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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: Ongoing...
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!
# 3,474:
5:47 am PST, Dec 4, Berly Cortes, Canada
# 3,473:
12:20 am PST, Dec 2, David Trader, Michigan
NAFTA is the main reason this country is in the economic mess it is in now. 40% off all trade comes from single company's who outsource manufacturing out to other country's, mostly China, to manufacture goods at net to nothing labor costs and then have them shipped back into the U.S. and then sold on our shelves. This program has been exploited by big business to get around labor costs and in the process they're greed has destroyed the U.S. manufacturing economy which is what creates a country wealth.
# 3,472:
10:00 pm PST, Nov 27, Mercedes Yu, Canada
Ordinary people trying to make an honest living want you to represent our interests and make our futures secure. We are sick of being exploited. I am in favour of keeping good well-paying jobs in Canada and insuring fair bargaining with the United States in all economic affairs. You are a representative of the people, not the Fortune 500. I thank you to remember that.
# 3,471:
8:04 pm PST, Nov 25, Name not displayed, Canada
# 3,470:
4:02 pm PST, Nov 25, Thomas Kristan, Canada
# 3,469:
3:53 pm PST, Nov 25, Trevor Landry, Canada
# 3,468:
9:13 am PST, Nov 25, Eileen Macdonald, Canada
It's time to put the Citizens of Canada first. It's very difficult to find clothing for example that is made in Canada. I would rather pay more money for something made in Canada and keep Canadians employeed, than pay less and see Canadians' jobs "outsourced" to oversea countries.
# 3,467:
7:52 pm PST, Nov 24, Matthew Tripp, South Carolina
delicious bookmarks ID: TradeSkillsLLC view 100 per page then the web2.0 or Tactical or matthewtripp tag’s. SHARE! Tell high school and college students! GTD-Free Sourceforge.net AND torrenteye.com of audio book Getting Things Done Fast. Then, Wiki TAG on go2web20.net and green on ziipa.com Ajax mashup mashable. Adobe Flash Player + Java update CCleaner.com + WinAudit driver update. TORRENT random repeat of all 125 tracks of the art of war audiobook flash cards, 48 laws of power Dao Te Ching survival psychological manipulation lies nextup.com playspeed Buddhist podcast hex shape soundproof sleep chamber touchscreen allows people to save money by sharing one house and underground walk in cooler and non electric appliances and gardening mobility investmnt group edu SWAT4 policypitch.com 2yrtimeshare multiple input per cpu wireless touchscreens/projectorS x-10.com or exercising 1yr HRM train before enlisting, while listening to wireless headphone educational mp3 like iTunesU. saves money for investing in alternative energy Wikinomics PDF search engine and electric bike/triketruck 4 way neighborhood watch cam DVR WiMax HDTV whitespace Wi-Fi 35 frames/s blind eye cops Logistics delivery elderly demographics meals tricycle bamboo trailer neighborhood fruit tree 10 years water footprint rain harvest nature.org climate change rotating composter climate control 4ft coldframe uses each butter/sour cream tub once to grow 1native plant terraforming wildlife habitat 87% earth life biomass=ocean humanism. Culture of Collaboration $ panic room massage cheap laser hair removal time saved fire suppression retrofit iTunesU PDF audiobook conversion function nextup.com get more RAM pricewatch.com. I WILL TWEAK COMP OR TUTOR OR RAKE LEAVES FOR FOOD CALL NOW. TRANSPARENCY.ORG accurate precision ADHD isn’t real ClimateChange isn’t real PSY 101 like a semantic media compass use this with the wheel of Buddhist terms poster to laminate pages for a beanbag game lifehacker DOT com /5072354/block-posters-makes-a-large-poster-from-any-image Trade all Skills freely + openly to share how to knowledge. Workplace training videos specific task skills for easier performance posted to video site or howto site. Lifehacker.com run 8 antispyware simultaneously What life energy word abacus measures the semantic web seed?
# 3,466:
11:42 am PST, Nov 23, Janine Roome-Smith, Canada
It has been proven to be a mistake. So start anew!!!!
# 3,465:
7:51 pm PST, Nov 18, Sue Luzia, Canada
# 3,464:
8:34 am PST, Nov 18, Name not displayed, Canada
# 3,463:
11:34 pm PST, Nov 15, Name not displayed, Canada
too many people who have just moved to Canada have taken our jobs and have 5-8 members of the family living in the house on welfare. all within the first 2-5 months of being in the country. Then they try to tell us how to do our jobs, I am not a racist but for godsakes properly screen and do investigation on the middle eastern people living in canada... it is why ontario is losing so much money.
