April 26, 2013

The Honourable Steven Harper, Prime Minister of Canada

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to you in advance of the June G-8 Leaders’ meeting in County Fermanagh, Ireland.

The Halifax Initiative is a coalition of 20 Canadian environmental, development, faith-based, human rights and labour organizations concerned with international economic justice issues. We coordinate research, analysis, education and outreach focused on the democratization of the international financial system to achieve environmental sustainability, poverty eradication and the equitable redistribution of wealth.

General Observations

The undersigned civil society organizations believe the latest drafts of the Sustainability Policy, Performance Standards, and Disclosure Policy respond usefully to some issues raised previously by many civil society organizations, including, for example, several issues related to gender, resettlement, and climate change.  Many of our most significant concerns, however, remain unaddressed, including centrally important issues related to due diligence, transparency, and accountability, and other issues related to substantive concerns.

Brussels, 26 March 2010

Mr. Steve Tvardik
Head, Export Credits
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Paris, France

Dear Mr. Tvardik,

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the on-going review of the Sector Understanding on Export Credits for Renewable Energies and Water Projects (Sector Understanding) by the Participants to the Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits (Participants).

We have outlined our comments starting with our overall concern about ECA financing of fossil fuels and then following this up with specific inputs to sections of the Sector Understanding. It ends with a short conclusion bringing together the main issues to concentrate on.

Overall Issue: The need to end fossil fuel financing

1st February 2010

Ref: Immediate debt cancellation for Haiti

Dear Ministers Flaherty and Cannon,

We are writing to commend the government’s efforts to date to mobilise emergency assistance for disaster relief in Haiti and for speaking to the urgency and importance of debt cancellation for the country. The call to cancel Haiti’s remaining multilateral debt, including last week’s highly concessional $102 million loan from the IMF, benefits from a strong Canadian voice. We urge you to keep demonstrating such leadership in the government’s interventions at the Bretton Woods Institutions, and at Haiti’s largest multilateral creditor, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

November 11, 2009

Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Managing Director
International Monetary Fund,
700 19th Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20431

Dear Mr. Strauss-Kahn:

Re: Request for civil society participation in IMF study on how the financial sector can help pay for the bailouts 

In September, the Group of 20 (G20), at their summit in Pittsburgh, mandated the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with preparing a report ahead of the next G20 summit in June 2010 to consider “how the financial sector could make a fair and substantial contribution toward paying for any burdens associated with government interventions to repair the banking system.”

Hon. Stockwell Day
Minister of International Trade

Hon. Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Hon. Lisa Raitt
Minister of Natural Resources

Hon. Beverley Oda
Minister of International Cooperation

November 3, 2009

Re: Withdrawal of civil servants from corporate accountability conference

Dear Ministers Day, Cannon, Raitt and Oda:

On October 29, civil servants from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian International Development Agency suddenly withdrew their participation from a conference jointly organized by the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) and the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), which is taking place today. These civil servants withdrew not only as speakers on each of the conference’s panels, but also as registered participants.

June 2, 2009

Ms. Angela Crandall
Clerk of the Committee
Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A6
 
Dear Ms. Crandall:
 
We are writing to request that the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) consider holding hearings and cross-Canada consultations this fall on the Canadian Group of Eight (G8) agenda for 2010. As you know, Canada will host the G8 in Huntsville, Ontario, from June 25-27, 2010.

Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

Re: Forthcoming G-20 meeting on the global financial crisis

Dear Prime Minister:

As you head to London next week for the second Group of Twenty (G-20) meeting, we are writing to urge Canadian leadership on four key issues related to the impact of the financial crisis on poor countries that we feel have been neglected up until now.

To date, your government has focused primarily on addressing the immediate fallout of the financial crisis, and has taken steps to restore the flow of credit and consumer confidence, boost spending, and create jobs. Canada has also encouraged G-20 countries to avoid protectionist measures that will only exacerbate the current climate.

