CULTURAL DIALECTICS december 1997 / planet of the arts 19 by Buddy Matthews transcribed by Erin Gunther y opinion of APEC was swayed after hearing what went on at the UBC anti-APEC demonstra- tion. I was listening to reports on the radio about the pepper spray and tear gas used on the protesters, and rumours about Indonesian secret police taking photos of the Indonesian students who were taking part in the demon- stration. I was kicking myself for not being there. At the downtown demonstration one guy who got up to rant was still red and raw from pepper spray. I was at the demo with someone who'd been to a lot of demos in the States. She complained that this one was lame in com- parison. The speakers weren't articulate and she found their speeches to be based on manipulating emotion rather than intelli- gent dialogue. When I talked more with her I realized she was comparing these demonstrators to activists on the level of Noam Chomsky. APEC And Imperial Commentary The Activists It's been a common criticism of the anti- APEC activism that it sounds more like recruit- ing than education and that the demonstra- tions themselves have had limited effect because they are preaching to the converted. I think these are valid criticisms, but I also think the activists have only a limited window to grab attention and they have to do what they can. Crowds tend to be less intellectual than individuals anyway. I told my friend I was proud to see this much involvement in social activism. Since the 70s we Canadians seem to have become increas- ingly docile and apathetic to the point where we think it too much effort to do anything beyond getting ahead for ourselves in the system. Like the rest of North America, weve become being reactionary and trying to match up to LAS The anti-APEC movement was something real. People want real democracy, not mock democracy. They don’t want to be ruled by Coca-Cola: they want governments they've selected themselves and they want government accountability. Recently the media have begun to address the confused murmur over APEC and the sum- mit here in Vancouver. Both sides of the argu- ment have been discussed on television and the radio (I don’t read the papers much). I went to an “Artists Against APEC” meeting a while back. As far as information goes, what I got was somewhat garbled. Then again, it’s hard took place after the Canucks lost the Stanley Cup - and that was just a bunch of kids The effects on Education and Culture “If our experiences with, and research on, global trade agree- ments such as GATT, FTA, NAFTA, SAP, etc. have amply demon- strated that the agendas of these agreements are unequivocally anti- women, anti-poor, anti-people, and undemocratic, then why are we in a wealthy country such as Canada, so quiet?” —Jyoti Sanghera, international coordinator for the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GATTW) speaking at the NO! to APEC Women and Children’s Conference. by Ethel Farrales PEC stands for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. It is a group of 18 Pacific Rim coun- tries working to impose a free trade zone within the region. The member countries are made up of some of the richest and poorest countries in the world: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, Thailand, China, Chile, Philippines, the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Brunei, Taiwan, Mexico, and Papua New Guinea. These countries are looking to bring their economies into the new global free market economy where everyone is on a compet- itive economic playing field. However, the reality of APEC and globalization is not one of equal footing for all people. The real losers are the marginalized people of the industrial, but especial- ly the Third World, countries. The only winners are the political and corporate elite of multinational corporations who, in the pursuit of power and profit, will continue their exploitation and oppression of the people of all sectors of society. Students are tar- geted by these elite powers because they realize that in order to carry out their agendas, they must have a future pool of working people who can conform to their economic plans. The political and corporate elite uses culture as a tool to incorporate people into their plans and thereby condition people into believing that globaliza- tion benefits everyone. “Wy STOP ETEIT aa ee ee Globalization Similar to the North Trade Agreement (NAFTA), APEC is a tool of imperialist globalization. APEC’s goal is to speed up the American Free process of trade and investment liberalization, deregulation, and privatization. This APEC process forces open each country’s economies to allow multinational companies free access to peo- ple, as a source of cheap labour, and to natural resources, as eas- ily expendable. The imperialist drive behind globalization seeks to facilitate the free flow of peo- ple, goods, and capital across borders in order to increase multinational corporations’ power and profit. APEG*: is biggest free trade zone in the becoming the world, encompassing over two billion people and 70% of the world’s trade. Canada is heavily unwilling to engage our social conscience. Any transgressions we do make are done on the quiet rather than developed into a larger movement of social unrest. The anti-APEC demos were thrilling to me in that sense. The only other example of civil disobedience I’ve seen is the riot that to get much else on APEC. The media stands to gain much from APEC’s advancement, so their coverage of it up until lately has tended to mimic the pro-bomb propaganda of the 1940’s in America. I saw that on TV. Getting Canadians fired up enough to get out of their chairs and doing something is just the first step. Broader educational work might continued on page 20, see “The Activists” ist Globalization involved in this agenda and hosted this year’s APEC Leaders’ Summit, November 19-25, 1997, right here in Vancouver. In fact, Chrétien has declared 1997, “Canada’s Year of the Asia Pacific” (CYAP), an example of how arts and culture are being used to promote the APEC agenda. We saw Vancouver become a police state, with millions of dollars spent on renovations, accommoda- tions, and RCMP surveillance and security. APEC’s decisions are made by business, government officials, and academics with no public forums or binding agreements produced for public scrutiny. In 1996, each APEC member coun- try produced an “Individual Action Plan” outlining strategies to bring down all trade and investment barriers in the Pacific Rim: this would be accomplished by 2010 for industrialized countries, 2015 for newly industrialized countries, and 2020 for underdeveloped countries. Therefore, there is incredible pressure for these countries to make their economies accessible to multinational corporations’ invasions. The harsh effects of APEC and free trade will only widen the gap between the rich and the poor. Marginalized people in indus- trialized countries feel these severe effects through massive job loss, rising