New Orleans people’s summit site launched

. April 9, 2008 09:44 AM
A new web site was launched today to provide timely information on the Security and Prosperity Partnership summit to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, on April 21-22.
The site will cover a meeting of the "Three Amigos" (Canada, Mexico and the United States) as they continue setting a secret trade agenda using SPP without the consent of their citizens or legislative bodies.
Civil society organizations in New Orleans will host "The People's Summit: Our Response to NAFTA Expansion", an inclusive gathering to educate the public on the SPP.
Go to www.summitneworleans.org.

Integrate This! SPP Watch Update - March 7, 2008

Integrate This! SPP Watch Update - March 7, 2008

SPP Watch SPP WATCH makes the links between daily news items, new government initiatives and the ongoing Security and Prosperity Partnership talks between Canada, Mexico and the United States. As well as regular SPP updates, we will continue to post new reports, interviews and multimedia presentations critical of what is sometimes called the "deep integration" of North America. The site is updated regularly so visit often. Here's what went up on Integrate This! in the past week: Armies in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. prepare for 2010 Olympics According to an article in the Vancouver weekly *24 Hours*, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are planning a joint military exercise to coordinate "to focus on terrorist events that could affect [the] 2010 Olympics." (more...) NAFTA *is* being renegotiated through the SPP, hears tri-national conference On Wednesday March 5, civil society and fair trade groups, as well as progressive legislators from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, gathered in Washington, D.C. to talk about NAFTA's real impacts on agriculture, labour, development and migration. (more...) U.S. terrorist watch-list nears 1 million names; Bush blows "known terrorists" to bits in Somalia The U.S. terrorist watch list has grown by 400,000 names since this past June, according to the American Civil Liberties Union and reported on blogs across America, February 28. (more...) Harper's foreign policy gift to Bush: Canada-Colombia free-trade pact would emulate the SPP in Latin America, says new CLC report Forget about Ian Brodie's alleged phone call to the media regarding U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barrack Obama's stance on NAFTA. How's this for Canadian meddling in the upcoming U.S. elections? (more...) For more information on the SPP, please visit www.IntegrateThis.ca.

SPP Update

PREMEDITATED MERGER
Leaders push PR campaign for North American alliance
Business council members to confront and refute critics of trilateral agenda

---

Posted: March 06, 2008
9:30 pm Eastern

By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

The controversial Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, or SPP, continues closed-door meetings with business leaders while the heads of state of the U.S., Mexico and Canada now openly urge them to launch a public relations campaign to counter growing criticism of the trilateral cooperative some fear is a step toward a North American Union.

The information is contained in an internal memo from Canada's Foreign Affairs and Internal Trade ministry, obtained by WND under an Access to Information Act request.

The text of the undated memo is an internal government summary of the third SPP summit meeting held Aug. 20-21, 2007, in Montebello Quebec.

The redacted memo does not disclose the author or the date the memo was written.

The first sentence of the memo makes clear, as WND previously reported, the North American Competitiveness Council, or NACC, was the only participant invited to meet behind closed doors with the SPP bureaucrats. The SPP consists of 20 working groups plus the attending cabinet officers from each country and the heads of state.

"Leaders had a successful meeting with the members of the NACC, which had been launched at the leader's meeting in Cancun in March 2006, to counsel governments on how they might enhance North American competitiveness," the memo begins.

The NACC is a largely secretive SPP advisory council of representatives of 30 North American corporations selected by the Chambers of Commerce in the three nations.

The NACC has issued no press releases disclosing specific recommendations made to the SPP trilateral working groups tasked with "integrating" and "harmonizing" administrative rules and regulations into a North American format.

Nor have any minutes of SPP meetings with NACC participants ever been made public.

The PR offensive is clearly discussed in the third paragraph of the internal memo, where following an initial redacted sentence, the paragraph discusses comments made by the three heads of state in the closed door discussions, noting, "He also urged NACC members to assist in confronting and refuting critics of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP)."

The "He" in the sentence is not identified.

The fourth paragraph continues the PR theme: "In closing, all leaders expressed a desire for the NACC to play a role in articulating publicly the benefits of greater collaboration in North America."

Later, the memo admits, "Leaders discussed some of the difficulties of the SPP, including the lack of popular support and the failure of the public to understand the competitive challenges confronting North America."

After a redacted sentence, the memo continues, "Governments are faced with addressing the rapidly evolving competitive environment without fueling protectionism, when industry sectors face radical transformation."

The memo then documents a comment made by President Bush:

"In terms of building public support, President Bush suggested engaging the support of those who had benefited from NAFTA and from North American integration (including small business owners) to tell their stories and humanize the impressive results."

The document says, regarding import safety, "

President Bush underlined the importance of tackling the issue more broadly and showing that governments are ahead of this issue in order to prevent a trade protectionist backlash, especially against China."

Toward the end, the memo reinforces the public relations theme, emphasizing,

"NACC members should have a role in communicating the merits of North American collaboration, including by engaging their employees and unions."

Meanwhile, the SPP ministers and trilateral working groups continue to pursue a policy of secret, closed-door meetings, where the press and the public is not invited to participate or observe the process.

In a meeting that was virtually unreported in the U.S. and Canada, a SPP ministerial meeting Feb. 27-28 in Las Cabos, Mexico, was disclosed openly in the Mexico City newspaper La Jornada.

The report in La Jornada said Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez visited Mexico City prior to the Los Cabos meeting "to renegotiate NAFTA" by offering to Mexico that undisclosed U.S. corporations and the U.S. government are planning to put as much as $141 billion in new investments in Mexico under Mexico's National Infrastructure Project 2007-2012.

A press release on the U.S. Trade and Development Agency website published Feb 21 presented the agenda for a Feb. 26-28 meeting in Mexico City at which Secretary Gutierrez planned to announce USTDA grants totaling more than $1.7 million were being made "to promote the development of transportation, energy and environmental projects under Mexico's National Infrastructure Program (NIP)."

A separate press release on the USTDA website documented that Mexico's National Infrastructure Program, launched by President Calderon in July 2007, was intended to create $141 billion in new infrastructure investment opportunities for U.S. firms by 2012.

An announcement posted on the homepage of the Department of Commerce's SPP website Feb. 28 confirmed Gutierrez and Department of Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff traveled to Las Cabos to meet with their Mexican and Canadian counterparts in a ministerial meeting, preparing for the fourth SPP annual summit meeting scheduled for New Orleans April 21-22.

The SPP press release also confirmed the NACC attended the Los Cabos closed-door ministerial meeting.

Several other important points were disclosed in the Foreign Affairs and Internal Trade document obtained under the Access to Information Act request.

The document confirmed a much-rumored concern that the Harper government intended to downplay the SPP summits, as part of a strategy to defuse the intense criticism the effort has received from the political left in Canada.

"Prime Minister Harper described the SPP as a worthwhile project driving numerous low-profile, but important initiatives," the documents noted under the heading, "SPP Management."

The document further disclosed Harper's recommendation that each government appoint a single lead minister with overall responsibility for managing the trilateral bureaucrats involved in the 20 SPP working groups.

The commerce minister in each country, or "prosperity minister" as identified by the document, was tasked with this responsibility.

Until the document had come to light, the three governments had not given a clear explanation of the tasks or areas of responsibilities of each of the three ministers assigned in the U.S., Canada and Mexico to SPP.

Now, it appears the foreign minister representative, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the United States and her counterparts in Mexico and Canada, represent the top state-level official among the three, a designation that clearly places the SPP within the top foreign policy diplomatic level in each country.

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez and his counterparts would be considered the "SPP Prosperity Ministers," while Secretary Chertoff and his counterparts would be considered the "SPP Security Ministers," with overall management of the SPP coming under the "Prosperity Ministers" sphere.

Also, the document disclosed President Bush's continuing determination to favor only a virtual fence, not the placement of a physical fence, along the U.S. border with Mexico.

"President Bush outlined his vision of the border, with a strong emphasis on the use of technology," the document stressed.

As WND previously reported, an amendment submitted by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, gutted the Secure Fence Act of 2006 by leaving the building of a 700-mile double-layer fence along the border with Mexico up to the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security and Chertoff.

WND has also reported Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., author of the fencing provisions of the Secure Fence Act of 2006, has introduced new legislation in the House of Representatives to put back the requirement of constructing double-layered fencing along the Mexican border within six months.