# 3,462:
10:02 am PST, Nov 15, Name not displayed, Canada
# 3,461:
8:12 pm PST, Nov 14, Chris Hooymans, Canada
# 3,460:
2:01 pm PST, Nov 14, Gary Sumpter, Missouri
# 3,459:
6:18 pm PST, Nov 13, Pierre Lefeuvre, Canada
Harper you are a moron, a criminal. A bush puppy jackass. You are a NWO scum filthy garbage exploiting the ignorance of the average Canadian to bankrupt the country. Your day in court will come and you will have to answer for your treason with Mulroney, Martin, Dion end the others.
# 3,458:
12:31 pm PST, Nov 13, Janet MacKenzie-Cohen, Canada
Please - you don't have to continue to emulate Mr. Bush - you can do better than this!!!!!
# 3,457:
2:19 am PST, Nov 13, Scott Murray, Canada
If I had to explain, You Wouldn't Understand.
# 3,456:
11:44 pm PST, Nov 11, De LaFreniere, Canada
When the corporations are the only ones voting - then they should get the primary consideration. Until then - I think the voting public should be the ones that count - or don't our votes count for anything???
# 3,455:
4:51 pm PST, Nov 10, Kyla Miersma, Canada
# 3,454:
1:38 am PST, Nov 10, Sandy Valencour, Washington
I was for NAFTA but as the years have gone by I am flat against it. I didn't care about Canada but thought it would help Mexico's people and slow down illegal immigration and that didn't happen. Our companies moved into Mexico polluting it and dumping toxic waste causing the poor even more health problems and children with sever birth defects. They did not pay at all for employment or offer benefits. In fact, we moved in and screwed the poor people of Mexico. I am so against NAFTA I can't believe it. It didn't work. Canada has a strong government but it also has our jobs now. We need to stop all jobs from leaving and forcing companies to bring their companies back into OUR country or tax them into tomarrow to make up for the crash this country has gone into. Trickle down trickled right into their own pockets on the backs of slave labor in other countries.
# 3,453:
9:03 am PST, Nov 9, Name not displayed, Canada
Yes, business is important but so are the people who make them run, the consumers who fuel the economies. There is cause for great concern and action from our government. Big businesses need laws governing how much they contribute to our society and that amount should be a lot more through corporate taxes and providing jobs at home. There especially should be very strict, new environmental laws for polluters, incentives given for cleaning up, not contaminating anymore. Everyone knows a lot now in this information age, no one can stop people from informing themselves nowadays. We know that votes are bought, sponsorships are given to politicians & political parties who give huge breaks to big business. This has to change in favour of the people and the planet. Until now it has been very unfair and unjust and certainly not democratic. Thank you.
# 3,452:
7:59 am PST, Nov 9, Yvonne Erlichman, Canada
# 3,451:
8:10 pm PST, Nov 6, Jefferey Morrison, Canada
# 3,450:
12:58 pm PST, Nov 6, Scott Halland, Canada
# 3,449:
10:06 pm PST, Nov 5, Ben MCKAY, Canada
# 3,448:
8:21 pm PST, Nov 3, Kimberly Lewis, Oregon
# 3,447:
6:06 pm PST, Nov 2, Brian Lim, Canada
# 3,446:
1:40 pm PST, Nov 2, Emily Dee, Canada
We need to promote buying Canadian and work to keep jobs in Canada. George Bush is no longer Harper's guiding light so do what you said you would do the first time around and stand up for Canada.
# 3,445:
12:17 pm PST, Nov 2, Linda Bryan, Canada
# 3,444:
7:20 pm PDT, Nov 1, PipperLea Nicol, Canada
it's time the little people got the break..
# 3,443:
4:58 pm PDT, Nov 1, Leni Pearce, Canada
# 3,442:
8:04 am PDT, Nov 1, Emma Lipton, Canada
# 3,441:
6:06 am PDT, Oct 31, Sharon Walkden, Canada
# 3,440:
1:07 am PDT, Oct 31, Jenn Stone, Canada
# 3,439:
9:40 pm PDT, Oct 30, Megan Haddad, Canada
# 3,438:
9:12 pm PDT, Oct 30, Fabian Hanggi, Canada
# 3,437:
4:43 pm PDT, Oct 30, Angie Rinehart, Canada
# 3,436:
2:26 pm PDT, Oct 30, Dolores Scott, Canada
# 3,435:
2:20 pm PDT, Oct 30, Jo Fleming, Canada
# 3,434:
2:13 pm PDT, Oct 30, Michel Beaudet, Canada
# 3,433:
2:10 pm PDT, Oct 30, Cheryl Macgregor, Canada
# 3,432:
10:09 pm PDT, Oct 29, Carrie Morrison, Canada
# 3,431:
8:57 pm PDT, Oct 29, Laura Anderson, Canada
never never never. I will always be a CANADIAN!!!!!!!
# 3,430:
7:17 pm PDT, Oct 29, Erica Cramton, Canada
I try to buy fair trade, but it's hard to find everything you need! This would make an ethical thing easier.
