We demonstrated because these "Greedy 8" summits are rewriting the rules of the world economy, the global monopoly game, outside of any context of democratic accountability and in secret. Neither civil society nor our elected MPs have any say in decisions and the media are not allowed in to report for us on negotiations.
The G8 leaders are writing the rules of economic globalization that actually rule the world, superceding democratically elected governments. They are doing so in the interests of huge multinational corporations (the kind that eat small businesses for breakfast), whose unapologetic interest and ultimate value is profit-taking.
G8 is organizing the way the world works so that profit takes precedence over values we hold dear such as human rights, environmental sustainability, basic labour standards, and people's rights to food, education and health care.
We are protesting the negotiations between the exclusive G8 monopoly club, on behalf of the billions of people in poorer countries who have no say in their economic futures. In developing countries, the "aid" and loan policies of the G8 administered by World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have been proven to increase poverty rather than decrease it. These countries continually pay more money into our banks for foreign debt interest than we send them as aid and loans combined.
Given the powers the G8 is assuming over world economies and political governance, democracy is on the line today. Is democracy worth demonstrating for?
We do not consider ourselves "protesters" as much as "protectors," witnessing for democracy, human rights, our global environment, and the desperate poor in the countries who are excluded from these negotiations. We present ourselves to voice values the vast majority of thinking Canadians hold dear. So please, do not judge us in ignorance, but investigate for yourself the truth we present.
Rev. Ellie Barrington,
Ottawa
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