click any image or underlined type as they all go somewhere - a big picture or a new page.
Most open a new window which can get lost on your Link bar at bottom of browser
Wednesday Night # 994
March 21th, 2001 sooncome Calendar
The evening. #994, should be especially sparkling as we ponder: Free Trade of the Americas, Globalization, MAI and alternatives in the company ofKimon Valaskakis, John Ciaccia, George Archer, Jeremy Jonas and friends Shawna Steinberg, and her husband Ira.
Wed 3/21/01 10:02 AM
Gearing up for Quebec City protest
By: BASEM BOSHRA
For 72 hours next month, normally placid Quebec City will become ground zero in an increasingly fierce ideological battle over who, if anybody, benefits from dropping barriers to international trade.
On the surface, it's just the latest in a long line of skirmishes fomented by the forces of anti-globalization. ...Warren Allmand, president of the Montreal-based International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, also criticized the secrecy in which the pact is being negotiated. ...Pettigrew says he's handcuffed by the fact that the documents are the property of all 34 countries, and several countries want to keep them private.
That explanation doesn't satisfy Allmand, a former federal Liberal cabinet minister and an officer of the Order of Canada.
"The process is extremely undemocratic," he said. "The fact no one has had a chance to see these very important documents which could affect the lives of many, many people is unacceptable.
"democracy is rule by committee!" DTN
QAmerConBadNotes.htm
Quebec summit to feature more than one agenda By: KEVIN DOUGHERTY and others
One month from today, on April 20, Quebec City goes prime time on the world's all-news networks as the heads of all 34 sovereign nations in the Americas and the Caribbean - except for Cuba - led by George W. Bush and Jean Chretien, converge here for the third Summit of the Americas.
Full stories: Bad (29k), or Good (12k) or what will be accomplished! (.5k)
All true and serious, but there are other issues we may want to consider such as the problems of housing (hoteling? hosteling?)the 34 delegations, particularly when the Americans - with 440 people - insist on taking over one hotel and not sharing with anybody. Thus the President of the Dominican Republic is sent to a charming small hotel with no room service. Truly, even in Free Trade debates, some are more equal than others!
And then we have Mexico's dilemma over Daylight Saving Time. The Federal District is refusing to go along with DST thus posing major problems for commuters from the outskirts. And the North of the country insists on maintaining the same time as its U.S. neighbors, thus skewing even more - and all this in a culture where it isn't polite to be on time for dinner.
David and Diana Nicholson
Bonjour les Nicholsons.
March 20th, 2001
I am hoping to bring a great friend, Shawna Steinberg, and her husband Ira, if
that fits the rules of the game, to this coming WN.
Shawna is the Content Manager at the Peachtree Network. She was an award-winning
journalist before joining first Indigo.com and then the Peach as Content
Manager, responsible for licensing, editing, syndicating, and presenting content
on the site. When one thinks of the 3-4 people that, if not there, would mean a
very different entity she is one. Though from Toronto, she has a great love on
Montreal and like a religious convert is sold. Wed Night, to her, is just the
sort of reason why Montreal is a better place - and she hasn't even been yet!
But it's the kind of thing she suspected she would find here...
Her husband Ira is a McGill MBA and now doing his PhD in Communications at
McGill, and always has useful points of view.
I hope that once again it would be alright, in terms of topic and space, for me
to bring along these folks. Diana was clear last time that thus far my guests
have shownenough judgment that I am free to invite guests (with the protection
of my reputation as guarantee of quality), but in this case this is TWO people
and I had not asked that before.
Cheers, Jeremy
David, Diana,
When I note all the problems you list I am glad to be in Istanbul tonight where, as you know, there are no economic problems.
