CANADA/BURMA:
HARPER GOVERNMENT TWO-FACED ON BURMESE DICTATORSHIP:
As Molly has posted previously on this page there is substantial Canadian investment in the country of Burma, investment that helps to prop up the dictatorship ruling there. The Harper Index has recently published an article about the "actions" 
of the Harper government and how little they match the resolution that was passed in Parliament back in 2005. Back in 2004 and 2005 the Bloc Quebecois obtained the support of the then opposition Conservatives for a motion calling for far more concrete actions than have been taken so far by Canada. Nowadays this motion contrasts with the largely rhetorical response of the Conservatives to the present repression in Burma. What is missing are concrete actions such as:
of the Harper government and how little they match the resolution that was passed in Parliament back in 2005. Back in 2004 and 2005 the Bloc Quebecois obtained the support of the then opposition Conservatives for a motion calling for far more concrete actions than have been taken so far by Canada. Nowadays this motion contrasts with the largely rhetorical response of the Conservatives to the present repression in Burma. What is missing are concrete actions such as:*provide tangible support to the legitimate authorities in Burma, specifically the government in exile.
*impose more comprehensive economic measures on Burma.
*bring pressure to bear on the United nations Secretary General and the international community to bring the military junta to negotiate a peaceful transition towards democracy
*call upon the authorities in Burma to include the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other political parties.
In a speech at a rally on Parliament Hill Tin Maung Htoo of the Canadian Friends of Burma said that he was "very,very disappointed in the government of Canada. such statements have been made since 1988 at the time of the first uprising in Burma, but we haven't seen any concrete action against Burma".
Htoo called on the Canadian government to expel Myanmar's mission from Ottawa. Others are organizing to continue the pressure on the Burmese junta. One is web activist Alex Bookbinder who has organized a Facebook group that has attracted over 300,000 visitors. The group is devoted to promoting further solidarity actions across the world. For more information go to Facebook and search on "support the monks' protest in Burma".
To read the complete article at the Harper Index go to http://www.harperindex.ca/ViewArticle.cfm?Ref=00101
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