OAS Summit Under Protest
Protests on Trade Globalization in Windsor
Dateline: 06/05/00
Globalization Demonstrators Show up in Windsor
Many of the demonstrators who protested globalization of trade at the World Trade meeting in Seattle and the World Bank meeting in Washington have turned up in Windsor to protest the Organization of American States General Assembly.
The 3000 protestors, fewer than expected, are from a variety of different groups, with a wide range of issues. They include those against free trade, environmentalists, human rights and labor activists.
The meetings are being held in the core downtown business district of Windsor, and the city has put a security wall of concrete blocks and chain-link fence around six city blocks. Reports from The Windsor Star on the city's preparations say that more than 5000 police officers have gathered in Windsor to handle both the security required for an international summit and the likely demonstrations. And, as a truly Canadian solution, police say any barricades will be crushed by snow plows.
Police used pepper spray and arrested about 40 protestors in skirmishes on the preliminary day of the meetings, according to CBC Newsworld.
OAS Agenda and Issues
The Organization of American States has 34 western hemisphere countries as members. They are working on common approaches to strengthening democracy, advancing human rights, promoting peace and security, expanding trade and tackling problems caused by poverty, drugs and corruption. The delegates to the General Assembly are the foreign ministers of the member countries.
The agenda for the 2000 General Assembly in Windsor is human security and finding ways to enhance democracy.
Although officials have been stressing that trade issues are not officially on the agenda for these meetings, the delegates are expected to do some preliminary work in anticipation of the Summit of the Americas to be held next spring in Quebec City. The theme for Prime Minister Chrétien's speech to open the meetings was the importance of using information and technology to improve the quality of life of people, but he devoted a large portion of his remarks to the benefits of free trade.
The hot topic is the recent election in Peru. Peru has been accused of failing to meet basic elections standards, and could face OAS sanctions. The OAS budget is also on the agenda, since the failure of some members to pay dues has caused problems.
Related Resources
- Quebec Summit Protests 2001
- Canadian Exports, Imports and Trade
- About Globalization Issues
- Canada and the Americas - Foreign Affairs Canada
- Free Trade Area of the Americas - Official Web Site