Best,
Mac
Chris Goodfellow MBA on Gold & Money
Tue 3/20/01 7:00 PM
U.S. INTEREST RATES CUT BY 0.50%; FED SEES MORE WEAKNESS AHEAD
The U.S. Federal Reserve cut its key federal funds rate by one-half of a
percentage point Tuesday afternoon, disappointing many market players
who'd been hoping for an even more dramatic cut. Please see our
Money Notes file
Thursday 1 March 2001 Summit won't bind Quebec, Beaudoin says
Draft documents shared with MNAs by ELIZABETH THOMPSON ..The battle between Quebec and Ottawa over the Summit of the Americas escalated yesterday, as Quebec warned it will not be bound by Canada's signature on a new free-trade agreement for the Americas.
If Quebec disagrees with any part of an accord that touches provincial jurisdiction, it simply won't respect that part of it, said Quebec International Relations Minister Louise Beaudoin
"The Quebec government will not accept:
QAmerConGoodNotes.htm (this note file will be seperated into two files soon.)
Global issues, interest rates, the stock market, Mega Mergers and, of course,
our new Premier of Québec ... we will consider them all in the company of
Kimon Valaskakis, Peter Trent, & Dr. Marc Roper and other experts in relevant fields, including DANIEL SANGER, Contributing Editor Saturday Night mag.
And Diana is back!
Global issues, film, China, interest rates, Mega Mergers and, of course,
our new Premier of Québec ...
Les Nicholsons
david nicholson says
Wednesday Night Salon #994
sooncome Calendar
March 21st, 2001
INTRODUCTION
Along with new faces, Shawna Steinberg, Content Manager of Peachtree.com and her husband, Ira Wagman, Wednesday Night welcomed the long-delayed return of George Archer, formerly of Bank Credit Analyst and now Chairman of the Social Studies Department of Marianopolis College.
PUBLISHING NEWS
Bob Stewart "tabled" his new book The Trail Breakers, a history of the Red Birds Ski Club from 1928 to 2000, with the disclaimer that he was responsible for the content but not the cut lines (captions) and therefore not for the photo of seven people identified with six names. Despite this glaring error, the book is beautiful and, of course, a wonderful chronicle of many of our friends.
THE ECONOMY
The U.S. Federal Reserve has reduced interest rates. Will this decision prove to have been the factor that turned the economy around? Probably not. We can look forward to additional cuts adding up to 100 to 150 basis points. If this does nothing for the economy in the next year, there will be even greater problems. Corporations have been investing in too much capacity. Decreases in interest rates will not help that situation, but will help the export markets and, in the shortest time frame, the housing market.
The United States is still considered a safe financial haven which has overvalued the American dollar. With the exception of the U.S., the Canadian dollar has held its own against world currencies. Canada will lead the G-7 in growth this year and by 2002, the Canadian economy should benefit greatly from its vast natural resources.
THE FTAA
We are coming closer to the opening of the Québec Summit of the Americas. The agenda, basically a wish list from each country, is over 900 pages and has been printed in limited edition, distributed only to a small number of recipients. This is a secret process. Even Members of Parliament, who, in our name, will be called upon to ratify any agreements reached are said to be unaware of the agenda, let alone conversant with the complex issues. Observers have become increasingly skeptical that anything will be resolved at the Québec Summit as the basis for agreement is not there.
The FTAA is the wrong thing at the wrong time. We need only look at the alphabet soup of unsuccessful attempts in the Americas to establish free trade zones, common markets and the like. There is little homogeneity among the 34 countries and we must ask ourselves "where is the unity of the hemisphere'.
While hurting some, while benefiting others, Freer - Greater - Trade is probably desirable, but it comes at a cost and economists do us a disservice by advocating free trade without admitting that people are going to be hurt.. Poverty and Inequality have been accentuated by NAFTA.
Negotiations and implementation should be managed so that the interests of all stakeholders are taken into account. It should be proposed in an open manner so that the owners of governments, namely the electors, are aware of what is happening and who is looking after their interest.
One aspect of the Québec summit that is interesting is that Fidel Castro has not been invited to attend, despite the fact that the Cuban economy is one of the best performing economies in the Western Hemisphere. Of course he is the one dictator among a group of leaders of various shades of democracy, yet dictators are not excluded from Commonwealth conferences, La Francophonie or APEC. Given the composition of most regional groups, we couldn't hold a representative meeting without dictators - it's a bit silly to exclude Fidel. One might suspect that some of the hemisphere`s leaders have more influence than others.