The World Bank
Washington, D.C. 20433
U.S.A.
Edith Grace Ssempala
Acting Senior Vice President External Affairs

October 26, 2008

Dear colleagues,

Thank you for your letter regarding voice and participation of developing and transition countries in the governance of the World Bank Group.  Mr. Zoellick asked me to respond, and I am therefore requesting that the Bretton Woods Project transmit this to all those who signed the letter.

August 28, 2008

Mr. Robert B. Zoellick, President
World Bank Headquarters
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433

Dear Mr. Zoellick,

Re.: World Bank governance

That the world is at an historical crossroads is evidenced by the rise of powerful new global economies, financial crises in the US and Europe, the high prices for commodities most notably food and fuel, and the overwhelming climate change crisis. This reality has been recognized in numerous fora such as the recent Commonwealth Heads of State conference, which agreed that in the context of these global crises it is more important than ever to have ambitious reform of the international financial institutions.

12 June 2008

Hon. Minister Christine Lagarde Hon. Minister Giulio Tremonti,
Hon. Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer
Hon. Minister Peer Steinbrück Hon. Minister Jim Flaherty
Hon. Henry Paulson Jr., Secretary of the Treasury
Hon. Minister Fukushiro Nukaga Hon. Minister Alexei Kudrin

Re: Open letter to G8 Finance Ministers calling for immediate debt cancellation for Haiti

The undersigned civil society organizations from the Group of Eight (G8) nations and other European organizations urge all G8 Governments to support immediate multilateral and bilateral debt cancellation for Haiti or a moratorium on all debt service payments until such a time as the debt is cancelled.

April 25, 2008

Mr. Eric Siegel
President and Chief Executive Officer
EDC
151 O’Connor St.
Ottawa, ON
K1A 1K3

Dear Mr. Siegel:

On March 20, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo publicly released the report of the Mining Contract Review Commission. The Commission is an inter-ministerial body mandated to review numerous contracts that were awarded to mining companies between 1996 and 2005 in the DRC. The Commission confirms that many of the contracts are highly irregular and that their terms are extremely unjust. The government body recommends that a significant number of these agreements be annulled and in some cases, renegotiated.

February 29, 2008
The Honorable Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary General
United Nations
New York, NY

Dear Secretary General:

At the end of this year, governments of the world will meet in Doha, Qatar to evaluate progress in implementing the Monterrey Consensus. One of the critical elements of this consensus is the issue of external debt and its role in financing for development.

November 5, 2007

Ms. Karyn Keenan
Program Officer
Halifax Initiative
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa ON KIN 1H5

Dear Ms. Keenan:

This is in response to your letter of September 17. Your letter contains many questions and comments which I will answer by focusing on the key issues that you raise.

The first issue raised refers to Export Development Canada’s practices related to public consultations and whether this is a requirement of our environmental review process.

June 22, 2007

The Right Hon. Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
312S Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

RE: Formally adopting and implementing full set of recommendations from recent Canadian CSR roundtable process.

Dear Prime Minister:

The Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) commends the Canadian government for addressing the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) during the G8 summit in early June.  The CNCA is encouraged that particular emphasis was placed on the operations of mining, oil and gas companies.

Mr. Eric Siegel
President and Chief Executive Officer
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor St.
Ottawa, ON
K1A 1K3

June 8, 2007

Re: EDC workshop on socially responsible mining practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Dear Mr. Siegel,

We would like to thank Export Development Canada for including the Halifax Initiative Coalition and Entraide missionnaire in its recent multi-stakeholder workshop on “how to best support the mining industry in the DRC.”  We were pleased to participate in this important discussion with representatives of the Canadian mining industry, Canadian government, consultants, international financial institutions and EDC, among others.

May 22, 2007

The Honourable James Flaherty
Minister of Finance
Department of Finance Canada
140 O’Connor Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G5

Re: 2006 Annual report to Parliament on the Bretton Woods Institutions

Dear Minister Flaherty:

We would like to firstly congratulate you on the new 2006 Annual Report to Parliament on the Bretton Woods Institutions. We are pleased that some of the concerns we raised in previous meetings with Finance are reflected in the new format and content of the Report.