9/11: The "Perfect Opportunity" for North American Integration By Andrew G. Marshall

URL of this article: www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8082

Global Research, February 14, 2008

On February 12, 2008, the Canadian newspaper, the Financial Post, published an opinion piece by Michael Hart, of Carleton University, entitled, “Canada Blew It,” in which he blamed the “slow” approach to North American integration on Canada’s policies following 9/11. The article begins by stating: “The Canadian and U.S. economies have become intertwined in response to demands by Canadians and Americans for each other's products, services, capital, and ideas. Yet the border as presently constituted protects Canadians and Americans from each other, not from global security threats. It also presents a risk to the wealth-creating flow of people, goods, services and capital between the two countries.”1 Hart states that in order to “address global security concerns”, Canada and the US need to, “develop co-operative solutions to common problems.” He stated to do this, Canada and the US should implement an, “agenda aimed at removing the border to the largest extent possible as an obstacle to Canada-U.S. interaction and integration.” He continues in outlining the steps to be taken in this agenda, the first of which is to, “re-imagine the border.” Hart explains that much of the problems with the border are a result of “regulatory compliance”, as in having a border, to which he proposes a solution in which, “Canada and the United States need to aggressively pursue regulatory convergence,” or in other words, harmonization. He continues, “It is in Canada's interests to align as many of its regulatory requirements as possible with those of the United States.” In discussing the security of “North America’s” economic infrastructure, Hart states, “Similar to our interdependence in ensuring the security of the North American continent, neither country can ensure the security of its economic infrastructure without the full co-operation of the other,” to which he elaborates that, “we need to build the necessary institutions and networks of co-operation that ensure that American and Canadian officials are working together toward common objectives and doing so on the basis of constructive political oversight.”2 Amazingly, Hart stated that it is “not a trade agenda”, but is, in fact, “an integration agenda that requires the full participation of departments and agencies on both sides of the border responsible for border administration, economic regulation, and infrastructure integrity.” Hart continued in his critique of the slow process of integration, stating that, “The crisis of Sept. 11, 2001, provided a perfect opportunity to seize the moment to re-imagine the border, but Canada blew it [emphasis added].” This is a clear example of how important it is for those who oppose the processes of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), and the North American Union which it seeks to create, must also examine the relationship between integration and terror; between the North American Union and 9/11. These are not separate elements of one another, these events are themselves deeply integrated, in both purpose and strategy. It is integral for those that oppose the NAU to review the attacks of September 11, 2001, to see the linkages between them and understand them as something beyond random associations and reactions to one another. As to explaining why “Canada blew it,” Hart states that, “Rather than work with the United States to address real security and related concerns, and to build a much-better functioning, more open, and more integrated North America, Canadian authorities reacted defensively and anxiously to American security concerns.” But this is a gross misrepresentation, as shortly after 9/11, in December of 2001, “Governor Tom Ridge and Deputy Prime Minister John Manley Signed the Smart Border Declaration and Associated 30-Point Action Plan to Enhance the Security of Our Shared Border While Facilitating the Legitimate Flow of People and Goods,”3 according to the White House’s December hu2002 press release on the subject. Part of the 30-Point Action plan included “Biometric Identifiers”, stating, “In the interest of having cards that could be used across different modes of travel, we have agreed to use cards that are capable of storing multiple biometrics.” Another of the 30 points was “Permanent Residence Cards”, or in other words, ID Cards. Further, the plans also stated that, “The United States and Canada have agreed to share Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Records (API/PNR) on high-risk travelers destined to either country.” This is hardly stepping away from integration between the two countries, as Michael Hart seems to imagine. Hart further explains that, “In the absence of another crisis, only inspired leadership can overcome the narrow-minded response of special and entrenched interests and bureaucratic self-preservation.”4 Then, in revealing the true intent of the SPP, Hart states, “Each group [Canada and the US] is adept at exploiting the default position of incrementalism, exemplified by such initiatives as the Security and Prosperity Partnership. Progress will be made under the SPP banner, but at a snail's pace and without the impact needed to make a perceptible difference.” This is a public admission of the SPP being an incremental approach to “deep integration”, of which then ultimate goal is to form a North American Union. Hart explains that a key source of leadership is, “a business sector prepared to speak out forcefully and convincingly about the costs and lost opportunities flowing from misdirected and overzealous border administration.” So who is Michael Hart? He is the Simon Reisman Chair in Trade Policy at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.5 He is the first person to hold this position, which is named after Simon Reisman, “Canada's Chief Negotiator during the free trade talks with the United States, he also participated in a series of important international trade negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.”6 Reisman was recently quoted by CTV regarding the 1988 Canada US Free Trade Agreement, saying, “We got it, we didn't get it all. We left a little for posterity.”7 Further, Michael Hart “was a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade specializing in trade policy and trade negotiations.”8 He was also the author of a document entitled, “Free Trade in Free Fall? Assessing the Impact of Nontariff Barriers on Canada-U.S. Trade,” published by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.9 From 2004 to 2005, Hart was a visiting scholar at the Center for North American Studies at American University,10 of which the Director is Robert Pastor.11 Robert Pastor is infamously referred to as the “father” of the North American Union, and arguably its chief public spokesperson and champion, and was the Co-Chair of the Independent Task Force on the Future of North America, a joint task force between the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in the United States and the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) in Canada, as well as the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations, which produced the document “Building a North American Community.”12 This document is the blueprint for the Security and Prosperity Agreement of North America, which outlines the overall objectives of the agreement in its goals of “integrating” North America. Robert Pastor is also on the Board of Directors of the North American Forum on Integration, or NAFI, alongside the Chairman, Stephen Black, who is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.13 NAFI, “aims to address the issues raised by North American integration as well as identify new ideas and strategies to reinforce the North American region,”14 which every year, since 2005, holds what it calls a “Triumvirate”, which their website describes as, “an annual North American mock parliament,” which, “allows a hundred Canadian, American and Mexican university students to better understand the North American dynamic as well as the challenges faced by NAFTA partners.”15 Among the participating Universities in NAFI, is the American University, (of course), Simon Fraser University, of which an economics professor emeritus recently wrote an article for the Financial Post in which he mentioned the amero currency as a goal in North America [See: North American Monetary Integration: Here Comes the Amero, Global Research16], and another notable university is Carleton University.17 It just so happens that the author of Canada Blew It, Michael Hart, works at Carleton. The process towards a North American Union is embedded in our societal institutions, from the corporate world, to media, government and education. These are individuals connected through joint membership in think tanks and interest groups of those who share ideological beliefs in internationalism and globalization. So, too, must those who oppose the SPP and the NAU be embedded in all the institutions of our societies, working not for personal gain and profit, but for country and freedom, preserving our rights, liberties and identity, and exposing those who seek to challenge our inherent human rights. Notes 1 Michael Hart, Canada Blew It. The Financial Post: February 12, 2008: http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=302151 2 Ibid. 3 Office of the Press Secretary, U.S. - Canada Smart Border/30 Point Action Plan Update. The White House: December 6, 2002: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/12/20021206-1.html 4 Michael Hart, Ibid. 5 About NPSIA, Simon Reisman Chair in Trade Policy. Carleton University: http://www.carleton.ca/npsia/school/simon_reisman.html 6 Ibid. 7 CTV.ca news staff, Poll says most North Americans support free trade. CTV News: September 30, 2007: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070930/free_trade_070930/20070930?hub=Canada 8 About NPSIA, Simon Reisman Chair in Trade Policy. Carleton University: http://www.carleton.ca/npsia/school/simon_reisman.html 9 Events at the Center, Free Trade in Free Fall? Assessing the Impact of Nontariff Barriers on Canada-U.S. Trade. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: February 8, 2008: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.event&event_id=372221 10 Past Senior Fellows, Michael Hart. Center for North American Studies at American University: http://www.american.edu/ia/cnas/ed/fellows/hart.cfm 11 Center for North American Studies, Robert A. Pastor. Center for North American Studies at American University: http://www.american.edu/ia/cnas/staff/rpastor.cfm 12 CFR.org, Building a North American Community. Council on Foreign Relations Press: May 2005: http://www.cfr.org/publication/8102/ 13 NAFI, Our Board of Directors. NAFINA: http://www.fina-nafi.org/eng/fina/conseil.asp?langue=eng&menu=fina 14 NAFI, The North American Forum on Integration. http://www.fina-nafi.org/eng/finapresentation.asp?langue=eng&menu=fina 15 Ibid. 16 Andrew G. Marshall, North American Monetary Integration: Here Comes the Amero. Global Research: January 20, 2008: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7854 17 NAFI, Triumvirate 2006. http://www.fina-nafi.org/eng/triumvirat06/default.asplangue=eng&menu=triumvirat06

Stop the SPP! Demo tomorrow in Toronto and nationwide

	Toronto Protests for SPP Referendum!
	Stop the North American Union Now!! Its up to you!
	Anyone who thinks sovereign democratic nations matter!