Comparisons with the European Union are misleading. The EEU is a political project carried out by nations of similar ethnicity and cultural roots.
Globalization is not a new phenomenon, but has been accelerated. The things that will ultimately change globalization are the people who are protesting. We have to look at the negative implications even though some of these individuals may understand very little about the agreement. While the U.S. media was dismissive of what happened in Seattle, it was important because of what people think MAI means.
We must define what we are trying to accomplish with globalization and recognize that one of its greatest dangers is the creation of an imbalance between technology & science and social issues. Globalization has become a dirty word because opening the doors to trade has not solved the problems of inequality and poverty.
National governments do lose sovereignty and control over things previously under local control under globalization. In this respect, global trade is undemocratic. In this respect, global trade is antidemocratic. What then is the role of the Nation State in a globalized world? Will the Nation State become so weak that it will lose the levers necessary for widespread political action? On the other hand, many of today's Nation States are illusory.
And how will culture be affected? Perhaps not to the extent that we are led to believe by the cultural industries, which will certainly feel the impact. Culture does exist outside film and television.
THE CLUB OF ATHENS
The existing order is collapsing and there is nothing to replace it, no Rule of Law. We must not leave globalization to market forces (one dollar = one vote), some things must be decided by the people (Democracy). Corporate governance is a hazy concept, particularly in the context of ethics. There needs to be a voluntary and universal ethical code of conduct.
The Club of Athens is a solutions-oriented Think Tank created to address all the issues rather than to challenge globalization. With the goal of constructing the Global Athens and a return to Athenian democracy wherein Polis and Economics (quality of life and standard of living) are successfully joined, it has been created as a group of dedicated individuals, both thinkers and actors.
Headquartered in Montréal, with links to Nice and Athens, it is moving closer to realization, with one hundred eminent world personalities committed to construct a code of global issues. While some critics perceive a disadvantage in that some of the participants are past their peak, arguably, they are now able to speak, move and influence in ways that they were unable to do when in mid-career, and are in a position to act with detachment, as a sort of world senate. As the aim is not to refine the system, but to identify solutions that are both desirable and feasible, the founders do not seek people who are part of the problem. Furthermore, the founders believe that their presence will attract a number of younger influential individuals.
QUOTES OF THE EVENING:
- "(Alan) Greenspan doesn't have any compassion with the market."
- "The U.S. dollar is considered a safe haven. On a trade weighted basis, the Canadian dollar hasn't moved much."
- " Look at the fundamentals rather than the brutality of NASDAQ."
- "The value of currency is not necessarily related to purchasing power. Rather than talk about a strong dollar and a weak dollar, we should talk about an inexpensive and an expensive dollar."
- "Canada, with its low dollar, is a consumer's paradise."
- "Globalization should be social as well as economic."
- "We don't have enough poverty to create that kind of wealth."
- "Democracy is a very unfamiliar concept to many Latin American countries."
- "In the world of scoundrels and murderers, Castro doesn't even count."
- "There are not good people and bad people. There are good systems and bad systems."
- "It is easy to find desirable solutions. It is easy to find feasible solutions. It is extremely difficult to find solutions that are both desirable and feasible."
- "I don't know what the issues are. The chances are that if I asked my Member of Parliament, she would not know what the issues are."
- "Most people acquire their ideas when they are twenty-five or thirty. They come into power only at fifty or fifty-five and their ideas are twenty years out of date. This is the trouble with all of us."
- "As it is only recently that women have been allowed to have opinions, theirs can't be all that out of date."
- "There is absolutely no correlation between age and youthfulness of thought."
- "What I find surprising is that you have both sides attacking each other rather than attacking their ideas. What are the pros and cons? There are a lot of meaty issues that I have never heard discussed."
- " I don't believe that the elites discuss themselves into disappearing."
Notes by Herb Bercovitz
Edited by Diana Thébaud Nicholson
|
