<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<br>
<font size="+2"><small><u><b>Wednesday, June 22nd, for AGM </b></u>at
the </small></font><font size="+2">Guelph Unitarians Facility</font><font
size="+2"><small> on Harris St at York Rd.<br>
</small></font>
<ul>
<li><font size="+2"><small> 6:30pm for Council of Canadians AGM
with desserts and drinks. </small></font></li>
<li><font size="+2"><small><br>
</small></font></li>
<li><font size="+2"><small><small><u><b><big>7:30 pm for
presentation by Carl Cosack on the Melancthon
Megaquarry and its impacts </big></b></u></small>on
headwaters, food and water security, energy and air quality.
Please join us for all or part of this evening. Free event .
<br>
</small></font></li>
<li><font size="+2"><small><br>
</small></font></li>
<li><font size="+2"><small> Parking available or Bus # 4 York Rd.
</small> </font></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8052"
title="Permanent Link to NEWS: Dow, Quebec settle NAFTA
pesticide warning case" target="_blank">NEWS: Dow, Quebec
settle NAFTA pesticide warning case</a></span></h3>
<p><big><span>In April 2009, the <i><span>Globe and Mail</span></i>
reported, “Dow AgroSciences LLC has decided to sue the federal
government over Quebec’s ban on the residential use of
pesticides. The U.S.-based company, maker of the herbicide
2,4-D, is claiming $2-million (U.S.) in damages, using
controversial provisions in the North American Free Trade
Agreement that allow businesses to sue governments over
regulations that harm their interests. …(Dow said) Quebec has
‘no scientific basis to impose the ban.’ It says 2,4-D, a weed
killer often used on dandelions, has received extensive
testing and there is ‘no evidence’ it poses a ‘health or
safety risk to humans when used according to label
directions.’” The Canwest News Service added then, “Dow’s
claim asserts the ban is tantamount to ‘expropriation’ of Dow
investments, and accuses Canada of breaching ‘basic due
process, transparency, good faith and natural justice.’ It
accuses Canada of breaching its obligations under Chapter 11
of NAFTA, and seeks damages ‘without limitation’ covering loss
of sales, profits, goodwill, investment and other costs
related to the products.’”</span></big></p>
<p><big><span></span></big></p>
<p><font size="2">Today, the <em>Globe and Mail</em> reports,
“U.S.-based Dow AgroSciences LLC…said Thursday that a deal to
drop its North American free trade agreement challenge
vindicates its contention that the product is safe if used as
directed. …Quebec has acknowledged (in the settlement that the
pesticide) doesn’t pose a significant risk to humans or the
environment. …No cash was involved in this week’s final
settlement and Dow agreed to withdraw its challenge. …The
settlement isn’t likely to put the 2,4-D back on store shelves
any time soon in Quebec – or in several other provinces where
its use is restricted. (But) according to the government expert,
the settlement may eventually help the company in its effort to
fight a potential ban being considered by other provinces. …More
significantly, the repudiation of Quebec’s health warning helps
the company protect a much larger market for the product in farm
and forestry use, worth at least $120-million (Canadian) a
year.”</font></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8044"
title="Permanent Link to NEWS: First Nations take Site C
opposition to the United Nations" target="_blank">NEWS: First
Nations take Site C opposition to the United Nations</a></span></h3>
<p><big><span>The<i><span> Vancouver Sun </span></i>reports, “The
Doig River, Halfway River, Prophet River, West Moberly and
Salteau First Nations…have asked the United Nations to
intervene to protect their interests from provincially
sanctioned development, in particular the proposed Site C
hydroelectric dam…. (and) invoked the Declaration of the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples recently signed by Canada.”</span></big></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8039"
title="Permanent Link to VIEW: ‘Don’t export water, make the
jobs come to the water’, says Reguly" target="_blank">VIEW:
‘Don’t export water, make the jobs come to the water’, says
Reguly</a></span></h3>
<p><big><i><span>Globe and Mail</span></i><span> columnist Eric
Reguly writes, “A UBS Investment Research study implies that
water-intensive industries will have to migrate from
water-scarce to water-rich regions of the planet. The
migration could be huge because key regions of India, South
Korea, Taiwan, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa
and—believe it or not—Brazil are also short of water. Which
brings us to Canada.”</span></big></p>
<span></span>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8035"
title="Permanent Link to NEWS: Where’s the beef (from)?"
target="_blank">NEWS: Where’s the beef (from)?</a></span></h3>
<p><span>I<big>n October 2009, the <i><span>Globe and Mail </span></i>reported,
“Trade Minister Stockwell Day said that he has asked a WTO
dispute settlement panel to determine whether U.S.
country-of-origin labelling rules impose ‘unfair and
unnecessary’ costs on Canadian farmers.” CBC explained, “The
legislation…requires meat processed in the U.S. but made from
Canadian livestock to be labelled as Canadian rather than
simply North American as has been the case to date.” The Globe
and Mail added, “Exporters warn that such rules are conspiring
to make the Canada-U.S. border thicker, undermining
long-standing ties within integrated industries.”</big></span></p>
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;" lang="EN-CA"></span></b><span
style="font-size: 12pt;" lang="EN-CA"></span>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.canadians.org/waterblog/?p=278"
title="Permanent Link to Council of Canadians new report:
Leaky Exports - A portrait of the virtual water trade in
Canada." target="_blank">Council of Canadians new report:
Leaky Exports - A portrait of the virtual water trade in
Canada</a></span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">On Wednesday,
the Council of Canadians released a new report entitled<i><span>
Leaky Exports: A portrait of the virtual water trade in
Canada</span></i>. The report reveals alarming facts about
virtual water trade include the fact that Canada is the second
net virtual water exporter in the world. The report provides an
overview of the concept of virtual water trade as well as an
analysis of the current and projected volume of water that is
exported out of the country in the form of agricultural and
industrial goods. This report is important food for thought for
policy makers responsible for protecting Canada’s freshwater
sources and ensuring sustainable water use for generations to
come.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;" lang="EN-CA">_</span></p>
</body>
</html>