Time and Place

	Saturday, February 16, 2008
	1:00pm - 4:00pm
	Ontario Court s (361 University) March to Queen's Park for Speakers & Music
	University Avenue
	Toronto, ON

Contact Info

Email:

torontosppprotest@live.ca

This event is part of a NATIONWIDE CALL TO ACTION.

What does Toronto have in common with Windsor, Cornwall, Ottawa, Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vernon, Victoria, Chilliwack, Kelowna and Vancouver?

On February 16th, concerned Canadians from all these places will be gathering in central locations with banners, signs & speakers to share information and to send a resounding "NO!" to Stephen Harper and his Conservatives with regard to the Security and Prosperity Partnership. The event has come to be known as the "Jelly Bean Protest for a Referendum on the SPP." We'll get to that later, but first...

What is the SPP? Don't be surprised if you don't know! The SPP is a so-called "understanding" or agreement between the USA, Canada and Mexico. First discussed and negotiated by Paul Martin, George Bush and Vincente Fox in March 2005, and then endorsed by Stephen Harper upon his election in 2006. The SPP came out of the tragic events of September 11th, and its stated aims are to improve information sharing, reduce trade costs, and facilitate agricultural commerce. But there has been no debate or discussion about it by our elected representatives nor do we hear enough about it in the mainstream media. What's up with that?

The SPP is wholeheartedly endorsed by the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE). It is a secret process that is actually being driven by 30 corporations known as the North American Competitiveness Council - 10 corporations in each of the US, Canada and Mexico. Of the 10 Canadian corporate participants, however, 3 are of American origin and (Home Depot, Manulife Financial & Suncor) and 2 are Canadian corporations that are no longer Canadian (CN Rail & Canfor). There has been no consultation with Main Street or government. 300 regulatory initiatives are taking place - all spearheaded by the NACC.

Since 2005 Canada's auto industry, pesticide and health safety standards (among others) have been lowered to match that of the US. In the latter instance, the HPV vaccine known as Gardasil - manufactured by Merck & Co. (an American participant in the NACC) was approved by Health Canada within 4 months of approval by the US Food and Drug Administration. Further, our federal government has spent $300 million on the vaccination of 9-13 year old school girls who are not sexually active even though Gardasil only prevents 4 out of 100 strains of HPV, which means infections and the risk of cancer will continue regardless. There are already reports of 3700 severe adverse reactions and 11 deaths reported by countries administering Gardasil. Merck & Co. had suffered billions of dollars in losses when its arthritis drug Vioxx was pulled because of thousands of cardiac-related patient deaths.


The SPP has been referred to as NAFTA on steroids, with guns. Canadians who are informed are concerned that we're not been told the real deal and that the sovereignty of 3 nations is actually at stake - that we're being led into a North American Union by stealth. They believe that the SPP must be halted, that it must be put through a microscope and debate in Parliament, and/or put to a referendum of the people. Millions of Americans are also concerned about their sovereignty so we are not alone.

Through a grassroots initiative on Facebook, the idea of a nationwide protest to show the powers that be that Canadians aren't completely dumbed down was proposed. The Facebook group promoting it now has over 3,200 members. Inside that group regional sub-groups were started. Its an idea that took off like wildfire with demonstrations, protests and information sharing planned for all the above cities. It is indicative of the level of unease out there. Whether people show up in tens or in hundreds, it will make a bold statement. The Toronto rally now has over 650 confirming attendance as of February 13 - many coming in from as far as Oshawa, Peterborough, London, Hamilton, Brantford and more. It it believed that the Toronto rally will be the gauge for the rest of Canada. There will also be a number of young filmmakers on hand to interview and record the events of the day. There will be music and speakers have been arranged from Libertarian Party, Green Party, Marixst-Leninist Party and Canadian Action Party (all parties were invited including the NDP but only these responded), the National Director of Freedom in Canadian Health and a freelance investigative journalist and former UN reporter who is extremely knoweldgeable on economic and political issues.

Why Jelly Beans?

On August 20 and 21 Stephen Harper, George Bush and Mexican president, Felipe Calderón met with NACC representatives at the highly secured Château Montebello in Québec. At the closing press conference, Stephen Harper used the idea of standardizing the manufacture, marketing and sale of jelly beans on both sides of the border in order to minimize and ridicule the valid concerns of Canadians about the SPP. There were minimum 2,000 peaceful protesters there as well, though Mr. Harper also minimized that number. At that same press conference both Harper and Bush reduced concerns of a NAFTA superhighway or mid-continent corridor to a "conspiracy theory." Meanwhile, three months later in the Manitoba Legislature, just such a highway, which has been planned for more than 10 years was announced by the Speaker of the House. Who's zoomin' who here?

The fourth SPP leaders' summit is scheduled for this coming April in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Stephen Harper will be in Toronto the evening of February 16 celebrating Chinese New Year on Dundas Street W in Chinatown.

Now is your chance to speak up, if you feel like these Canadians do, that something is very wrong here. Join us on February 16th at the Ontario Courts, 361 University Avenue and bring a friend or ten! Following will be a march to Queen's Park at University & College. Bring your cameras, signs, and banners. Don't forget your plastic water bottles half-filled with jelly beans so we can show Mr. Harper that he's not fooling these informed Canadians. They'll also make for effective noisemakers where clapping might not be heard with people wearing gloves for warmth! Bundle up and please don't litter!


For more information on the Toronto protest, please send an e-mail to:
torontosppprotest@live.ca

Activism: Canada news, expect 26 Feb the election to be called

Tories to present a new proposal on Afghan role
Toronto Star - Ontario, Canada
The Liberals had been demanding that Canada's combat role end in February 2009 as a condition of their support for the extension, but the party's amendment ...
See all stories on this topic

Canada budget set for Feb 26, could spark election
Financial Mirror - Cyprus
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's minority Conservative government will present its 2008-09 budget on Feb. 26, a document that could trigger an election in ...
See all stories on this topic

Protester arrested at Montebello is facing trial! An appeal for your support (need witnesses and evidence)

February 12, 2008

Dear friends and allies --

As you all probably remember, back on August 20, 2007, several hundred
protesters gathered in Montebello to protest the Leader's Meeting of the
Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). The use of masked, rock-wielding
police infiltrators was exposed later in the mainstream media.

BUT, several actual protesters who were attacked by the riot police were
arrested. One of those protesters -- Leila -- chose to defend herself and
take the charges against her to trial. Her trial will be this JUNE 12,
2008 at the "Palais de Justice" in Hull, Quebec.

Please read this e-mail callout for how you can support Leila as she faces
trial. The SQ has got away with their use of police infiltrators. Let's make
sure they are exposed at court, and don't get away with their arrest
intimidation tactics as well.

An injury to one is an injury to all!


*::: BACKGROUND :::*

Leila and her friend Velvet were arrested at approximately 4:30pm on Monday,
August 20, 2007 in Montebello, close to the police line near the Chateau
Montebello gates. They were arrested when the SQ riot police began shooting
tear gas at protesters, and then forcing protesters to disperse. Both Leila
and Velvet sat down on the grass and were arrested for obstruction. They
were held in the Papineauville High School that was converted into a jail
for the SPP in Montebello. The charges against Velvet were dropped after she
was held in custody for four days.

A low-quality video of the incident involving Leila and Velvet is linked
here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xw_9SITqu4w


*::: WITNESSES & EVIDENCE :::*

If you were a witness to the incident near the Chateau Montebello gates
around 4:30pm on Monday, August 20, 2007, please get in touch. Even if you
did not specifically see the arrests, but were in the area a few hours
beforehand, please get in touch.

Moreover, if you were a witness to any police infiltration activity, your
testimony could be useful. Please get in touch as well.

If you have any VIDEO, AUDIO, PHOTO or other footage of the police's
actions, please let us know.

There is apparently other video footage of this incident, and beforehand. If
you have any, we need it!

