March 2001

Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC.

Mobilizing for Quebec

Whenever in recent years members of the trans-national economic and political elite meet to discuss the structures of the global economy, movements and organizations opposed to capitalist globalization also gather in the streets. In addition to a range of protests--from the peaceful encirclements practiced by Jubilee 2000 to the confrontational tactics of black-masked anarchists--these musterings also provide an occasion for conferences, workshops, and "alternative summits." The Summit of the Americas, planned for Quebec City April 21-22, will be such an occasion. For months several groups of activists have been mobilizing.

Independent media centrer, Washington, DC, April 16, 2000. © DeeDee Halleck Dhalleck@weber.edu

The group that has been most evangelical, at least on the Email networks I see, is the CLAC, La Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes, or Anti-Capitalist Convergence, a Montreal-based group. During the Summit of the Americas, the CLAC and its Quebec-based ally, CASA (the Comite d'accueil du Sommet des Ameriques, or Summit of the Americas Welcoming Committee) are organizing a Carnival Against Capitalism, which will include teach-ins, conferences, workshops, concerts, cabarets, street theater, and protests, leading up to a Day of Action, April 20 in Quebec City.

CLAC "came together to put forward a clear, anti-capitalist opposition" to the FTAA, said Jaggi Singh, a CLAC spokesperson, at a recent organizing meeting in New England. "We fundamentally reject a social and economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and exchange. We reject a system driven by an exploitative logic that sees human beings as human capital, ecosystems as natural resources, and culture as simply a commodity. We reject the idea that the world is only valuable in terms of profit, competition, and efficiency," according to CLAC's Unity Statement. CLAC also describes itself as opposed to neo-liberalism, imperialism, patriarchy, and all forms of exploitation and oppression, and includes its Unity Statement in most of its communiques.

While it says it "supports the use of a variety of creative initiatives, ranging between public education campaigns to direct action," the CLAC explicitly opposes efforts to change the nature of the proposed trade agreement. According to its Unity Statement, "With regards to the Summit of the Americas (April 2001) and the negotiations of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), the CLAC adopts a confrontational attitude and rejects reformist alternatives such as lobbying which cannot have a major impact on anti-democratic processes. We intend to shut down the Summit of the Americas and to turn the FTAA negotiations into a non-event."

Plans for the Day of Action will emerge from meetings of affinity group spokespeople. Both CLAC and CASA emphasize "a diversity of tactics," and stress that anti-FTAA activists should maintain solidarity with each other regardless of what tactics others employ. "It is possible to be both radical and effective, militant and creative," they say.

A second Montreal-based group believes it is possible to be radical, effective, militant, creative, and nonviolent. In fact, members of SalAMI would argue that it is impossible to be effective in the current context without a commitment to nonviolence.

SalAMI started in opposition to the MAI, the Multi-lateral Agreement on Investment. (In French it is AMI, and the group's name is a play on words, from Sal AMI, or Dirty MAI.) "Diversity of tactics without limits presents a problem for us," said Yves Gagne, of SalAMI at a recent organizing meeting. SalAMI says a distinction should be drawn between stopping the summit, and stopping the FTAA, which is being negotiated primarily by the trade ministries at other times and place than the Quebec City summit.

Instead of trying to blockade the summit and prevent it from occurring as the major tactic, SalAMI proposes flexible, mobile, theatrical, and educational demonstrations in the streets of Quebec. They favor development of action parameters, such as encouragement of nonviolent training, and abstaining from violence, use of weapons, wearing of masks, and damage to property.

Leading up to the summit, SalAMI is also planning civil disobedience actions at Canadian government offices, April 2, to demand disclosure of FTAA negotiating texts. A strong women's action is also planned.

Less dramatic but no less important are those groups organizing the "People's Summit," April 16 to 20, and a mass march April 21. The People's Summit, sponsored by the Hemispheric Social Alliance (HSA), will bring together representatives of civil society groups from throughout the hemisphere to discuss alternatives to the globalization model of the WTO, NAFTA, and proposed FTAA.

The groups in HSA are more policy-focused than protest oriented. Coming out of efforts to build a tri-national critique of NAFTA, the HSA is attempting to unite fair trade forces including labor, environmental, indigenous, women's, and other groups across the whole hemisphere through meetings and creation of policy papers. Its major product so far is the Alternatives for the Americas proposal, a rather dense document (available in four languages on the Common Frontiers web-site) that suggests it is possible to integrate the national economies of the hemisphere without trampling on labor, the environment, rural and indigenous communities, and democracy. The HSA organized its first People's Summit during the 1998 Summit of the Americas in Santiago, Chile.

The People's Summit will include workshops, teach-ins, and conferences that will give activists and analysts from different countries opportunities to share information and perspectives. The HSA, together with the Quebec and Canadian labor movements, is also planning a mass march for April 21, the first day of the summit. The direct action groups have pledged to participate in the lawful protest.

Needless to say, there is a fourth group getting ready for the Summit--Canadian law enforcement agencies, both federal and provincial. "The plans include emptying the Orsainville provincial jail and turning it over to police as a holding center for arrested protesters. Trauma centers in hospitals have also been designated for injuries and staff will be put on a high alert status for the summit," said a news article a couple months ago. A large security perimeter will be established around the Quebec Citadel and convention center, which will also take in hotels in the city's core. People who live or work in the area will have to get passes to enter.

US activists are considering the possibility that they will be denied the ability to cross the Canadian border. "People who have criminal convictions and have not been granted rehabilitation are inadmissible to Canada as visitors whether they arrive by plane, motor coach, car, or any other mode of transport," warns AAA. Proof of citizenship, such as a valid passport, a birth certificate with an official raised seal, a naturalization certificate, a voter registration card, or a baptismal certificate is required by Canadian immigration authorities. A drivers license or social security card is not considered proof of citizenship.

"Something for everyone is happening up there," says Russ Davis, of Massachusetts Jobs With Justice. Those who are concerned about the harmful impact of globalization on labor, the environment, women, indigenous people, human rights, and democracy should not feel a need to take sides with any faction of the Canadian movement, as these seem to have mostly cordial relations among themselves. Instead, we should try to get people to Quebec City, organize anti-FTAA demonstrations in our own communities, and continue to process of building a cross-sector, cross-border movement for global justice.

--Arnie Alpert, 2/10/01

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