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The Security and Prosperity Partnership

May 18, 2007
  1. Why We Need to Take a Closer Look at Continental Integration
  2. Learn More about the SPP
  3. SPP Countersummit to the SPP Montebello Summit
  4. Countersummit Program Highlights - New Information
  5. SPP Countersummit Reports
  6. Post Montebello Summit Analysis (Coming Soon)
  7. Recent Press Releases

Why We Need to Take a Closer Look at Continental Integration

Most Canadians would be shocked to learn that the federal government has entered a partnership with the US and Mexico that further integrates the military, security, trade, economic, regulatory and foreign polices of the three countries.

This agreement will make it even easier for the US to access Canadas natural resources, weaken Canadian food safety regulations to fall into line with those of the US and force Canada to adopt US homeland security policies and other measures that erode Canadian sovereignty.

Flying under the radar of public and parliamentary scrutiny, the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America is moving Canada, the US and Mexico swiftly towards North American Union.
Since coming to power in January 2006, the Harper government has been advancing the SPP through budgetary commitments and participation in cross–border working groups limited to business leaders in strategic sectors.

With no public announcements and little media coverage, governments are making administrative changes beyond public purview. This incremental approach operates in the shadows because the government knows that Canadians would reject an agreement to further integrate our economy with those of the US and Mexico.

The Green Party believes that trade deals must be open and democratic, reflecting a commitment to "fair trade" above "free trade." Fair trade means that economic, social and ecological justice must not succumb to investor rights. The government’s responsibility to protect its citizens and the environment must trump short-term economic interests.

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Learn More about the SPP

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SPP Countersummit to the SPP Montebello Summit

St. Paul University, Ottawa, August 20, 2007

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Countersummit Program Highlights

Dr. Janet M. Eaton
Introduction to the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP)
"The SPP - Context, Origins, Structures, Implications, and Why Oppose it"

International Trade Critic Janet Eaton reviews the historical context of the SPP as found in various continential economic integration attempts throughout our history, as well as its context in corporate globalization with its many global strucutres such as the World Bank, IMF, WTO and regional free trade agreements such as NAFTA. She reviews some of the documented failures of both globalization and NAFTA to illuminate the wrong headedness of entering into deeper integration with the globalist NAFTA- plUS SPP. She goes on to examine the origins, structures, and nature of the SPP, NAFTA SPP Super corridors, cross border regions like Atlantica and concludes with an analysis of some of the reasons why Canadians should oppose the SPP.

The power point provides references, quotes and facts but Dr Eatons actual presentation as found on YouTube offers much more nuanced and insightful overview.

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Ralph Pentland
Overview of Ralph Pentland's Speaking Notes
Canadian Water Sovereignty
Green Party Summit, Ottawa, August 20, 2007

In his paper delivered to the Green Party Counter Summit, Ralph Pentland, Canadian water policy icon, provides background and analysis on the potential threats of bulk water sales and transport south of the border. He examines the question "Is water on the table of the SPP negotiations?" noting "Whether it's officially 'on the table' or not at Montebello, there was very strong evidence that it is being discussed 'under the table'."

He documents this expressing five main concerns with one of the most obvious signs - a major report from a the US based Center for Strategic and International Studies on the North American Future 2025 project. He points to the strong stewardship position of the Canadian public that for over forty years has consistently opposed bulk water exports. Finally he reviews the Canadian government's position on water in regard to NAFTA and the Great Lakes drawing conclusions from his experience on just how powerful cross-border alliances can be; presents at least five problems with large-scale imports and concludes with a simple prescription for cross border co-operation in regard to water policy."

"Keep water in its natural basins, treat it with respect, and use it more efficiently." He offeres this as something the U.S. and Canadian Green Parties might like to consider together.

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Elizabeth May

Elizabeth May offers political insights and wisdom on the SPP drawing on her vast legal and policy knowledge base injecting a note of humour as she describes her experience when called into the US Embassy [fortress] to explain the GPC position on the SPP.

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SPP Countersummit Reports

In July the GPC and GP US began an important and active collaboration when GPC internatinal trade critic spoke on the SPP at the GPUS annual meeting in Reading Pennsylvania. This was well covered in a GPUS media release and thanks to Mike Feinstein, a long time GPUS stalwart and person behind the Global Green website, Janet's power point presentation on the SPP and Energy implications and part of a media interview ended up on YouTube the day after the event.

A most positive outcome of this meeting was the decision for US Greens to respond to GPC s invitation to collaborate in the SPP Counter Summit being planned around the SPP leaders Summit in Montebello Quebec. The US Greens passed a resolution supporting the Canadian Green Summit, put the word out to members in the East and began developing a white paper on the SPP.

In Canada we mounted a major effort in August to make the GPC Summit an integral part of the overall events surrounding the SPP Montebello Summit. .. We worked with the International co-chairs Julia Willebrand and Justine McCabe to bring the US perspective into the Teach-In and our two respective Press Secretary's Scott McLarty [US] and John Chenery [GPC] helped us to get the word out to diverse media outlets with a well crafted joint release.

US/Canadian Green Party SPP Counter Summit by Justine McCabe and Julia Willebrand
Co-chairs United States Green Party International Committee
http://www.greencommons.org/node/758

SPP Security Pact Proceeds In Secrecy - Canadian Greens Take Notice
By Janet M Eaton, PhD, International Trade Critic, Green Party of Canada with contributions by Mike Feinstein, Green Party of
California "Rather than increasing security through sustainability, the SPP compromises ecological limits and bypasses democratic
accountability."
http://greenpages.wordpress.com/2007/12/14/spp-security-pact-proceeds-in-secrecy

Post Montebello Summit Analysis

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Recent Press Releases

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