Broad Delegation Of Canadian Civil Society Groups To Attend SPP Counter-Summit

Attention News/Assignment Editors:

Media advisory - Broad delegation of Canadian civil society groups to attend SPP counter-summit in New Orleans

OTTAWA, April 18 /CNW Telbec/ - While the Canadian, Mexican and American heads of state continue to discuss corporate priorities for North America behind closed doors at the fourth annual SPP summit in New Orleans next week, civil society from all three NAFTA countries will lay the groundwork for international cooperation of a more human kind that places the needs of communities, the environment and workers first.

From April 20-22, 2008, the Council of Canadians will join civil society organizations from Canada, Mexico and the United States at the New Orleans People's Summit: Our Response to NAFTA Expansion and the SPP. The People's Summit is co-sponsored by 30 local, national and international organization and networks opposed to the security and economic integration initiatives of the secretive Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America.

WHAT:

New Orleans People's Summit: Our Response to NAFTA Expansion and the SPP

WHEN:

April 20-22, 2008

WHO:

Canadian civil society leaders who will be in New Orleans:

Maude Barlow
National Chairperson, Council of Canadians
Contact Stuart Trew: 613-218-5800; strew@canadians.org

Dave Coles
National President, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP)
Contact: 613-299-5628; dcoles@cep.ca or Michelle Walsh: 613-858-9144

Pierre-Yves Serinet
Réseau Québécois sur l'intégration continentale (RQIC)
Contact Catherine Binette: 514-813-2252; rqic@ciso.qc.ca

Normand Pépin
Réseau Québécois sur l'intégration continentale (RQIC)
Contact Catherine Binette: 514-217-6529; pepinn@csd.qc.ca

Ken Neumann
National Director for Canada, United Steelworkers
Contact: 416-558-2510; kneumann@usw.ca

Claude Genereux
National Secretary-Treasurer, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Contact Blair Redlin: 778-228-4538; bredlin@cupe.ca

Rick Arnold
Common Frontiers
Contact: 905-373-8792; comfront@web.ca

Colin Heslop
CAW-TCA National Director, Skilled Trades
Contact: 416-274-1876; Colin.Heslop@caw.ca

WHERE

Various locations in New Orleans. See www.summitneworleans.org for a full schedule of events.

For further information: Stuart Trew, (613) 218-5800, strew@canadians.org