CANADIAN POLITICS:
CHANGING IGGY'S MIND:
It's been a little while since I passed on the appeal for Colombian city of workers who were forced out of their jobs by the repressive government of that country, one that the Harper Conservatives plan to impliment a free trade deal with. Here is a follow-up, also from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) asking you to put pressure on Michael Ignatieff, the leader of the federal Liberal party to refuse to support Harper's plans. The plan agreement will not pass without Liberal support, and this would be a good time for The Ig to show that he has a smidgeon of conscience rather than being one more calculating politicians. Is such a thing possible ? Qualms of conscience have come about in the strangest places in human history. Maybe they can here as well.
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We have two weeks to change Iggy's mind on Colombia 2 semaines pour convaincre Michael Ignatieff‏:
I'm writing because the Harper government has tabled a bill that would implement a free trade agreement with the Colombian government. The same government that privatized the Cali workers' jobs, the same one that has watched over the deaths of 2,500 trade unionists, human rights activists and community leaders since 2006.





Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff could stop this bill when it comes to a vote in the next few weeks. The Conservatives need the Liberals' support to pass it. Right now, they have it.
Send Ignatieff a message that will change his mind.
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Je vous écris parce que le gouvernement Harper a déposé un projet de loi visant l’entrée en vigueur d’une entente de libre-échange conclue avec le gouvernement de Colombie. Il s’agit du même gouvernement qui a privatisé les emplois des travailleurs de Cali, le même gouvernement qui, depuis 1986, s’est fait complice de la mort de 2 500 syndicalistes, militants des droits de la personne et dirigeants des mouvements communautaires.





Le chef libéral, Michael Ignatieff, peut bloquer ce projet de loi lorsqu’il sera proposé au vote d’ici quelques semaines. Les conservateurs ont besoin de l’appui des libéraux pour que la loi soit adoptée et en ce moment, ils peuvent compter sur leur appui.
Faites parvenir un message à M. Ignatieff en espérant qu’il contribuera à le faire changer d’idée.
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Here's more on the situation as it stands today.

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Michael Ignatieff can halt free trade with Colombia:
Michael Ignatieff can stop free trade with Colombia. Harper's Conservatives have tabled a bill that would implement the deal they negotiated with the Uribe government. But they need the Liberal's support.





The Liberal leader supports the deal even though the Uribe government has the worst human rights record in Latin America.





He needs to re-think that and you can help him.





Under Colombian President Alvaro Uribe’s watch, an estimated 5 million Colombians have been forcibly displaced through land seizures, and trade unionists and civil society activists risk death simply for advocating basic labour rights.





More than 2,500 have been killed by the state and its paramilitaries since 1986, including 40 in 2008.
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THE LETTER:
Please go to THIS LINK to send the following message to Michael Ignatieff.
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I am writing to urge you to you and the Liberal Party to reject the Canada-Colombia trade deal.





Under the government of President Alvaro Uribe, the Colombian people are living in a constant state of poverty and fear.





The Uribe government has one of the worst human rights records in the world.





Under Uribe’s watch, an estimated 5 million Colombians have been forcibly displaced through land seizures, trade unionists and civil society activists risk death simply for advocating basic labour rights.





More than 2,500 have been killed by the state and its paramilitaries since 1986, including 40 in 2008.





And yet the Harper Conservatives have tabled legislation to implement a free trade agreement with Colombia.





Human rights must come before trade.





I hope the Liberal Party will put the well-being of 45 million Colombians first, and oppose ratifying the impending trade deal with Colombia.