Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2001 16:37:48 +0100 From: info <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Mexico begins historic NAFTA appeal in B.C. ----- forwarded message ----- Subject: [ndn-aim] Fwd: [NativeNews] Mexico begins historic NAFTA appeal in B.C. Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2001 18:25:27 -0800 (PST) From: Paul Pureau <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Senior Staff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Mexico begins historic NAFTA appeal in B.C. > WebPosted Mon Feb 19 20:28:05 2001 > > VANCOUVER - About two-dozen anti-free trade > activists protested outside the British Columbia > Supreme Court Monday, as it began historic hearings > on a multimillion-dollar dispute between Mexico and > a U.S. company over a toxic waste dump. > > It's the first court case to stem from the North > American Free Trade Agreement's controversial trade > tribunal. > > Some trade experts believe the case could have > sweeping ramifications for environmental policies > across the continent. > > The key issue is whether the NAFTA allows > governments to safeguard public interests at the > expense of investors. > > Last August, a NAFTA tribunal ordered Mexico to pay > a Delaware-based firm, Metalclad Corp., $16.7 > million US. > > Mexico was accused of violating trade rules by > denying Metalclad a licence to operate a toxic-waste > treatment plant. > > Although Metalclad had been given permission to > build the hazardous waste dump, Mexico later changed > its mind ? arguing that the site was not safe. > > "They were concerned about the health problems, > birth defects, abortions, and cancer that happened > in communities in the region," says Fernando > Bejarano of Greenpeace Mexico. > > The area was designated an environmental preserve, > forcing the treatment plant to sit idle. > > Ottawa joins Mexico's appeal > > Metalclad convinced a NAFTA tribunal that the > company had been treated unfairly. > > But Mexico says profits can't be put ahead of people > and the environment, and it wants the B.C. court to > overturn the tribunal's decision. > > The government of Canada sides with Mexico, and > plans to intervene in the case. > > Federal lawyers insist that the tribunal made a > mistake, and that the drafters of NAFTA never > intended to limit the power of a government to > protect the public from harm. > > But Metalclad's president, Grant Kesler, disagrees. > If Mexico doesn't pay up then the trade agreement is > "not worth the paper it's written on as far as > investment protection is concerned," he told CBC > News. > > Environmentalists insist that a fundamental issue of > democracy is at stake ? namely the right of local > governments to protect citizens, regardless of > existing international investment deals. > > LINKS: Websites related to this story > http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?/news/2001/02/19/metalclad_010219#links > > FROM FEB. 2, 2001: Mexico in landmark NAFTA fight > with U.S. company > http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?/news/2001/02/02/nafta010202 > > Reprinted under the Fair Use > http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html > doctrine of international copyright law. > <<<<<>>>>> > Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) > http://nativenewsonline.org/ > <<<<<>>>>> > Native News Online > a Service of Barefoot Connection > FREE LEONARD PELTIER!! > > > List info at: http://nativenewsonline.org/ > ===== Paul Pureau to subscribe to ndn-aim send a blank mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ndn-aim is now archived on line at Http://www.escribe.com/life/ndn-aim/ FREE PELTIER NOW! STOP ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE LAKOTA!