If you know of any individuals and groups that were filming video, please
pass on their contacts.

Finally, if you have any testimony or footage of Leila or Velvet during the
day in Montebello, that could be useful too.

E-mail us with your info HERE: montebellotrialsupport@gmail.com


*::: HELP WITH THE LEGAL DEFENCE :::*

Leila is working with a lawyer on her defence, but she's also preparing some
Charter of Rights motions on her own. If you can help with legal support, in
any way, please get in touch at: montebellotrialsupport@gmail.com


*::: PACK THE COURT! :::*

>From the information that we have to date, Leila's case is the only one that
is going to trial. Her trial is another opportunity to denounce the SQ
police infiltrators and the systemic erosion of the "legal recognition" of
our basic right to freedom of assembly and protest, as well as providing
direct support for Leila.

If you are interested in attending trial in Hull on Thursday, June 12,
please get in touch. If you can help arrange rides from Ottawa or Montreal,
please get in touch as well.


*::: STAY IN TOUCH :::*

If you want more info, or to offer support in any way, e-mail
montebellotrialsupport@gmail.com



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: bloquezlempiremontreal@resist.ca
To: stop-spp-action@lists.cupe.ca
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:51:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Stop-spp-action] Appel au soutien pour une manifestante arrêtée à Montebello (besoin de témoins et de preuve)

12 février 2008

Chèr-e-s ami-e-s et allié-e-s,

Vous vous souvenez probablement des centaines de manifestant-e-s qui se sont
rassemblé-e-s le 20 août 2007 à Montebello pour protester contre la
rencontre des dirigeants au sujet du Partenariat pour la sécurité et la
prospérité (PSP). Suite aux manifestations, les médias de masse ont couvert
la présence d'agents infiltrateurs masqués avec des pierres.

MAIS, plusieurs véritables manifestant-e-s attaqué-e-s par l'anti-émeute ont
été arrêté-e-s. L'une d'entre elles, Leila, a choisi de contester les
accusation portées contre elle et d'assurer elle-même sa défense en cour.
Son procès aura lieu le 12 juin 2008 au Palais de Justice à Hull, au Québec.

Prenez le temps de lire ce courriel afin de savoir comment vous pouvez
appuyer Leila. La SQ, qui a eu recours à des infiltrateurs, s'en est tirée
sans réelle conséquence. Assurons-nous de dénoncer ses tactiques
d'intimidation en cour!

Une attaque envers une personne est une attaque envers tous et toutes!


*::: MISE EN CONTEXTE :::*

Leila et son amie Velvet ont été arrêtées vers 16h30 le lundi 20 août 2007 à
Montebello, tout près des lignes policières situées aux portes du Château
Montebello. Elles ont été arrêtées au moment où l'escouade anti-émeute de la
SQ s'est mise à lancer des bombes lacrymogènes sur les manifestant-e-s, pour
ensuite les forcer à se disperser. Leila et Velvet se sont assises dans
l'herbe et ont été arrêtées pour obstruction. Elles ont été détenues à
l'École secondaire de Papineauville, convertie en prison à l'occasion de la
rencontre du PSP à Montebello. Velvet a été détenue pendant 4 jours : les
accusations portées contre elle ont ensuite été abandonnées.

Vous pouvez voir un vidéo (de mauvaise qualité) de l'incident dans lequel
Leila et Velvet ont été impliquées ici:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xw_9SITqu4w


*::: TÉMOINS ET PREUVE :::*

Si vous avez été témoin de l'incident qui s'est produit près des portes du
Château Montebello vers 16h30 lundi le 20 août 2007, communiquez avec nous.
Même si vous n'avez pas vu les arrestations mais avez été dans la zone
quelques heures avant qu'elles n'aient lieu, n'hésitez pas à entrer en
contact avec nous.

De plus, si vous avez été témoin de toute activité d'infiltration policière,
votre témoignage pourrait être utile. Communiquez également avec nous.

Si vous avez des PHOTOS, des IMAGES VIDÉOS, des CLIPS SONORES ou toute autre
trace des actions de la police, faites-nous le savoir.

Il existe apparemment d'autres images de cet incident et des moments qui
l'ont précédé. Nous en avons besoin!

Finalement, tout témoignage ou image de Leila ou de Velvet saisis au cours
de la journée du 20 août à Montebello pourrait également être utile.

Faites-nous parvenir l'information à cette
adresse:montebellotrialsupport@gmail.com


*::: AIDE au SOUTIEN JURIDIQUE :::*

Leila prépare sa défense avec l'aide d'un avocat, mais elle prépare aussi
par elle-même des motions en vertu de la Charte des droits et liberté. Si
vous êtes en mesure de donner un coup de main avec le soutien juridique,
écrivez-nous à: montebellotrialsupport@gmail.com


*::: REMPLISSONS LA COUR! :::*

Selon l'information dont nous disposons jusqu'à présent, le cas de Leila est
le seul qui sera traîné en cour. Son procès est l'occasion de dénoncer les
infiltrateurs de la SQ et l'érosion sytémique de la "reconnaissance légale"
de notre droit fondamental à la liberté de nous rassembler et de manifester.
La présence d'allié-e-s au procès de Leila est un soutien direct et
important.

Si vous êtes intéressé-e à assister au procès à Hull le jeudi 12 juin 2008,
communiquez avec nous. Si vous pouvez aider à l'organisation de covoiturage
depuis Ottawa ou Montréal, écrivez-nous également.


*::: SUIVI :::*

Si vous souhaitez obtnir plus d'information ou offrir tout autre type de
soutien, écrivez-nous à: montebellotrialsupport@gmail.com

CANADIAN ACTION PARTY (CAP) / (PAC) PARTI ACTION CANADIENNE

P.O. Box 385-916 West Broadway Vancouver, BC V5Z1K7

Phone: 604-708-3372 Fax: 604-872-1504

CAP SUPPORTS NATIONWIDE CALL TO ACTION ON THE SPP FEBRUARY 16, 2008

The Canadian Action Party (CAP) wholeheartedly supports a grassroots Nationwide Call to Action on February 16, 2008. In towns and cities all over this great nation, concerned citizens will be coming together to send a clear message to our elected representatives in Ottawa - we the people demand open disclosure and a Referendum on the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP).

As of February 10, protests are being organized in Toronto, Windsor, Cornwall, Ottawa, Fredericton, Moncton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vernon, Victoria, Chilliwack, Kelowna and Vancouver. CAP candidates and some sitting MPs will be speaking in a number of these locations.

The SPP is an agreement between Paul Martin, George Bush and Vincente Fox in March 2005, later endorsed by Stephen Harper upon his election in 2006. CAP has been the only party speaking out loudly and clearly against it since it was announced.

CAP called for a non-confidence vote on the issue in Parliament upon its return but this was ignored. CAP now has an online Petition for a Referendum of the People circulating as well as posted on its website. To date there are approximately 8,500 signatures of Canadians who agree that this is far too important for the future of Canada to be left to an unrepresentative Parliament and must be put to a referendum.

CAP candidates, members and leader Connie Fogal were present in Ottawa and Montebello this past summer and witnessed police state tactics and police posing as agents provocateurs used against peaceful protesters at the 3rd leaders' summit. Truly it was a forceful suppression of legitimate dissent and a shameful display in a country that is supposed to be a democracy.

The fourth SPP leader summit has just been announced and will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana in April.

Connie Fogal says "That the North American continent is being transformed from three sovereign nations - Canada, USA, Mexico into one regional corporate power base and a North American Union police state through agreements like FTA, NAFTA, TILMA, and SPP. The Smart Border Action Plan, the Smart Regulation Action Plan and the Bi-National Planning Agreement. However, unlike the creation of the European Union, there is no public, political or academic discourse on the merits, or pros and cons of a North American Union or a vote within each nation as to the wish of the people to join such a union. It is being imposed on us by stealth by our own elected representatives and governments, and is already well on its way to fruition. The NDP is calling for a debate and vote in Parliament which will result in approval.

The Manitoba NDP Provincial Government openly supports the NASCO or NAFTA Super Highway as was announced in the Throne Speech on November 20, 2007.

By its silence the mainstream media is complicit in this agenda for integration and the resulting loss of sovereignty. Therefore Canadians must seek information through the alternative media in order to be informed about this dangerous time in Canada's history.

