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People Before Corporations: Reform NAFTA!

Target: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Sponsored by: Care2

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was established in 1994, opening up borders for free trade between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Economic growth and creation of jobs were promised, but instead NAFTA has created gross inequalities in power, wealth and income distribution.

For example, although new jobs have been created in Canada, they have been primarily insecure, part-time jobs with few benefits. Productivity has increased, while wages have lagged behind. Corporations are profiting at the expense of average citizens.

The agri-food business has also been altered in Canada. Family farms have declined, and corporate farms have taken over. While production of crops has increased, there have been fewer market players with increased consolidated power.

In addition, despite growth of Canadian investment in the U.S., there have been more than four times as many U.S. acquisitions of Canadian firms since NAFTA came into effect. In order to stay in the competition, the Canadian government has cut spending for social programs such as Employment Insurance, Old Age Security and federal transfers to health and education.

It's time for government to work for us, not for corporations. Tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper to put citizens before corporations by reforming NAFTA.

deadline: 8-26-2009
goal: 10,000
 

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Dear Prime Minister Harper:

In 1994 the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed with the intent of opening up borders and trade, suggesting stronger economies for all three nations. However, the results have proven to be disastrous for the Canadian people.

The manufacturing industry has declined significantly because of the transfer of jobs overseas. While new jobs have emerged, they have primarily been insecure, part-time and with few benefits. Productivity has increased, but wages have remained stagnant. Corporations are profiting at the expense of the workers.
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Sincerely,
[Your name here]
We signed the “People Before Corporations: Reform NAFTA!” petition!
# 3,693:
2:42 pm PDT, Aug 22, Lisa Boucher, Canada
Dear Prime Minister Harper: In 1994 the North American Free Trade Agreement was signed with the intent of opening up borders and trade, suggesting stronger economies for all three nations. However, the results have proven to be disastrous for the Canadian people. The manufacturing industry has declined significantly because of the transfer of jobs overseas. While new jobs have emerged, they have primarily been insecure, part-time and with few benefits. Productivity has increased, but wages have remained stagnant. Corporations are profiting at the expense of the workers. view more In addition, the agri-food business has been altered. Family farms have declined, while corporate farms have taken over. More power is consolidated into fewer hands, hurting competition and local farmers. The U.S. acquisition of Canadian firms has more than quadrupled since the inception of NAFTA. In the past, the Canadian government has done much to promote and protect Canadian culture, such as setting up quotas for Canadian content in radio and television. It is unfair to the Canadian people to not apply the same patriotic ideals to other industries and protect our interests over foreign corporate greed. Citizens are also hurt by the gradual cuts in federal spending for social programs in favor of corporate interests. Programs such as Employment Insurance, Old Age Security and federal transfers to health and education have suffered greatly. Economic growth is meaningless if the people's well-being weakens. I urge you to protect your fellow Canadians and Canadian culture. Please push for reforms in NAFTA that would put a halt to the seemingly unlimited power enjoyed by corporations, and give more rights to workers and citizens. Sincerely, Lisa Boucher
# 3,692:
12:03 pm PDT, Aug 22, Ariel C, Canada
The citizens of our country should come first. Please take the necessary action to ensure that they are respected and their rights protected. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
# 3,691:
5:01 pm PDT, Aug 19, Abhinav Agarwal, Michigan
# 3,690:
6:24 am PDT, Aug 19, Kurt Jackson, Canada
# 3,689:
8:23 pm PDT, Aug 14, Jackie Coombs, United Kingdom
# 3,688:
3:19 pm PDT, Aug 13, Lisa Jardine, Canada
# 3,687:
12:01 pm PDT, Aug 13, George Larson II, Nevada
# 3,686:
5:55 pm PDT, Aug 11, Dawn Sims, South Carolina
# 3,685:
9:26 am PDT, Aug 11, Nomi Lyonns, Canada
# 3,684:
8:42 am PDT, Aug 11, Sharren Grant, Canada
# 3,683:
7:39 pm PDT, Aug 10, Name not displayed, Canada
I believe that encouraging small family farms and bio diversity will have a positive outcome on the economy and the health of this country and it's people.
# 3,682:
6:11 pm PDT, Aug 7, Andrea Levy, Canada
# 3,681:
11:51 am PDT, Aug 7, Willow NN, Canada
# 3,680:
10:35 am PDT, Aug 7, Angela DG, Canada
# 3,679:
8:03 am PDT, Aug 7, Anna Binakaj, Canada
# 3,678:
6:51 pm PDT, Aug 6, Amy Hoang, Canada
# 3,677:
1:44 pm PDT, Aug 6, Mitra Nikoo, Canada
# 3,676:
10:58 am PDT, Aug 6, Seventh Son, Canada
nafta are a bunch of gutless pathetic humans that are selling out friends family and earth for money,.andI invite them to my house to give any of them a slap.
# 3,675:
11:08 am PDT, Aug 5, Thomas Goodwin, Texas
# 3,674:
5:15 pm PDT, Aug 4, Marco Roy, Canada
# 3,673:
6:23 am PDT, Aug 4, Alina Sandulescu, Canada
# 3,672:
5:42 pm PDT, Jul 27, Jane Walton, Canada
# 3,671:
6:22 pm PDT, Jul 24, Sofia Neves-silva, Canada
# 3,670:
4:28 am PDT, Jul 23, Serena Fox, United Kingdom
# 3,669:
9:18 pm PDT, Jul 22, Sandi Walker, Canada
# 3,668:
6:28 am PDT, Jul 22, Patricia Cannell, Canada
# 3,667:
1:40 pm PDT, Jul 21, Leena Hasan, Canada
# 3,666:
12:19 am PDT, Jul 21, Tim Bremser, Canada
# 3,665:
7:19 pm PDT, Jul 20, Sara Thomas, Texas
# 3,664:
5:53 am PDT, Jul 18, JASMIN HORST SEILER, Canada
# 3,663:
6:26 pm PDT, Jul 17, David Kind, Canada
# 3,662:
5:50 am PDT, Jul 17, Cheryl Golbeck, Canada
Totally shameful how people are used and exploited and treated all for greed. Thought we were way past the "slave mentality".
# 3,661:
5:47 pm PDT, Jul 14, Kaan Kavlak, Canada
# 3,660:
10:57 am PDT, Jul 14, Name not displayed, Canada
# 3,659:
6:42 pm PDT, Jul 13, James Beasley, Canada
As you well no sir, it is the foundation that is the key to the building, and right now sir the foundation is being badly maintained. Please help to put things the way they should be.
# 3,658:
4:44 pm PDT, Jul 13, Name not displayed, Canada
# 3,657:
4:11 pm PDT, Jul 10, Brittney Al, Canada
# 3,656:
1:29 pm PDT, Jul 8, Jacqueline Raczkevi, Canada
# 3,655:
10:55 am PDT, Jul 5, Jessica Champagne, Canada
# 3,654:
1:50 pm PDT, Jun 27, Ian R, Canada
# 3,653:
7:46 pm PDT, Jun 26, Tammy Castonguay, Canada
# 3,652:
2:18 pm PDT, Jun 22, David Abplanalp, Colorado
# 3,651:
4:12 pm PDT, Jun 18, Melissa Smith, Canada
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