As in past years, the Halifax Initiative Coalition has developed a report card on this year’s annual report. The report card evaluates the transparency and accountability of Finance Canada to Parliamentarians. It does not assess the performance of the international financial institutions in these areas. We are pleased to enclose a copy for your records.

April 20, 2007
 
Samy Watson
Canadian Executive Director
MC-12-175, 1818 H St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20433, USA
Facsimile: (202) 477-4155
Email: swatson1@worldbank.org

Dear Mr. Watson:

We are writing to express our deep concern that the World Bank’s new Health, Nutrition, and Population (HNP) Strategy, due to be discussed by the World Bank Board of Directors on April 24th, has a number of weaknesses including effectively omitting all commitments to Bank funding for family planning.  We encourage you to address these major shortcomings and push for stronger family planning, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

September 29, 2006

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Coordinator
Halifax Initiative Coalition
153 Chapel St., Suite 104
Ottawa, On KIN I H5
Canada

Dear Mr- Reilly-King:

Pdf of letter

Executive Directors to the World Bank
World Bank Group
1818 H Street, NW, MC 13-137
Washington, DC 20433, USA

Re: Statement on the IFC-financed Marlin Mine, Guatemala by Civil Society Organizations

Dear Mr. Executive Director,

March 24, 2006

The Honourable James Flaherty
Minister of Finance
Department of Finance Canada
140 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G5

Re: Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative

Dear Minister Flaherty,

Last July, at the Gleneagles Group of Eight (G-8) Summit the Canadian government agreed to cancel the debts of 18 developing countries through what has subsequently become known as the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). The MDRI covers International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Development Association (IDA) and African Development Fund (AfDF) debt. While we welcomed the historic commitment to 100% debt cancellation, we were equally concerned that the initiative did not go far enough in terms of the countries covered and its foundation in the deeply flawed Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative.

December 15, 2005

The Honourable Ralph Goodale
Minister of Finance
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON,
K1A 0H5

Dear Minister Goodale,

The IMF is proposing to delay debt cancellation for 6 of the 18 countries that have already reached HIPC Completion Point. The IMF Board will decide to accept or reject the staff recommendation to further require 6 countries to undertake structural reforms next Wednesday.

We applauded your efforts in July and again in September to ensure that countries at, or upon reaching World Bank and International Monetary Fund "Completion Point" would receive immediate full cancellation of debts owed to the IMF, International Development Association and African Development Fund. The IMF is now proposing that at least 6 of the 18 have to wait to receive immediate debt cancellation until they further restructure their economies as per IMF advice.

Recieved December 21, 2005.

2005FIN174335

Mr. Graham Saul
International Program Director
Friends of the Earth Canada
Co-Chair of the Halifax Initiative Coalition
153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, ON KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Saul:

Thank you for your correspondence of November 1, 2005 regarding the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) revision of its environmental and social safeguard policies.

The IFC's Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability are of fundamental importance not only for the operations of the IFC, but more broadly for the lead role that the IFC plays in setting standards for the private sector worldwide. Recognizing the importance of this IFC review, the Department of Finance has consulted closely with other government departments as well as with interested non-governmental organizations to formulate its recommendations.

October 13, 2005

The Right Honourable Paul Martin
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister,

We are writing to support the development of new legal and policy tools that would help ensure Canadian companies adhere to international human rights and environmental obligations when they operate overseas.

Many Canadian companies make important contributions to local economies. However, the human rights and environmental practices of some Canadian companies operating abroad are a growing concern. In recent years, allegations of forced dislocation, assaults and even killings by security forces, contamination of lands, support for repressive regimes, and violation of workers' and indigenous rights, have been associated with the activities of specific Canadian companies.

For pdf click here.

