You, Me and the SPP: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule - National Film Tour

Film Description:

What do secrecy, police provocateurs, an assault on democracy and infringements on citizens' rights have in common? The Security Prosperity Partnership.

You, Me, and the S.P.P: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule is a feature length documentary which exposes the latest manifestation of a corporatist agenda that is undermining the democratic authority of the citizens of North America.

Two processes, the Security Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and the Trade Investment Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) are rapidly eroding and eliminating standards, civil liberties, regulatory systems and institutions put in place over generations through the democratic process. Proponents of the SPP and TILMA say that they are needed to keep trade flowing, opponents say these agreements not only undermine the democratic authority of citizens they threaten the sovereignty of the three nations through the integration of military, security structures and regulatory regimes.

A few quotes from the film:

After the shock of Sept 11 that crisis was expertly manipulated by our political leaders to push through a range of policies they actually had wanted to push through before Sept 11, but didn’t have the political conditions that made that possible.” --Naomi Klein, Canadian award-winning journalist, author

If we go along with the Americans on their military, on their human rights, on their Patriot Act, on immigration and refugee policy, on energy, on all kinds of regulations over pesticides or whatever, then they will allow us access to their markets.” --Gordon Laxer, Director, The Parkland Institute, Alberta

What the SPP really represents is a parallel government, so that the important decisions are either made outside of parliament and outside of legislatures or they make it impossible for those kinds of decisions to be made in those legislative bodies, so that democracy is slowly being gutted.” --Murray Dobbin, Canadian author, journalist

The ultimate goal, quite obviously, is to create such tight integration that effectively we only have one North American political, security, military and economic place that there really are no differentials between this country and the country next door.” --Michael Byers, Canada Research Chair, Global Politics and International Law, UBC

The SPP is a dumbing down, a reducing of quality of life, a reducing of standards, and there is absolutely no indication in any of the documents we’ve been able to obtain through hard pushing through access to information, and through diligent work, not a single indication that we’re looking for a higher standard anywhere.” --Peter Julian, NDP International Trade Critic

There are screenings in the following communities as part of the national SPP VICTORY tour:

Ottawa, ON – National Tour Launch – Thursday October 1st, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30) in Room 200, West Block, House of Commons. Admission is free but RSVP is required juliap@parl.gc.ca. Seating is limited. Paul will be in attendance.

Montreal, QC – Friday October 2nd, 7 p.m. At the hall of Les Soeurs des Congregation Notre Dame at 2330 Sherbrooke St. West (corner Atwater St.- Metro Atwater). Admission by donation. Paul will be in attendance.

Brockville, ON – Saturday October 3nd, 2 p.m. Location TBA Paul will be in attendance.

Tatamagouche, NS – Sunday October 4th, at Fables, 259 Main St. Doors open at 7pm screening starts at 7:30 EVERYONE IS WELCOME. Paul will be in attendance.

Sydney, NS – Monday October 5th, at Royal Bank Lecture Theatre in the Great Hall at Cape Breton University for 7-9pm. Paul will be in attendance.

St. John, NB – Tuesday October 6th, location and time TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Charlottetown, PEI – Wednesday, October 7th, 7 p.m. at Theater D – Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI. Hosted by the Charlottetown chapter Council of Canadians, WUSC and CUPE 1870. Paul will be in attendance.

Halifax, NS – Thursday October 8th, location and time TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

St. John’s, NFLD – Friday October 9th, time and location TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Toronto, ON – Tuesday October 13th, 7 p.m. at the Bloor Cinema 506 Bloor Street West. Paul will be in attendance.

Windsor, ON – Wednesday October 14th, University of Windsor details TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Waterloo, ON – Thursday October 15th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Guelph, ON – Friday October 16th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Winnipeg, MB – Monday October 19th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Winnipeg, MB – Monday October 20th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Edmonton, AB – Saturday October 24th, 7:30 Metro Cinema, 9828-101A Ave. (Zeidler Hall, Citadel Theatre). Admission: Donation at the door (free to low-income). Part of the 2009 “North of Nowhere Expo: Festival of Independent Media & Underground Art”. Paul will be in attendance.

Yellowknife, NWT – Monday October 26th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Red Deer, AB – Tuesday October 27th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Lethbridge, AB – Thursday October 28th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

Golden, BC – Friday October 30th, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

White Rock, BC – Friday November 27, TBA. Paul will be in attendance.

There will be more screenings to announce soon. Watch for a screening in your community soon or purchase a copy of the DVD and host your own screening.