Elites act, revolutionaries plan, and events take control in unpredictable
ways. Marx expected revolution in the most industrialized countries; it
came elsewhere. Lenin schemed away in Switzerland and almost missed his
main event. Vietnam came along, and a New Left spontaneously arose. And
so on.
Would you have expected Prince Edward Island to launch globalism's
counter-revolution - to issue the "shot heard 'round the world"? There may
be earlier candidates for "first shot", but this one has all the makings of
a strong contender.
It raises a pike against the very center of globalism's advancing forces -
challenging frontally the usurpation of national sovereignty and
particularly the elevation of capital itself to supra-sovereign status.
The MAI is the very bullseye on the standard at the point of the globalist
advance.
France took a rebel stance, but on secondary issues, and is being adroitly
coaxed back into line. Cuba's stance is sufficiently radical, but
domination of the Third World has been perfected by five centuries of
imperialist evolution. Norway took a stand against the EU partly on
grounds of sovereignty, but has not made the necessary generalization to
globalization. Counter-systemic consciousness is coalescing in much of the
First World, but it has nowhere else reached expression at provincial level
as concrete and official government policy.
One is reminded of the assemblies in the American Colonies, when they began
to draft resolutions challenging the power of King George. As in PEI, the
rebels were not in the streets but in the halls of government. Each
referred to a legitimacy higher than that of their would-be oppressor: PEI
to Canada's constitution, and the Founding Fathers to the inalienable
rights of man.
Some colonies were in the vanguard, and needed to bring the others around
to the cause; PEI has a similar task before itself within Candada, as
(hopefully) will Candada within the West. But the right example in the
face of today's global political volatility can be like a match in dry
grass - that which seemed reasonably tranquil can turn rapidly into
unstoppable furor.
The American colonies had one particular advantage: they controlled their
own press and Royal propaganda efforts were ineffective. I don't know how
the Candadian press will treat the PEI initiative, but certainly in most of
the West it will be at first not covered, then downplayed, and finally
demonized. For the example to achieve its potential global effect, it must
be perceived widely and with appropriate emphasis, and the crows of
globalism must not be permitted to defuse the situation.
It is up to aware activists and leaders and writers to CREATE this event as
a focal point for solidarity, to USE it as a rallying cry, to make their
SUPPORT known to Canada, to ENERGIZE their various endeavors from the font
of solidarity, to PRESS the counter offensive, to EXPAND the scope of
consciousness and action, and to TURN elite reaction into MOTIVATION - to
GO with the flow and REINFORCE the flow.
The moment must be seized, all opportunities are precious, and the window
for action is closing fast. But the very possibility of real successes
creates a profound crisis: there must arise quickly a global strategy and
vision, a positive direction for radical change. A purely defensive
response cannot prevail, and is not a counter-revolution: the globalist
organizing paradigm can only be defeated by a superior organizing paradigm.
Hannibal out-fought the Romans for thirty years, but in defense of a
status quo that could not be restored, and he had to lose in the end.
There is an urgent need for both tactical aggressiveness and strategic vision.
Make the moment.
-rkm
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Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998
From: CAP *Erie-Lincoln* <MAI-SUX@BigFoot.Com>
Reply-To: Constitutional-Money@pobox.com
Organization: Canadian ACT!ON Coalition News
To: MAI-SUX@BigFoot.Com
Subject: Gov't of PEI (Canada) MAI (Oppostion Resolution)
An astute publisher once defined news as anything somebody didn't want
printed. Everything else, he maintained, was advertising.
Therefore, the following is NEWS:
by way of Bob Olsen/Toronto
W. J. Schleich CAP *Erie-Lincoln* CAPel@BigFoot.Com
--------------------------------------------------------------------
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Government of Prince Edward Island
(Canada) insist that the Government of Canada impose a moratorium on
ratification of the MAI until full public hearings on the proposed
treaty are held in Prince Edward Island and across the country, so that
all Islanders and Canadians may have an opportunity to express their
opinions about it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Hold MAI! --PEI Canada
From: "Dale Wharton" <1@dale.CAM.ORG>
Date: 22 Jan 1998 22:15:57 GMT
Passed by the Prince Edward Island Legislature December 18, 1997,
Resolution No. 47--on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment:
WHEREAS the Government of Canada has been involved in negotiating,
through the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in
Paris, an international Economic treaty called the Multilateral
Agreement on Investment (MAI);
AND WHEREAS these negotiations have been conducted behind closed doors,
and that most politicians and ordinary citizens know little or nothing
about the MAI or its implications;
AND WHEREAS the most recent draft of the MAI indicates the prime
objective of the agreement is to allow the movement of money across
international borders by imposing a new set of rules restricting
countries from using legislation, policies, and programs seen as
impediments to the free flow of capital;
AND WHEREAS the most recent draft of the MAI indicates that if adopted,
transnational corporations would have the status of nation states with
certain political rights;
AND WHEREAS the most recent draft of the MAI indicates that if adopted,
foreign fishing fleets could have full access to our waters;
AND WHEREAS the most recent draft of the MAI if adopted, laws
restricting the foreign ownership of land on Prince Edward Island could
eventually be struck down and challenged under the MAI;
AND WHEREAS the most recent draft of the MAI indicates that if adopted,
it would have a major impact on many important areas of Island and
Canadian life, including environmental protection, employment, wage
levels, social progams, and culture;
AND WHEREAS little information on the MAI has been provided by any
public body, and little public discussion about the treaty has yet taken
place;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Government of Prince Edward Island
insist that the Government of Canada impose a moratorium on ratification
of the MAI until full public hearings on the proposed treaty are held in
Prince Edward Island and across the country, so that all Islanders and
Canadians may have an opportunity to express their opinions about it.
