The Council of Canadians and the International Forum on Globalization in collaboration with the Polaris Institute present GLOBAL TEACH-IN Challenging Corporate Rule: A Citizens' Politics for the 21st Century November 7-9, 1997 University of Toronto Who's really in charge of this country anyway? Who has the real power to govern and rule? The politicians? Or the CEO's of the big corporations? What kind of citizen's politics do we need to develop to restore our democracy? Public Forum on Economic Globalization and Corporate Rule Friday, November 7 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm Convocation Hall University of Toronto Moderator Tony Clarke, Polaris Institute Opening Remarks Maude Barlow, The Council of Canadians Jerry Mander, International Forum on Globalization Voices from the Planet Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Technology Science & Natural Resource Policy, INDIA Owens Wiwa, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni Peoples, NIGERIA Sara Larrain, Chilean Ecological Action Network, CHILE Jean-Pierre Page, Confederation Generale du Travail, FRANCE John Cavanagh, Institute for Policy Studies, USA Bob White, Canadian Labour Congress, CANADA Martin Khor, Third World Action Network, MALAYSIA Live Entertainment Panel: Canadian Perspectives on Corporate Rule Saturday, November 8 9:00 am to 10:30 am OISE Auditorium Buzz Hargrove, Canadian Auto Workers Elizabeth May, Sierra Club of Canada Heather-jane Robertson, Canadian Teachers' Federation David Langille, Centre for Social Justice Murray Dobbin, The Council of Canadians 20 Workshops on Corporate Rule Saturday, November 8 11:00 am to 5:00 pm OISE Hall and Faculty of Education I. Banking on the Debt How do the big banks influence Canada's monetary and fiscal policies? What can we do to check their power? II. How Safe is Our Food? What companies are leading the drive toward the deregulation of food production? How can we close the fridge door on them? III. The Corporate Grab for Medicare What corporations are looking to cash in on Canada's multi-billion dollar public health care system? How can we stop them? IV. McSchools How are corporations invading our schools? What can we do to keep our schools public? V. The Business Blueprint for Social Security How are corporations profiting from cut-backs to social programs? What strategies can citizen's use to fight back? VI. The Corporate Privateers Which corporations are lining up to cash in on the privatization of public services? How can our communities organize to preserve our public sector? VII. Media Moguls and their Message How does the increasing corporate concentration of media ownership affect the diversity of news, information, and entertainment we receive? What can viewers and listeners do? VIII. The Power Brokers What energy corporations are lobbying for relaxed environmental rules and pushing for the privatization of public utilities? How can we pull the plug on their plans? IX. The Corporate Underground How have the big mining corporations compelled governments to reduce environmental and industry regulations? How do we stop them from burying our communities and the environment? X. Corporate Deals on Wheels What have the big automakers, airline companies and railways done to rollback government regulations? How do we get the concerns of the public back on the road? XI. The Emperor's New Clothes Which clothing and textile companies are exploiting cheap labour conditions in Asia and Latin America? What can we do to expose them? XII. Corporate Hospitality? How are tourism and hospitality services being redesigned by corporate actors and what are the impacts on local communities and workers? How do we turn the tables on the big corporate players? XIII. Bio-Piracy: The Big Business of Life How have biotechnology corporations secured patent protection for the genetic manipulation of life? What does it mean and how can we stop them? XIV. The Global Pillage: Telecommunications and the Information Highway How are the telecommunications giants rolling back public regulations and gaining control over the information highway? What can be done to put their plans on hold? XV. Trading it all Away How do transnational corporations use trade agreements to hamstring governments? How can citizens organzie to restore our sovereignty and democracy? XVI. The Global Managers What role do the IMF and World Bank play in supporting corporate rule? How do we mobilize to stop them? XVII. Legal Fictions How have governments and the courts granted corporations the rights of 'super-citizens'? What can be done to challenge these decisions? XVIII. Culture, Inc. How is Canadian culture threatened by foreign-based corporations and free trade agreements? How can the creative community fight the entertainment giants? XIX. The Corporate Cathedral? How has big business infiltrated the mainline churches? What can be done to stop them? XX. Attention Shoppers! What big retail chains are moving into communities, gobbling up local businesses, and exploiting workers? How can communities organize against the big box retailers? Sunday, November 9 10:00 am to 2:00 pm OISE Hall Round Table Delegates from the workshops will share reports on common tasks and plot a coordinated strategy. Registration Friday night only: $12 $6 fixed income All events: $35 $15 fixed income To register, call The Council of Canadians' toll-free at 1-800-387-7177 The Council of Canadians is a national, non-partisan, non-profit public interest group with more than 90,000 members committed to safeguarding Canada's social programs, preserving the environment, promoting alternatives to corporate-style free trade, and defending the democratic rights of citizens. The International Forum on Globalization (IFG) is an alliance of activists, economists, researchers and philosophers representing 19 countries who have joined together to respond to the threats of economic globalization to the environment, communities, human rights, equity, and democracy. This teach-in is part of a series of events being held in Canada, the United States, and abroad to focus increased attention on the major issues arising from the rush to globalize.