If you feel as these concerned citizens do, that sovereign democratic nations matter, please get involved and get active. Help out in the locations noted by contacting the organizers. Where possible we have provided information about the protests on our events calendar at: www.canadianactionparty.ca.

This is our future and we can no longer rely on our elected representatives to do what is best for the Canadian public as they have long ago sold out to corporate interests.

CONgress moves to seize Control of All US Water

Congress Moves To Seize
Control Of All US Water
From Bathtubs To Baptismal Fonts, Congress Moves
To Give the Corps of Engineers Control Of All U.S. Waters

Land Rights Network
American Land Rights Association
2-7-8

Issue: Having been slapped down by the U. S. Supreme Court's recent decision that the words "navigable waters" in the Clean Water Act limited federal agencies to regulation of navigable waters only. Democrats and liberal Republicans in Congress are striking back. They are attempting to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007 (HR2421 and S1870) that would amend the 1972 Clean Water Act and replace the words "navigable waters" with "waters of the United States." Further, it defines "waters of the United States" with such breathtaking scope that federal agencies would be required to regulate use of every square inch of the U.S., both public and private. The proposed definition states: "The term 'waters of the United States' means all waters subject to ebb and flow of the tides, the territorial seas, and all interstate and intrastate waters and their tributaries, including lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes [a flat dried up area, esp. a desert basin.] natural ponds and all impoundment of the foregoing, to the fullest extent that these waters are subject to the legislative power of Congress under the Constitution." Obviously, those behind this legislation have only contempt for the Constitution, limited government and private property rights. To understand what the framers of the Constitution intended, one need only look to their writings and the writings of those from whom they took wisdom and direction. A few of thousands of quotes follow: Quote 1: "The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If 'Thou shalt not covet' and 'Thou shalt not steal' were not commandments from Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free." - John Adams, A Defence of the Constitution of the United States against the Attacks of M. Turgot, 1787. Quote 2: "What a man has honestly acquired is absolutely his own, which he may freely give, but cannot be taken from him without his consent." - Samuel Adams, Massachusetts Circular Letter, 1768. Quote 3: ".'tis not without reason that [man] seeks out, and is willing to join in society with others who are already united, or have a mind to unite for the mutual preservation of their lives, liberties and estates which I call by the name of property." - John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 1690 Quote 4: "The property which every man has in his own labor, as it is the foundation of all other property, so it is the most sacred and inviolable." - Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776 Comment 1: Obviously these are foreign concepts to the environmental lobby and their fellow travelers. By Tom Randall Winningreen LLC 3712 N. Broadway - PMB 279 Chicago, IL 60613 Phone: 773-857-5086 e-mail: trandall@winningreen.com>trandall@winningreen.com Wetlands (HR 2421) Bill Gives Corps Control Over Your Property New Wetlands Land Grab Hearing Coming In House. The date has not been finally set yet but send your testimony anyway. Please Fill Out the Wetlands Testimony Questionnaire Below And Forward It To your Congressman and the Committee. Deadline - February 15, 2008. If you get this message after that date, send your testimony anyway as the hearing may be moved to March or April. -----Apology: Yes, this e-mail is too long. But this is such an important issue and affects so many people, we felt we needed not only to explain the issue but also give you the tools to impact your Congressman. Please take the time to read it. It may be one of the most important things you do this year. By sending e-mailing, faxing or mailing the Testimony Questionnaire below, you can have a profound affect on the future of land use in America and you can personally make a difference in how Congress writes the law. Don't miss your chance to affect history. Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 expansion of power. Congress considering expanding the power of the Clean Water Act of 1972 to include all waters of the United States and not limit it to navigable waters as is currently the law under two Supreme Court Decisions. This is a massive threat to all private property in America. It also threatens the use of Federal land. Under the name "clean water" HR 2421 would give the Corps of Engineers and the Federal Government massive additional regulatory powers that supercede local and state government. People may be tempted to jump in favor of "clean water" not realizing they are trading away control over their land. Besides private property, it threatens grazing, forestry, mining and many other uses on Federal land. -----You should send testimony again even if you sent testimony for the previous hearing. This Testimony Questionnaire below has been modified and updated. Below is the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. You must check to see if your Congressman is on this list. If he or she is, you need to be all over your Representative with white hot intensity. Call, Call and call again. Get your friends and neighbors to call. Also E-mail and fax. Your Congressman must feel the pressure and know in no uncertain terms that you oppose HR 2421. If your Congressman is not on the Committee, go ahead and send the Testimony Questionnaire to the Committee Members and your Congressman. Ask your Congressman to write each Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee opposing HR 2421. -----HR 2421 is the biggest threat to private property since CARA and actually affects far more land and people. -----Action Items Below We call HR 2421 the National Wetlands - Land Grab Bill. (It's real name is the Clean Water Restoration Act but it has very little to do with clean water or restoration. It is mostly about land use control and expanding the power and reach of the Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act of 1972. ) What the bill supporters are doing is using the term "Clean Water," which everybody wants, as a tool to pass legislation (HR 2421) that is really about land use control and has little or nothing to do with clean water. It is a huge rural land grab. Their target is land use control over all lands, both urban and rural. What it really does is give the Corps of Engineers control over nearly all private property in America by changing the definition of "wetlands" under the Clean Water Act of 1972 vastly expanding the regulatory reach of the Corps of Engineers over private property. Take the Testimony Questionnaire below, save it to your word processor, edit it to say how you feel, and then e-mail it back to the Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below. Also e-mail it to your own Congressman. This Testimony is for the new hearing now set to take place sometime in the next month but don't delay sending your testimony. -----You may print out a formatted version of the Testimony Questionnaire that is below by going to <http://www.landrights.org/>www.landrights.org. -----Urgent Action Required -----Below we have created a Testimony Questionnaire for you to fill out and send to every e-mail address for Congress we have listed below for the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Be sure and send it to your own Congressman as well. You can call any Congressman at (202) 225-3121 to get the e-mail of a Member of his or her staff. The Testimony Questionnaire is designed so you can simply save it into your word processing file, edit it with your comments, and then send it to the Congressmen listed on the Committee using your e-mail program. Be sure to edit out or cut off the parts that are not part of the testimony. We've marked them so read it carefully. -----We agree with all the statements on the Testimony Questionnaire, but you don't have to. You can mark it Agree, Disagree or No Opinion. What is most important is that you fill out the blank space below the Statements with your own personal comments. You may get ideas and draw from the statements we have provided or preferably write your own. But don't fail to fill out the blank space. The Testimony Questionnaire is rated at a much higher value by your Congressman if you write your own personal thoughts in the space provided after the section with the statements with Agree, Disagree, or No Opinion. So please, take the time to either borrow from our statements at the upper part of the Questionnaire or write your own. But write something in that blank space above where we have made a place for you to write your name and address toward the bottom of the Testimony Questionnaire. Please send a copy of your Testimony, no matter how you feel about the issue, to American Land Rights at ccushman@pacifier.com>ccushman@pacifier.com. Write in the Subject line: Copy of Testimony Sent to Congress. Otherwise we won't know whether you sent it to Congress or not. And we would like to know how you feel about the issues. You do not have to send a copy to us. -----Testimony Questionnaire - Please be sure to edit the Testimony Questionnaire so our e-mail information and instructions are removed. -----Committee Vote on the National Wetlands Land Grab Bill, HR 2421, could come as early as February or March. They tried to sneak a vote in November but your e-mails and phone calls stopped them. The official name is the Clean Water Restoration Act but it does virtually nothing for clean water and is mostly about land use control. It would greatly expand the power of and the amount of land affected by 1972 Clean Water Act -----See Action Items Below. -----Updated -- Committee Staff Members do change and we have corrected several additional committee e-mail addresses below. If you find e-mail does not work, call the Congressman's office at (202) 225-3121 and ask for the staff person. Then ask for the correct e-mail. Send us an e-mail telling us about the correction. Edit out all above this line before e-mailing this message. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - Fax, and E-mail Deadline Friday February 15th. Congressional Testimony Questionnaire Testimony For The Record HR 2421 -- Clean Water Restoration Act (National Wetlands Land Use Control Bill) Honorable __________________ US House of Representatives HR 2421, The Clean Water Restoration Act, is really a massive Federal land and water power grab. It will use "wetlands" to take control over every farm, ranch, and piece of private property with any water on it or even if the landowner only engage in activities that might affect water. It expands the authority of the Federal government under the Clean Water Act of 1972 to include all waters of the U.S. and activities affecting these waters. It will give the Corps of Engineers control over most private property. In the words of Reed Hopper of Pacific Legal Foundation, lead attorney in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court victory, "...this bill pushes the limits of federal power to an extreme not matched by any other law, probably in the history of this country." Below are my concerns and testimony regarding HR 2421, the inappropriately named Clean Water Restoration Act. It has little to do with clean water and is mostly about land use control. Please allow this Testimony to be submitted for the record for any additional hearings to be held on HR 2421, the Clean Water Restoration Act. Please consider a photocopy of this document as valid as the original and include my testimony for the official record. Signature ________________________________ Print Your Name ______________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dear Private Property and Multiple-Use Advocate: You must send your testimony in immediately. H.R. 2421 may come up for a hearing and possibly a vote in the House in February or March. The Committee Chairman tried to rush a vote in November. It is imperative that you act now. The Clean Water Restoration Act may be the biggest threat to property rights and local control yet. The bill would overturn two U.S. Supreme Court decisions that favored landowners and local government. It would give federal agencies and the Corps of Engineers in particular almost unlimited control over land, water and people. Reed Hopper, lead attorney in the latest Supreme Court victory for landowners said "...this bill pushes the limit of federal power to an extreme not matched by any other law, probably in the history of this country. Jim Burling, senior attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation, said "If our constitutional system of limited federal powers means anything, we have to win on this issue." It is important that you fill out the following testimony questionnaire and send it to your Congressman and all those Congressmen on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below. It must be submitted by e-mail or fax by Friday, February 15th. Ask your Congressman to make sure it is put in the record of any upcoming hearing on HR 2421. Please act on this as soon as you get this e-mail message. Do not put it off until tomorrow. Tomorrow may be too late. Supporters of this bill are trying to ram HR 2421 through before people like you know how dangerous it is. Below is a Testimony Questionnaire for you to fill out and e-mail or fax back to your Congressman and the Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the US House of Representatives. Be sure to check to see if your Congressman is on the Transportation Committee. This makes your Testimony even more valuable. -----Alert -- Be aware of the legal concept called "laches" or "sleeping on your rights." You may lose legal rights later if you fail to comment or testify on HR 2421. So at least send this Testimony Questionnaire and possibly a letter opposing HR 2421. It can be as short as one page or longer. In the next section you will see a series of statements about HR 2421 that American Land Rights agrees with but you don't have to. This Testimony Questionnaire is about helping you get your testimony to Congress. Your Congressman and the Members of the Committee want to know what you think. It is critical that you write your responses to the statements with your opinion and not what you think we would want you to write. You are free to disagree with us. You can add comments to each statement or change the statements to fit your preference. You have a chance to change the course of history on the whole "wetlands" or Clean Water Act issue by filling out this Testimony Questionnaire, writing your Congressman's name in the appropriate place, and e-mailing it to all the Members of Congress listed below. We would appreciate it if you would send a copy to American Land Rights with the words "copy sent to Members of Congress in the subject line. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please edit this document in your word processor and e-mail it or print it out and fax it to your Congressman and the other Members of the Transportation Committee listed below. Your personal comments make this document more valuable. So be sure to fill in the blank space with your own personal comments or concerns below where the section is with the Agree-Disagree statements are listed. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --1. The jurisdiction of federal agencies under the Clean Water Act of 1972 should remain limited to navigable waters and not expanded to include all waters of the U.S., such as wetlands, sloughs, meadows, intermittent streams, prairie potholes, ponds, playa lakes, mudflats and sandflats. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --2. The definition of wetlands under federal jurisdiction should be limited to those areas that are permanently wet or free flowing. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --3. The Clean Water Act 1972 should not be used as a tool for national land use controls. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --4. The Clean Water Act of 1972 should not be expanded to include activities affecting waters. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --5. The U. S. Supreme Court decisions of 2001 and 2006 that ruled in favor of local government and landowners should not be overturned by the proposed Clean Water Restoration Act (HR 2421). Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --6. Mostly dry land and isolated wetlands should be excluded from federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act of 1972. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --7. The definition of pollutants under the Clean Water Act of 1972 should not include clean fill or natural material of any kind. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --8. The term 'discharge' should not apply to the disturbance of soils or natural materials. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --9. Citizens cited for violation of regulations under the Clean Water Act of 1972 should not face criminal penalties. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --10. National Water Quality goals should be achieved without violating constitutionally protected property rights. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --11. National Water Quality goals are best achieved by local and state governments, rather than by federal agencies. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --12. National Water Quality goals should consider priorities and costs Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --13. National Water Quality goals should consider regional differences in landscapes and other ecological characteristics. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --14. 'Regulatory Takings' that devalue private property should be compensated under provisions of the 5th Amendment. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --15. Access to and use and enjoyment of public lands and waters should be guaranteed under provisions of the Clean Water Act. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --16. 'Environmental' organizations have become too radical and have too much power and influence over federal legislation. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --17. The Clean Water Restoration Act and other environmental legislation is often not about environmental protection, but about control over land, water, and people. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion --18. Please do not give the Corps of Engineers increased power to regulate more private land. Agree...Disagree...No Opinion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (Your written comments here are essential if you want Members of Congress to really pay attention to this document. You are free to use as much space as you need. But please write some comments below before sending this important document to Congress.) Open space for your personal comments. (If needed, use additional sheets or attach a personal letter) To validate your comments please fill in completely (PRINT or TYPE) and be sure to sign. Signature_________________________________ Name____________________________________________ E-Mail___________________________________ Fax ___________________ Phone ____________________ Address_______________________________ Town______________________ State_____ Zip____________ Please do not fail to send this testimony questionnaire even if you receive it late. Deadline for Fax, E-mail Friday, February 15th. However, if you receive this message late, the Committee will usually accept testimony late. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please edit out or cut below this line before sending to your Congressmen and others on the Transportation Committee. -----You can get a formatted version of this Testimony Questionnaire by going to <http://www.landrights.org/>www.landrights.org. -----Background: HR 2421, The Clean Water Restoration Act, what we call the National Wetlands Land Grab Act, is really a massive Federal land and water power grab. It will use the Corps of Engineers regulation of "wetlands" under the 1972 Clean Water Act as the pretext to take control over every farm, ranch, and piece of private property with any water on it or even if you only engage in activities that might affect water. HR 2421 expands the authority of the Federal government under the Clean Water Act of 1972 to include all waters of the U.S. and activities affecting these waters. In the words of Reed Hopper of Pacific Legal Foundation, lead attorney in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court victory, "...this bill pushes the limits of federal power to an extreme not matched by any other law, probably in the history of this country." Original Hearing Date Thursday, December 6, 2007 That hearing was cancelled. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee James Oberstar (D-MN), Chairman Your E-mail and Fax Testimony Deadline is now February 15th. The chief author of HR 2421, titled the Clean Water Restoration Act, is Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN). By Oberstar's own admission, the bill is intended to overturn two U.S. Supreme Court decisions that recently ruled in favor of local government and local landowners on Wetlands issues. In both cases, the high court ruled that the federal government exceeded the authority granted under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, what is commonly called on Wetlands issues the Clean Water Act of 1972. In the latest case, a Michigan landowner faced steep fines and a recommended 5-year jail sentence for moving gravel on his property, located some 20 miles from the nearest navigable water. -----Reasons To Oppose Oberstar's Wetlands Land Grab Bill (HR 2421): -----A. HR 2421 replaces the word 'navigable' waters under the 1972 Clean Water Act with 'waters of the U.S.,' including wetlands, sloughs, ponds, meadows, prairie potholes, sandflats, mudflats, playa lakes, and intermittent streams. This change vastly increases the land area covered by this Wetlands--land use control legislation. -----B. Adds the new language 'activities affecting these waters,' essentially a thinly-disguised attempt at national land use control; -----C. This bill is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Rep. Oberstar is attempting to get his way by using the popular political appeal of the nice sounding term 'clean water' and by using his newly gained power as chairman of a major 'pork committee' to intimidate the bill's opponents, including elected officials in his own state; -----D. The bill is intended to overturn two U.S. Supreme Court wetlands cases (SWANCC, 2001 and Rapanos, 2006) that ruled in favor of landowners and local government; -----E. In the later case, a Michigan landowner faced stiff fines and a possible 5 year prison sentence for moving gravel on his land located 20 miles from the nearest navigable waterway. If you do anything on your land without permission, you could be facing criminal penalties; -----F. The bill is an attempt to control 'non-point sources' of water pollution, essentially any type of significant uses--farming, logging, mining, development of any kind, and even atmospheric deposition; -----G. The bill will be also be used by environmental groups to restrict and prohibit uses of Federal lands and waters, including and especially motorized recreational uses; -----H. The bill will result in endless litigation, unacceptable permitting delays, and will be a severe blow to property rights and local control; -----I. There are serious constitutional concerns with the bill, and states should not relinquish control of natural resources to the federal government; -----J. Many of the 17O co-sponsors of the bill have supported it because of the political appeal of the term "clean water", and because Oberstar's position as chairman of a powerful pork committee to intimidate the bill's opponents by depriving them of funding for projects in their home districts; and -----K. This could be the biggest threat to freedom and property rights ever!! As Jim Burling, senior attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation said recently, "If our constitutional system of limited federal powers means anything, we have to win on this issue." -----L. We all want clean water. HR 2421 does virtually nothing about clean water. People in rural areas may not realize that if HR 2421 passes, they have traded local and state controls for new land use regulations by the Corps of Engineers. That is a bad trade. Action Items: -----1. Check to see if your Congressman is on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below. If so, you need to call, fax and e-mail him or her with white hot intensity over the next two weeks. -----2. Please call, e-mail and fax your member of Congress and ask him or her to oppose HR 2421, this new Federal power grab. You may call any Congressman at (202) 225-3121. Ask him or her to write Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to oppose HR 2421 and send you a copy of their letter. -----3. Our deadline for testimony is February 15th. You must deluge your Member of Congress with calls immediately. Get your friends, neighbors and business associates to call. -----4. Call, fax and e-mail each Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in opposition to HR 2421.. We have provided an updated and corrected staff and e-mail list below. Staff is always changing. If an e-mail does not work, call the staff member to get the current e-mail. Any Congressman can be called at (202) 225-3121. This is a little work and you don't have much time. Failure to defeat HR 2421 would be a disaster for private property rights and you. -----5. Ask any organizations or groups you are part of to fax or e-mail a letter opposing HR 2421. Make sure they send you a copy and if you would, send us a copy too. -----6. You can send testimony for the record to the following addresses. The hearing date is not final yet. Try to get your testimony in by February 15th. This is the best date to get your testimony in. Send your Testimony to both the Majority (Democrats) and Minority (Republicans). -----Reminder -- Be aware of the legal concept called "laches" or "sleeping on your rights." You may lose legal rights later if you fail to comment or testify on HR 2421. So at least send a letter opposing HR 2421. It can be as short as one page or longer. Address your testimony: (Committee Address) Honorable James Oberstar (D-MN) House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee US House of Representatives 2165 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-4472 Because of the Anthrax postal inspections, mail to Congress can be slowed by several weeks. Mailed testimony will not get there in time. You are safer to fax or e-mail your testimony. The Committee fax number is (202) 226-1270. E-mail: transcomm@mail.house.gov>transcomm@mail.house.gov Be sure to e-mail it to the staff people listed below to make sure they get it in case any e-mail does not work. Call (202) 225-4472 if that e-mail address fails to work. -----7. Call, fax and e-mail James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at his personal office. Honorable James Oberstar, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Fax: (202) 225-0699. Send e-mail to Rep. Oberstar care of the following staff persons: bill.richard@mail.house.gov>bill.richard@mail.house.gov john.schadl@mail.house.gov>john.schadl@mail.house.gov; chip.gardiner@mail.house.gov>chip.gardiner@mail.house.gov; meloday.hamoud@mail.house.gov>meloday.hamoud@mail.house.gov; kipp.johnson@mail.house.gov>kipp.johnson@mail.house.gov; jonathan.rucks@mail.house.gov>jonathan.rucks@mail.house.gov. -----8. Call, Fax and e-mail John Mica (R-FL), Ranking Minority Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Because the Committee Chairman, James Oberstar, is also the author of HR 2421 you may not receive favorable treatment of your testimony from him. Also send Rep. Mica a copy of your testimony. Address it: Honorable John Mica (R-FL), Ranking Minority Member, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 2165 Rayburn House Office Building, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Minority Phone: (202) 225-9446. Minority Fax: (202) 225-6782. Send e-mail to John Mica and Don Young (R-AK) at the Committee care of: jon.pawlow@mail.house.gov>jon.pawlow@mail.house.gov; geoff.bowman@mail.house.gov>geoff.bowman@mail.house.gov; john.anderson1@mail.house.gov>john.anderson1@mail.house.gov -----9. Send a copy of your testimony to both your Senators. The Senate version is S 1870 and is worded exactly like the HR 2421. It is sponsored by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI). By wording both bills the same, they are looking to ram through this bill fast before you get a chance to get organized. You must forward this e-mail to as many friends and business associates as possible. -----10. Ask organizations or groups in your State to send letters by fax or e-mail opposing HR 2421. Especially those involved in farming, ranching, and anyone who owns private land. Get copies of all the letters or resolutions to all the Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee listed