..........................
http://www.gov.pe.ca/leg/hansard/1997fall/16dec/han40.asp#0
Bob Olsen Toronto bobolsen@arcos.org (:-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
For MAI-not subscription information, posting guidelines and links to
other MAI sites please see http://mai.flora.org/
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Date: Tue, 27 Jan 1998
From: jslakov@TartanNET.ns.ca (Jan Slakov)
Subject: misc. comments [& More on MAI rebellion]
There are many people here in Canada working to fight the MAI.
There are signs that the corporate interests behind the MAI are thinking it
might be best to give in somewhat on this one but to get what they want with
a series of smaller, harder to fight agreements. meanwhile, I hope all the
good effort going into building anti-MAI coalitions can still be of use once
the MAI is no longer a headline grabber. I think your efforts could be a
good forum for that...
If you have time, I thought you might be interested to see that a legal
challenge against the MAI is being mounted. (I will copy a posting on this
below.)
There is also an effort, spearheaded by the leader of the Canadian Green
Party, Joan Russow, to declare the MAI illegal because it overrides many UN
treaties to which countries are signatories. (I could find that posting and
send it along if you would like.)
All the best, Jan Slakov
---Date: Sat, 06 Dec 1997 To: cfogal@netcom.ca From: CONNIE FOGAL <cfogal@netcom.ca>
DEFENSE OF CANADIAN LIBERTY COMMITTEE C/0 CONSTANCE FOGAL LAW OFFICE, #401 -207 West Hastings St., Vancouver, B.C. V6B1H7 Tel: (604)687-0588; fax (604) 688-0550; CELLULAR: 202 7334; E-MAIL cfogal@netcom.ca
"The constitution of Canada does not belong either to Parliament, or to the Legislatures; it belongs to the country and it is there that the citizens of the country will find the protection of the rights to which they are entitled." Supreme Court of Canada A.G. of Nova Scotia and A.G. of Canada, S.C.R. 1951 pp 32-33.
======================================================================
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP THE MAI
The Defense of Canadian Liberty Committee is organizing a legal challenge to prevent Canada from entering the Multilateral Agreement on Investments, the M.A.I..Your financial contribution is needed now to make this challenge happen. Legal work is ongoing and needs to be funded to prepare the foundation documents and to carry the battle through the Courts.
This is new ground in law as the New World Order seeks to replace centuries of democratic legal development with its own body of laws in the interest of "The Evil Empire". Not only is the survival of Canada at stake, but so is the well being of citizens of the world.
If you do not want a country or a world where only the managers of industry and money and their shareholders get the lion's share of the world's wealth and where the rest get little, if anything, join us as we use our law to try to close the door on "Globalization's Darker Side".
Some of our grounds: Under our Constitution- the Division of Powers, Section 96 authority of Superior Court Judges, and the Delegation of Sovereign Powers; Under our Charter of Rights and Freedom, s. 7(the right to liberty and the right not to be deprived thereof) and S.15 (equality before and under the law).
We can do something. One step at a time. Let's take back our rights. VIVE LE CANADA LIBRE!
===================================== Send your cheque made payable to The Defense Of Liberty Fund, c/o #401-207 West Hastings St., Vancouver, B.C., V6B1H7. Join us by sending your name, address, telephone number, fax number, E-mail number to The Defense Of Canadian Liberty Committee (see address and numbers above).
======================================
signature: Jan Slakov, CP 35, Weymouth, NS, B0W 3T0 (902) 837-4980
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Dear Jan,
Thank for your message. I didn't know of John Ralston Saul, but I'm glad you introduced me via the forward. You might pass on my address: PO Box 26, Wexford, Ireland
rkm
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