http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/business/worldbusiness/13canada.html?ref=world
OTTAWA - The governments of Canada and Ontario agreed on Friday to supplement any aid package automakers receive in the United States by about 20 percent. "The federal and the Ontario governments are prepared to move quickly if and when the Americans approve a support package," Tony Clement, the federal industry minister, told reporters Friday evening. "If the United States comes forward boldly for the auto industry, we also need to be at the table for Canadian production." The announcement was the first official disclosure about Canada's negotiations with the carmakers, which had been cloaked in secrecy for several weeks. Neither Mr. Clement nor an official from the Ontario government would put a dollar amount on the contribution. That amount depends on how much auto production the companies are willing to maintain in Canada as well as the value of any aid package they obtain in the United States. But assuming that American assistance ultimately totals $14 billion and Canadian production is more or less unchanged, the Canadian offer would be worth about $2.8 billion. The amount requested by the carmakers from Canada has never been officially disclosed. But officials, who spoke on condition they not be identified because of nondisclosure agreements, confirmed Canadian news media reports that the amount totaled about 6 billion Canadian dollars, or $4.8 billion. Only the Ford Motor Company of Canada has sketched out its request for help, a standby line of credit worth 2 billion Canadian dollars. The plan was struck after a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a Conservative, and Dalton McGuinty, the Liberal premier of Ontario. The offer will be made only after the conclusion of a deal in Washington, and it appears that few of its details have been resolved. *** http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/world/americas/13briefs-PRESIDENTORD_BRF.html?ref=world Ecuador: President Orders Debt Default By SIMON ROMERO Published: December 12, 2008 President Rafael Correa has declared his country in default on foreign debt as his government grapples with falling oil income and a decline in remittances from Ecuadoreans living abroad. Calling the debt "immoral and illegitimate," Mr. Correa said his government would not make a $31 million interest payment, a move heightening concern in global markets over Ecuador's $10 billion in foreign debt. The decision by Mr. Correa, an American-educated economist, could have far-reaching impact in Ecuador, which risks being shut off from foreign credit markets even as the move temporarily frees up funds for social welfare projects. *** From: UFPJ www.unitedforpeace.org Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 5:52 AM Subject: UFPJ Kicks Off 4th National Assembly With A Bang Yesterday, UFPJ kicked off its 4th National Assembly with enormous energy, unleashed by the Friday night speaker trio of Tom Hayden, USAction/True Majority President William McNary, and writer-activist Antonia Juhasz, as well as a visit by a leader of the union from the victorious Republic Windows struggle. Hundreds of delegates from UFPJ member groups have now descended on Chicago, IL, to take part in the largest antiwar coalition's National Assembly and to make effective organizing plans and strategies for the year ahead. Afternoon skills-training sessions and educational seminars laid the foundation for a powerful evening which began with a detailed explanation of the events at Republic Windows and Doors by Armando Robles, the president of the local United Electrical Workers. His comments reminded everyone that when people act collectively and boldly in the face of great obstacles they can succeed. The collection after his talk raised more than $2,000 for the fund being created to help the workers and their families during this difficult period. Next came an eloquent and insightful speech by UFPJ National Coordinator Leslie Cagan. Noting the changed political environment -- one imbued with enormous public energy and excitement following the Obama campaign -- Cagan stressed the need to make sense of the new circumstances in which the peace and justice movement will work, to take stock of what needs to be done to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as we connect to the struggles brought on by the economic crisis, and to start organizing with the fervor and energy that the times demand of us. She highlighted our movement's successes in turning public opinion strongly against the war in Iraq and in keeping public activism alive during the difficult Bush years, as well as the shortcomings thus far in actually ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally, long-time activist Tom Hayden took the stage to share his experiences in the antiwar movement and the dire need -- now more than ever -- to truly unite the various progressive movements to end foreign aggression and to start refocusing our resources on local community needs. Hayden warned of the danger that the antiwar movement has long found itself -- being fractured from other progressive groups focused on domestic concerns -- and stated clearly that we must learn from past mistakes and see how interconnected military spending and aggression and community deprivation truly are. Hayden's plea for progressive unity was followed by USAction/True Majority President William McNary's stirring and stimulating speech, as he pounded on the podium demanding that us 'passionate progressives' organize the most inclusive movement possible, one that invites all to participate besides those who advocate racism, sexism, homophobia, and economic exploitation. McNary inflamed the delegates, bringing everyone to their feet, infusing the Assembly with the hope and energy needed to sustain the movement in the year ahead. Concluding his short sermon, McNary said the movement must engage in three important things, 'Organize! Organize! Organize!' Antonia Juhasz closed the session with a focused analysis of the central role of the oil industry in setting this country's military and economic agendas. She implored the Assembly participants, and our movement more generally, to develop organizing plans aimed at directly challenging the massive power of the biggest industry of our country. Her talk pointed to the urgent need to connect the antiwar movement with the movements to save the environment and to challenge corporate control, and she included a passionate reminder that we can take on even the largest of corporate interests. Today, Saturday, delegates from UFPJ member groups will work to re-envision the purpose and goals of the coalition for the year ahead and to plan effective and coordinated action in this new political and economic environment. With Friday night's energy, the hope is strong that UFPJ will create a strategic organizing plan for this next year and implement it with a spirit of fervor and excitement -- creating the change we need by ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and refocusing our resources back towards the needs of people, the communities they live in, and the hopes they carry with them. Please stay tuned for further reports from the UFPJ National Assembly. Help us continue to do this critical work: Make a donation to UFPJ today. UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545 PO Box 607; Times Square Station; New York, NY 10108 To subscribe, visit www.unitedforpeace.org/email *** From: <modera...@portside.org> TIDBITS, Thursday, December 11, 2008 1. Re: Is Obama Backing Off a Crucial Pledge to Labor? 2. Re: Victory in Chicago at Republic Windows and Doors 1.Re: Is Obama Backing Off a Crucial Pledge to Labor? "As economist Dean Baker, from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, points out, "If workers are able to form unions and get their share of productivity gains, it could once again put the country on a wage-driven growth path, instead of growth driven by unsustainable borrowing." Dean Baker is an astute and prescient scholar. However, his statement above illustrates the truncated analysis of mainstream economists. The nature of capitalist work relations presupposes that employees will eventually have to relinquish their fair share of "productivy gains." It is a fundamental antagonstic contradiction between producers and consumers that is inherent in the capitalist system. At the risk of oversimplification, I would assert that without an incremental increase in the profit rate, a capitalist entity cannot survive. There is no reforming the capitalist system despite all the noble intentions of liberal economists. Bruce T. Boccardy SEIU Local 888 Interfaith Alliance = = = = = Re: Victory in Chicago at Republic Windows and Doors This was a great victory. It could have been even greater if the bank had agreed to keep the company going. There are millions of dollars worth of energy efficient windows and doors which need to be built to replace leaky inefficient ones in Cook County schools, colleges, public buildings and the homes of people who have qualified for low income energy assistance. The January stimulus package could have not only put these workers back to work, but could have employed hundreds more for several years. - a Portside reader Submit via email: modera...@portside.org Subscribe: www.portside.org/subscribe Search the archives: www.portside.org/archive ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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