SPP People's Summit Off To Dramatic And Energetic Start

People’s Summit off to a dramatic and energetic start

April 21, 2008
Posted by Stuart Trew in New Orleans

As barricades went up in parts of New Orleans' business district yesterday to protect the SPP meeting from scrutiny, two very different meetings were taking place close by.

The first brought energy sector workers from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico together for a second time to talk about international issues, share local concerns and generally strive to work together on a more people-friendly energy policy in all three countries. The first such meeting took place in Quebec last year prior to the Montebello summit in August. About 50 energy workers met again on Sunday to further the discussion at the invitation of the local Steelworkers.

Around 2 p.m., another meeting took place in a residential area just outside of downtown. It was the official launch of the People's Summit -- a counter-conference of local, national and international groups fighting privatization, free trade, corporate rule and the SPP -- and it also drew about 50 people who came to hear from day labourers, homeless residents and Katrina survivors about the impact the 2005 hurricane had on their lives, and the lack of impact current reconstruction efforts are having.

The crowd, which included a group of Ottawa activists bused to New Orleans by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, enjoyed street theatre from the Latino Day Laborers, who used drama to tell the story of their lives as guest workers in America, specifically in New Orleans where they are employed extensively in the redevelopment of the city.

The People's Summit will kick off today at noon after a community tour. More on it later...

For updates as they happen, visit: http://www.canadians.org/integratethis/