below. Send them to ALRA as well. -----11. Call your local representative of the American Farm Bureau to urge them to go all out against HR 2421. Ask to be put on any special mailing lists the Farm Bureau may be sending out. Send us the contact information, phone number and e-mail of your local American Farm Bureau Representative. Ask for a copy of a letter from the Farm Bureau to Mr. Oberstar opposing HR 2421. -----12. No matter where you live, but especially if you live in Minnesota or better still, in Rep. Oberstar's district, it is critical that you notify organizational leaders as well as average citizens to have them send letters and pass resolutions to Reps. Oberstar and John Mica opposing HR 2421. Also notify your state legislators and local elected officials. You should hold local public meetings and get as many people in your area as possible informed about HR 2421. This is especially true in Minnesota. Of course you should do this in other states as well. There are 300 green groups supporting the HR 2421 and 171 Congressmen are co-sponsoring HR 2421 so far. Oberstar has said publicly that the House will pass the bill. You must help prove him wrong. He is twisting arms by threatening to withhold pork money for local projects, which he controls, from each Members district unless they support his bill. American Land Rights Association is working as a team with the American Property Coalition in Minnesota and many other organizations across America to defeat HR 2421. You can reach the American Property Coalition at donp@americanpropertycoalition.org>donp@americanpropertycoalition.org or mail: Don Parmeter Linda Runbeck American Property Coalition 161 St. Anthony Ave., Ste. 935 St. Paul, MN 55103 (651) 224-6219 House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Below is the fax and e-mail list of most of the Members of the Committee. You need to send your e-mail care of one of their staff that we have listed. You may call any Congressman at (202) 225-3121 Chair: Oberstar (D-MN) 42 Democrats Ranking Minority: Mica (R-FL) 33 Republicans House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Minority (Republican) Direct Line: (202) 225-9446 Chief of Minority Staff - James Coon, (202) 225-9446 jim.coon@mail.house.gov--or>jim.coon@mail.house.gov--or ryan.boyce@mail.house.gov>ryan.boyce@mail.house.gov Minority (Republicans) Fax: (202) 226-5435 Republicans: John L Mica (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0821 Contact: Brian Waldrip - brian.waldrip@mail.house.gov>brian.waldrip@mail.house.gov Don Young (R-AK) Fax (202) 225-0425 Contact: Pamela Day - pamela.day@mail.house.gov>pamela.day@mail.house.gov Thomas Petri (R-WI) Fax (202) 225-2356 Contact: Lindsay Bowers - lindsay.bowers@mail.house.gov>lindsay.bowers@mail.house.gov Howard Coble (R-NC) Fax (202) 225-8611 Contact: John Mautz - john.mautz@mail.house.gov>john.mautz@mail.house.gov John J Duncan Jr. (R-TN) Fax (202) 225-6440 Contact: Ryan Temme - ryan.temme@mail.house.gov>ryan.temme@mail.house.gov Vernon J Ehlers (R-MI) Fax (202) 225-5144 Contact: Matthew Reiffer matt.reiffer@mail.house.gov>-matt.reiffer@mail.house.gov Steven C La Tourette (R-OH) Fax (202) 225-3307 Contact: Tim Lundquist - tim.lundquist@mail.house.gov>tim.lundquist@mail.house.gov Richard Baker (R-LA) Fax (202) 225-7313 Contact: Paul Sawyer - paul.sawyer@mail.house.gov>paul.sawyer@mail.house.gov Frank A LoBiondo (R-NJ) Fax (202) 225-3318 Contact: Geoff Gosselin -Send to: jacob.sciandra@mail.house.gov>jacob.sciandra@mail.house.gov Jerry Moran (R-KS) Fax (202) 225-5124 Contact: Alex Richard - alex.richard@mail.house.gov>alex.richard@mail.house.gov Gary G Miller (R-CA) Fax (202) 226-6962 Contact: Sandra Breitengross - sandra.breitengross@mail.house.gov>sandra.breitengross@mail.house.gov Robin Hayes (R-NC) Fax (202) 225-4036 Contact: Tommy Sevier - tommy.sevier@mail.house.gov>tommy.sevier@mail.house.gov Henry E Brown Jr. (R-SC) Fax (202) 225-3407 Contact: Chris Berardini - chris.berardini@mail.house.gov>chris.berardini@mail.house.gov Timothy V Johnson (R-IL) Fax (202) 226-0791 Contact: Stephen Borg - stephen.borg@mail.house.gov>stephen.borg@mail.house.gov Todd Platts (R-PA) Fax (202) 226-1000 Contact: Joe Thomas - joe.thomas@mail.house.gov>joe.thomas@mail.house.gov Sam Graves (R-Mo) Fax (202) 225-8221 Contact: Paul Sass - paul.sass@mail.house.gov>paul.sass@mail.house.gov Bill Shuster (R-PA) Fax (202) 225-2486 Contact: Stephen Martinko - stephen.martinko@mail.house.gov>stephen.martinko@mail.house.gov John Boozman (R-AR) Fax (202) 225-5713 Contact: Kathee Facchiano - kathee.facchiano@mail.house.gov>kathee.facchiano@mail.house.gov Jim Gerlach (R-PA) Fax (202) 225-8440 Contact: Bill Tighe - bill.tighe@mail.house.gov>bill.tighe@mail.house.gov Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0346 Contact: Lauren Robitaille - lauren.robitaille@mail.house.gov>lauren.robitaille@mail.house.gov Kenny E Marchant (R-TX) Fax (202) 225-0074 Contact: Ryan Young - ryan.young@mail.house.gov>ryan.young@mail.house.gov Charles W Dent (R-PA) Fax (202) 226-0778 Contact: Pete Richards - pete.Richards@mail.house.gov>pete.Richards@mail.house.gov Ted Poe (R-TX) Fax (202) 225-5547 Contact: Alan Knapp - alan.knapp@mail.house.gov>alan.knapp@mail.house.gov Dave Reichert (R-WA) Fax (202) 225-4282 Contact: Chris Miller - chris.miller@mail.house.gov>chris.miller@mail.house.gov Connie Mack (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0439 Contact: Francis Gibbs - francis.gibbs@mail.house.gov>francis.gibbs@mail.house.gov John R "Randy" Kuhl Jr. (R-NY) Fax (202) 226-6599 Contact: Meredith Bircher - meredith.bircher@mail.house.gov>meredith.bircher@mail.house.gov Lynn A Westmoreland (R-GA) Fax (202) 225-2515 Contact: Joe Lillis - joe.lillis@mail.house.gov>joe.lillis@mail.house.gov Charles W Boustany Jr. (R-LA) Fax (202) 225-5724 Contact: Terri Fish - terri.fish@mail.house.gov>terri.fish@mail.house.gov Jean Schmidt (R-OH) Fax (202) 225-1992 Contact: Joe Jansen - joe.jansen@mail.house.gov>joe.jansen@mail.house.gov Candice S Miller (R-MI) Fax (202) 226-1169 Contact: Sean Moran - sean.moran@mail.house.gov>sean.moran@mail.house.gov Thelma Drake (R-VA) Fax (202) 225-4218 Contact: Dena Kozanas - dena.kozanas@mail.house.gov>dena.kozanas@mail.house.gov Mary Fallin (R-OK) Fax (202) 226-1463 Contact: Jeff Ringer - jeff.ringer@mail.house.gov>jeff.ringer@mail.house.gov Vern Buchanan (R-FL) Fax (202) 226-0828 Contact: Max Goodman - max.goodman@mail.house.gov>max.goodman@mail.house.gov Democrat Committee Members (We've listed only those we hope may be open minded.) Direct line for Majority (Democrats) (202) 225-4472 Fax: (202) 226-1270 Gene Taylor (D-MS) Fax (202) 225-7074 Contact: Courtney Littig - courtney.littig@mail.house.gov>courtney.littig@mail.house.gov Ellen O Tauscher (D-CA) Fax (202) 225-5914 Contact: Paul Kidwell - paul.kidwell@mail.house.gov>paul.kidwell@mail.house.gov Leonard L Boswell (D-IA) Fax (202) 225-5608 Contact: Susan McAvoy - susan.mcavoy@mail.house.gov>susan.mcavoy@mail.house.gov Tim Holden (D-PA) Fax (202) 226-0996 Contact: Keith J Pemrick - keith.pemrick@mail.house.gov>keith.pemrick@mail.house.gov Brian Baird (D-WA) Fax (202) 225-3478 Contact: Hilary Cain - hilary.cain@mail.house.gov>hilary.cain@mail.house.gov Mike Michaud (D-ME) Fax (202) 225-2943 Contact: Kim thompson - kim.thompson@mail.house.gov>kim.thompson@mail.house.gov Russ Carnahan (D-MO) Fax (202) 225-7452 Contact: Jeremy Haldeman - jeremy.haldeman@mail.house.gov>jeremy.haldeman@mail.house.gov John T Salazar (D-CO) Fax (202) 226-9669 Contact: Eric Wortman - eric.wortman@mail.house.gov>eric.wortman@mail.house.gov Nicholas V Lampson (D-TX) Fax (202) 225-5241 Contact: Dan Easley - dan.easley@mail.house.gov>dan.easley@mail.house.gov Zachary T Space (D-OH) Fax (202) 225-3394 Contact: Aaron Schmidt - aaron.schmidt@mail.house.gov>aaron.schmidt@mail.house.gov Bruce Braley (D-IA) Fax (202) 225-6666 Contact: Mike Goodman - mike.goodman@mail.house.gov>mike.goodman@mail.house.gov Jason Altmire (D-PA) Fax (202) 226-2274 Contact: Erik Komendant - erik.komendant@mail.house.gov>erik.komendant@mail.house.gov Timothy J Walz (DFL-MN) Fax (202) 225-3433 Contact: Meredith Salsbery - meredith.salsbery@mail.house.gov>meredith.salsbery@mail.house.gov Heath Shuler (D-NC) Fax (202) 226-6422 Contact: Sean O'Brien - sean.obrien@mail.house.gov>sean.obrien@mail.house.gov Nick J Rahall (D-WV) - Fax (202) 225-3452 -- Contact: erika.young@mail.house.gov>erika.young@mail.house.gov Jerry F Costello (D-IL) - Fax (202) 225-0285 - Contact: christa.fornarotto@mail.house.gov>christa.fornarotto@mail.house.gov Harry E Mitchell (D-AZ) - Fax (202) 225-3263 - Contact: matthew.weisman@mail.house.gov>matthew.weisman@mail.house.gov Christopher P Carney (D-PA) - Fax (202) 225-9594 - Contact: jeffrey.gabriel@mail.house.gov>jeffrey.gabriel@mail.house.gov Steve Kagen (D-WI) - Fax (202) 225-5729 - Contact: casey.frary@mail.house.gov>casey.frary@mail.house.gov Steve Cohen (D-TN) - Fax (202) 225-5663 - Contact: marilyn.dillihay@mail.house.gov>marilyn.dillihay@mail.house.gov Jerry McNerney (D-CA) - Fax (202) 225-4060 - Contact: nick.holder@mail.house.gov>nick.holder@mail.house.gov Laura Richardson (D-CA) - Fax (202) 225-7924 - Contact: matt.chiller@mail.house.gov>matt.chiller@mail.house.gov You must take urgent action to help stop HR 2421. This bill will have a huge impact on rural America, farming, ranching and private lands. No one who owns private land is safe. Your help is greatly appreciated. Chuck Cushman Executive Director American Land Rights Association (360) 687-3087 ccushman@pacifier.com>ccushman@pacifier.com Please forward this message as widely as possible. This is a historic issue. It is incredibly important for you to forward this message. By forwarding the message, you can help get millions of copies of this critically important e-mail distributed. Thank you in advance for your help.

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