LOSE WEIGHT-ASK US HOW SAVETHERAINFOREST humanity used to criticise APE's agenda and advocate policy alternatives. And last year, for the first time, there was strong mass opposition to the APEC summit in the Philippines. This opposition was fuelled by the Ramos government, which decided to open up the Philippines on a very fast schedule, well ahead of
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WE & UNLEADED CONSCIENCES suggested APEC target dates, with all the resulting consequences.
There were different perspectives as to how respond. In the end, five different counter-conferences were held. This year in Vancouver, there will be "only" two.
The People's Summit is a larger, much better funded and more politically moderate parallel conference organised by the Canadian Labour Congress and a coalition of NGOs * a kind of official opposition. This draws on the legacy of previous NGO conferences, including the Manila People's Forum and its plan of action, which details the responsibilities of APEC governments to uphold commitments made in other fora and provides possible alternatives to the current APEC agenda.
No! to APEC will host a more radical anti-imperialist conference, which rejects APEC in its entirety and sees itself as continuing the resistance begun at the People's Conference Against Imperialist Globalisation in Manila last year.
Not every one is happy with the holding of two parallel "alternative" conferences. Some groups involved in the People's Summit favour saying openly No to APEC (which, if you read the fine print is not at all the position of the People's Summit organisers). Some people who agree with the No! to APEC position either want to participate in both, or favour a dialogue where teasible to build the necessary unity to defeat APEC's
But political differences over ways of organising the roots of the problem and whether to push reform or organise in direct opposition to imperialism mean that the two conferences will be quite different. In fact, they face opposite political problems. What will the People's Summit do with its critique of APEC? It is one thing to use this critique to organise to struggle against APEC. But is quite another thing to lobby the Canadian government to change the character of APEC. As if APEC could ever become democratic and accountable! On the other hand, what does it means to say No to APEC? How can we build mass support for this position. And what kind of alternative is Who "wants in" on APEC?
The direction of the People's Summit is towards critical engagement with or reform of APEC. This direction explicitly expressed in a paper submitted to Canada's foreign affairs department and being circulated on email by the policy working group of the Canadian Organising Network for the 1997 People's Summit on APEC
After critiquing the current globalisation process, the paper states that NGOs recognise that for globalisation to be a positive process, an effective system of global governance is required. It argues that the creation of adequate governance mechanisms must be more inclusive and participatory that is more democratic than in the past. This involves reforming and strengthening the existing system of intergovernmental institutions and improving collaboration with private and independent groups. It will foster global citizenship and work to include poorer marginalised and alienated segments of national and international society. Finally, it will work to subject the rule of arbitrary power ' economic, political or military law within global society.
The paper argues that the input of civil society is necessary to make APEC accountable. It calls on the Canadian government, along with its partners in APEC, to show an openness and willingness to engage the people of their countries in all facets of the APEC process. It argues political commitment and structural reform are required as an evaluation and reorientation of APEC's limited agenda. Later, the paper makes a series of policy suggestions as to what the Canadian government can do to meet the challenge of civil society and change the APEC agenda. What about the union?
Many Canadian trade unionists say they are opposed to APEC. Unfortunately, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) a sponsor of the People's Summit, only criticises APEC with the aim of reforming it. Within the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the Canadian Labour Congress is part of the Asia-Pacific Labour Network (APLN) of ICFTU affiliates which meets prior to APEC leaders meetings.
At its 1996 meeting in Manila, APLN issued a statement, 'A Trade Union Vision that announced its desire to "harness the APEC objective of the internationalisation of markets to the improvement of the conditions of work and the life of citizens of our populous regions."
While recognising the reality of globalisation and perceiving APEC as a means of enlarging markets, the APLN statement warns that increased competition can drive down wages and living conditions if economic change is not managed with the involvement of trade unions. It goes on to say that unions have a significant role in the development of best practice/high-performance industries and enterprises and calls for an equal partnership with socially responsible employers on the basis of ILO principles of tripartism and respect for union rights.
The declaration calls for sustainable development through increased employment, education and training for improvements in the quality and remuneration of employment It also calls for progressive human resource development measures and measures to eliminate commercial exploitation of children. It concludes by stressing that the APLN wants representation on selected APEC committees, continuation of annual meetings with the host of the APE leaders summit and the creation of an APEC Labour Forum as part of the official APEC. * For more information contact: No! to APEC, 451 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada tel. (+1 604) 215-9190. e-mail <notoapec@ vcn.bc.ca> The 1997 People's Summit, 910-207 West Hastings Street, Vancouver BC V6B 1H7, tel. (+1 604) 682-1952; Fax 682-1931, e-mail <popsum972@bc.sympatico.ca.> Notes 1. APEC started out as a consultative body. The first ministerial meeting was held in Australia in 1989. The grouping includes 18 member economies (political leader are referred to as economic leaders, a clear indication of the APEC's contempt for any democratic control): Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Papa New Guinea, Canada, the US, Mexico and Chile. A moratorium has been placed on new memberships, but a whole series of states have applied to join, including India, Russia, Vietnam and Peru.
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