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Oblate JPIC Signs Letter to US Congress Opposing Fast Track Authority for Trade Agreement March 2nd, 2015
On February 17, Missionary Oblates JPIC office joined in an interfaith letter signed by nearly three-dozen faith communities to oppose fast-track authority for the passage of an upcoming international trade agreement by Congress. The letter has been sent to all Members of the US Congress. Fast-Track authority paves the way for Congressional approval of trade agreements such as the looming Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with little or no debate, and with no changes possible to the agreement that has been negotiated by the US Trade Representative, largely behind closed doors. This is an undemocratic process, which potentially denies a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of trade agreement provisions on vulnerable communities, workers and the environment, and which does not provide for detailed public hearings, despite the potential for significant public impacts.
Members of the Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investments who signed the letter write, “Our faith traditions call for community participation in the democratic process because we believe this is the only way to ensure all people have a meaningful opportunity to participate in the creation of good policies. “Fast track” is a broken and undemocratic process because it privileges the views of powerful global corporations in defining the terms of trade agreements, while excluding voices of those adversely impacted. This impedes progress towards a more just world.”
Full text of the letter with signatories (Download PDF)
G8 and G20 Summits in Canada June 27th, 2010
The Group of Eight (G8) and Group of Twenty (G20) summits were held in Ontario, Canada this weekend – June 25th through 27th. The G8 leaders met from Jun 25 through the 26th in Huntsville, Ontario. The G20 summit follows in Toronto, Jun 26-27.The gathering in Canada was to provide an opportunity to world leaders to show their resolve in keeping their promises on global poverty, climate change and deal with financial crisis.
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Faith Groups Advocate Pro-Poor Agricultural Policies at USTR November 30th, 2009
Fourteen representatives of the InterFaith Working Group on Trade and Investment, including Séamus Finn, OMI – Director of the Oblate JPIC Office, called on the US Trade Representative to support measures to aid small farmers in developing countries. In a symbolic gesture, the faith groups delivered more than 100 bags of rice to emphasize the need for trade rules that would enable poor countries to protect their populations from sharp spikes in food prices. The IWG members met with USTR trade negotiators the day before Thanksgiving, within 72 hours of their leaving for a WTO Ministerial meeting in Geneva.
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