# 3,429:
2:22 pm PDT, Oct 29, James Wlasitz, Canada
I have seen no good progress in our Canada, except we are suppliers of our raw products and pay the top limits of pricing on anything we use. EG; our Oil, Logs, sent all big projects off-shore. To me this means we have been sold down the drain. This up to our Govt. to get things back on track, if this is possible anymore. Thanks.
# 3,428:
5:59 am PDT, Oct 29, Kelly McIntosh, Canada
# 3,427:
11:26 pm PDT, Oct 28, Harjot Kaur, Canada
# 3,426:
4:07 pm PDT, Oct 28, Christine Bryant, Canada
# 3,425:
12:10 pm PDT, Oct 28, Name not displayed, Canada
# 3,424:
10:58 am PDT, Oct 28, Scott Farnsworth, Canada
# 3,423:
10:28 am PDT, Oct 28, Rebecca Delage, Canada
# 3,422:
10:15 am PDT, Oct 28, Robert Timmons, Canada
# 3,421:
9:55 am PDT, Oct 27, Name not displayed, Canada
# 3,420:
6:31 pm PDT, Oct 26, Rebecca Fulco, New Jersey
# 3,419:
12:15 am PDT, Oct 26, Cam Vallee, Canada
# 3,418:
8:30 pm PDT, Oct 25, Robynn Leroux, Canada
# 3,417:
6:24 am PDT, Oct 25, Jean-Francois Fournier, Canada
# 3,416:
6:36 am PDT, Oct 24, Crystal Tibbetts, Canada
# 3,415:
5:37 am PDT, Oct 24, Name not displayed, Canada
Our job situation is terrible .I live in a economically depressed area of little to no growth at all . It has to stop . Please remember the Canadian people not just big industry.
# 3,414:
8:24 pm PDT, Oct 23, Hanna Hyland, Canada
# 3,413:
11:46 am PDT, Oct 23, Renee Flood, Canada
Please take the time to read how fellow canadians feel about this Mr. Harper....it appears from the people who signed this petition that they are against this very agreement (or at least want a serious reform put into place)...whatever happened to a government working for the people who vote them into power instead of the other way around...we know about NWO and about the Bilderberg group....we know that for the sake of a corporation you will put their needs in front of any person who works like a slave to make money that apparently can just be printed up over night (world bank bailouts). Why does the society that you are suppose to protect and serve end up with the short end of the deal...we are not interested in this agreement...it seems we are not interested anymore in the corporations that profit off of our expense....again please read what canadians are saying....we want our canadian individuals to come before big corporations....
# 3,412:
7:07 pm PDT, Oct 22, Jennifer Johnson, Canada
# 3,411:
7:48 am PDT, Oct 22, Sandra Allen, Canada
Prime Minister Harper you should be ashamed of yourself!
# 3,410:
10:58 pm PDT, Oct 21, Amanda Yunker, Canada
# 3,409:
8:46 pm PDT, Oct 20, Matt Patterson, Canada
STOP THE NAU. STOP NAFTA. STOP ALL THIS GLOBALIST CRAP AND CORRUPTION!! WE'RE NOT YOUR SLAVES AND YOU WILL REGRET TAKING OUR MOST CHERISHED FACETS OF OUR SOCIETIES. STOP IT HARPER, YOU DEMON. WE KNOW YOU'RE A BILDERBERG MEMBER. STOP TAKING ORDER FROM THOSE WHO WISH TO DEPOPULATE THE PLANET> STOP IT NOW! NO NEW WORLD ORDER. NO ONE WORLD ORDER. NO GLOBAL CURRENCY! LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE!
# 3,408:
6:46 pm PDT, Oct 19, Andrée-Anne Marcoux, Canada
# 3,407:
12:35 pm PDT, Oct 19, Jody Overland, Canada
# 3,406:
7:48 pm PDT, Oct 18, Cynthia Osborne, Texas
# 3,405:
11:10 am PDT, Oct 18, Michael Saltarelli, Canada
# 3,404:
9:21 pm PDT, Oct 17, Todd Sherlock, Canada
I think unfair wages and environmental policies make for an un even trading ground. Its like the Canadians and the Americans trading against China. Make tarriffs reflect the differences in wages and taxes!!!
# 3,403:
6:39 pm PDT, Oct 17, Perry Bagnall, Mississippi
Forget reform: REPEAL nafta. This evil agreement has stolen nearly all of middle America's and the Canadian working class' jobs sending them overseas to "cheap" labor. But I've got news for you, Mr. Prime Minster and American government: you are the cheap ones selling out on your own People.
# 3,402:
3:06 pm PDT, Oct 17, Karine Lacasse, Canada
# 3,401:
9:22 pm PDT, Oct 15, Janet Grace, Canada
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