tuition fees, education cutbacks, huge personal debt loads, cuts to social programs, and the commercialization and privatization of medical care and education. However, the detri- mental effects of the APEC agenda and imperialist globalization are more intensely felt in the Third World countries where there is rampant exploitation of the people and its natural resources. As a source of cheap labour and natural resources, people are forced to experience sweatshop production, environmental destruction, dispossession of indigenous lands, increase in migrant workers and trafficking in women and children (because people are forced to leave their countries in search for work), and continued on page 20, see “The Effects” december 1997 / plonet of the orts 19 CULTURAL DIALECTICS Commentary The Activists by Buddy Matthews transcribed by Erin Gunther Maeno Tes been a common cites of the anti- being reactionary and trying to match up to APEG activism that it sounds more like recruit- LA. The anti-APEC movement was something 7 because they are preaching othe converted. democracy. They don't want think these are valid eiicisms, but also Coca-Cola: they want governments they've think the activists have only a limited window selected themsehes and they want government reports on the rad to grab attention and they have to do what they accountability an. Crowds tend to be ess intellectual than Recently the media have begun to addres protesters. and rumours. about Indonesian secret poise taking photos f the Indonesian 1 old my friend Twas proud to sce this mit here in Vancouver: Both sides of the argu students who ere taking part in the demon much involvement in socal Since the ment have been discussed on television and the stration. I was kicking myself for not being ve Canadians seem to have Become nreas- radi (I dont read the papers much re. At the downtown demonstration one guy ingly docite and apathetic othe pont where we ween tan Artist Agninst APEC” meeting who got up to rant was stil ed and raw from think it too much effort todo anything Beyond awhile back. As fara information goes, what I pepper spray. arses in the system. Like got was somewhat garbled. Then again it's hard Tyas atthe demo with somone whol h America, viéve Become to get much else on APEC. The media stands to complained pe was lame incom hoy tet make are done on coverage of it up until lately has tended to speakers werent article and fe que rather tha devlped ino alager mimic the pro-bomb propaganda ofthe 15408 ctv on the level of Noam Chomsky APEC And Imperial The ani-APEC den The effects on Education and Culture four experiences with ‘ments such 8 GATT, FTA, NAETA, SAP. ec; have amply demon strated that he agendas ofthese agreements areneguivoaly ant ‘women, ati poo.ant-pepl. and undemocratic thn why are we in a wealthy county such as Canada, quiet Jyoti Sanghers, international coordinator forthe Global Alliance Against Trafic in Women (GATTW) speaking atthe NO! to APEC Women and Children's Conference by Ethel Farrales PEC stands for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. isa 1p of 18 Pacific Rim coun tries working to impose a fee trade zone within the region, The member countries are made up of some ofthe richest and poorest countries in the ‘world: Singapore Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, Thailand, Chins Chile, Philippines, the United States, Tapan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Kore, Bruni, Taiwan, Mexico, and Papua Nev Guinea These nies are looking to bring thee economies into the ‘new global fice markt economy where everyone on comp Ive economic paying il. However, the reaty of APEC and. obslztion is not one of equa footing forall people. The el lowers are the marginalized peopl of the industri but especial Iy the Third World, countries. The only winner ate the politcal and corporate elite of multinational corporations who, in the Pursuit of power and profit, will continue thee exploitation and ‘oppression ofthe people ofall sctors of society Students are tr _std by these lite powers because they realize that inorder to carry out their agendas, they must have a future pool of working. people who can conform to theie economic plans. The politcal and corporate lite uses culture as a tool 10 incorporate people {imo thie plans and thereby condition people into betievng that globaliza Globalization Similar to the Noeth American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), APEC isa tol of imperialist globalization, APEC’ goal is t0 speed up the proces of trade and investment liberalization, deregulation, and Privatization, This APEC proces forces open eich country’s conics tallow mtinational companies fee aces o pe ple, a8 souree of cheap lbour, question authority and to natural resource, asc ily expendable, The imperialist drive behind globalization scks to faiitat the fic ow of peo le, goods, and capital across borders in order to increase ‘multinational corporations power and profi APEC is becoming. the biggest free trade zone in the sword, encompassing over two billion people and 70% ofthe words trade, Canada is heavily took place after the Canuck lost the Stake he first step. Br al work might bunch of kids st Globalization involved inthis agenda and hosted this years APEC Leader 199 ‘Canadss Year ofthe Asia Ps Summit, November 19 Chrétien has declared 1997, (CYAP), an example of how arts and culture ae being used to promote the APEC agenda, We saw Vancouver become a police milins of dollars spent on renovations, accommoda- tions, and RCMP surveillance and security right herein Vancouver In fat, APEC' decisions are made by busines, government oficial, and academics ith no publi forums or binding agreements produced fr public scrutiny In 1996,each APEC member coun: ‘ny produced an “Individual Action Plan” outlining strategies to bring down al trade and investment barirs in the Pacific Rim: this would be accomplished by 2010 for industrialized countries, 2015 for newly industrialized countries, and 2020, for underdeveloped countries, Therefore, the incredible pressure for these counties to make their economies accessible to multinational corporations invasions. ‘The harsh effects of APEC and fre trade wil only widen the ap between the rch and the poor. Marginlized people in indus wali countries fee these severe elects through massive job os, ising tuition fees, education euacks, huge personal debt loads, cut to social programs, and the commercalization and Privatization of medical care and eduction However, the dtr rental effets of the APEC agenda and imperialist globalization are more intensely felt in the Thitd World counties where there is rampant exploitation ofthe people and its natural resources. Asa source of cheap labour and natural resources, people ae forced to experience sweatshop production, environmental destruction, dispossesson of indigenous lands, increase in ‘migrant workers an tafckng in women and children (because people are forced to leave their countries in search for work), and