen Drouin, of the Sierra Club, and several business owners
and farmers. Speakers described threats to public services — from drinking
water and public education to telecommunications services and public
libraries — posed by trade rules that elevate corporate profit over the
public good.
Miguel Reinoso described the effect current "free trade" agreements have had
on his native Ecuador. Since the discovery of oil in Ecuador, the economy
and the environment have been severely damaged and family farms have been
destroyed. Local communities have been displaced and the people, forced to
migrate to the cities in search of work, have been turned into a source of
cheap labor for export industries. Ecuador is now paying 50% of its GNP to
service IMF-induced debt. "Free trade is created to benefit global
corporations with no regard for people, anywhere," Reinoso said.
Next Steps, and What You Can Do
The next CPPC public hearing will be in Portland on April 5. Peace Action
Maine is a member of the Maine Fair Trade Campaign, the coalition of
organizations that successfully campaigned for the passage of the Maine
Jobs, Trade, and Democracy Act. We all know that the corporate model of
"free trade" is imposed upon us, and does violence to our communities and is
maintained by military power internationally. Attend the CTPC hearing in
April. CAFTA may come up for a vote within the next few months. Contact the
Maine Congressional delegation. Both Tom Allen and Mike Michaud have come
out in opposition to CAFTA. Call 'em and say thanks! Neither Senator has
committed herself. Contact both of them and urge a NO CAFTA vote! For more
information go to the Fair Trade Campaign's website at
www.mainefairtrade.org.
Back to Peace
Talk Index, Spring 2005