G-8 countries are robbing the world's poorest nations by denying their products access to our markets, says Lloyd Axworthy, a former foreign affairs minister for Canada.
Axworthy said Canada and other G-8 nations unfairly use trade barriers to get "rich" while the gap between them and the Third World widens.
"The only countries that are suffering from free trade are the poorer countries," said Axworthy, currently the director of the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues at the University of British Columbia.
"Countries like ours are getting rich. Why? Because we have trade rules that exclude trade in agriculture and textiles from (poorer) countries because it's in our best interest."
Axworthy was the keynote speaker at the wrap-up gala for the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership in Calgary.
Axworthy admitted tearing down trade barriers that affect our farmers isn't a popular notion but is something that should be done out of fairness to poorer nations.
Axworthy noted that the G-8 summit, to be held in Kananaskis from June 26 to 27, is fast approaching.
Some critics say the G-8 is too exclusive and makes arbitrary decisions without input from the citizens of the world.
Axworthy warned G-8 leaders "there is nothing more corrupting than a democracy that makes decisions behind closed doors." He then stressed the importance of citizens getting involved in their communities, as well as in political action at the local level.
Axworthy also said Canadians are duty-bound to help create a global "public ethic" that confronts and combats injustice around the world.
The three-day conference examined a host of issues relating to globalization and its impacts on culture, society, commerce and governance.
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