September 12, 2005

The Right Honourable Paul Martin
Prime Minister of Canada
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A2

RE: Canadian NGOs Call on Canada to Demonstrate Leadership at Upcoming Meetings to Push International Community to take Action to Eradicate Poverty

Dear Prime Minister,

As you know this September is a critical month for the World's poor. Two major events, the UN World Summit and the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, offer the opportunity for the world community and Canada to demonstrate its commitment to eradicate poverty.

As Paul Wolfowitz begins work today (June 1) as the 10th President of the World Bank, 303 civil society groups from 62 countries have sent him a letter protesting the World Bank's destructive policies as well as the lack of democracy and accountability that allowed him to become its president.  Halifax Initiative worked with international colleagues to help draft the letter and a number of Canadian organizations and coalitions have endorsed it.

March 29, 2005

The Honourable James Peterson
Minister of International Trade
125 Sussex Drive
Tower B, 5th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2

R.e.: Disclosure of information at Export Development Canada

Dear Mr. Peterson

I am writing you on behalf of the Halifax Initiative Coalition, a Coalition of development, environment, faith-based, human rights and labour groups, regarding Export Development Canada’s (EDC) disclosure policy.

APR 12, 2005

2005FIN157471

Mr. John Mihevc
Chair
Halifax Initiative Coalition
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, ON KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Mihevc:

Thank you for your correspondence of March 17, 2005, in which you raised concerns about the U.S. nominee, Dr. Paul Wolfowitz, for the position of President of the World Bank. I appreciate your views.

On March 31, Canada joined the consensus of World Bank shareholders to select Dr. Wolfowitz as the tenth President of the World Bank. Prior to this decision, Canada and other member countries, through their Executive Directors, had discussions with Dr. Wolfowitz on issues related to the Bank's policies, programs and ongoing mission of poverty reduction.

Received July 8, 2005

Mr. Michael Bassett
Halifax Initiative Coalition
Coordinator, Make Poverty History Campaign
104 - 153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, Ontario KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Bassett:

As Minister of International Cooperation, I am pleased to respond to your letter to the Prime Minister, regarding Canada's level of aid to developing countries.

Click here for PDF

March 7, 2005

The Right Honourable Paul Martin
Prime Minister of Canada
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A2

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

On behalf of the Halifax Initiative Coalition, I write to seek clarification on Canada's position on the use of innovative financial measures to generate new and additional revenue for development assistance.

The permanent resolution of the debt crisis requires not only the unconditional cancellation of 100% of the multilateral debts owed by impoverished countries, but the provision of additional Official Development Assistance (ODA) to enable them to meet and exceed the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is widely recognized that a significant increase in official transfers is a precondition for meeting the target of halving extreme world poverty by 2015.

April 8, 2005

2005FIN153718

Mr. John Mihevc and co-signatories
Chair
Halifax initiative Coalition
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, ON KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Mihevc and co-signatories:

Thank you for your correspondence of January 28, 2005 regarding debt relief, additional financing and other development issues. I apologize for the delay of my reply.

January 13, 2005.

Mr. Marcel Mass
Canadian Executive Director
World Bank Group
MC-12-175, 1818 H St. N.W.,
Washington, DC 20433, USA
Fax: (202) 477-4155

Re: Deaths linked to IFC-funded Glamis gold mine

Dear Mr. Mass

On behalf of the Halifax Initiative Coalition, I am writing to bring to your attention the reported tragic death on January 11 of at least one Guatemalan citizen who was blockading the road leading to the International Finance Corporation (IFC)-funded Marlin gold mine in the western highlands of Guatemala.

Marlin Gold is being operated by Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A., a 100% subsidiary of Glamis Gold, a Canadian company trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. On June 3, 2004, IFC's Board approved $45 million in support for the greenfield project.

December 9, 2004

Mr. Gilles Ross
Acting President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 1K3

Dear Mr. Ross,

In July 2003, the NGO Working Group on EDC, a Working Group of the Halifax Initiative Coalition, filed a complaint with EDC's Compliance Officer. The complaint alleged that EDC had failed to comply with a number of its policies in supporting the Cernavoda 2 nuclear reactor in Romania, and provided evidence to substantiate the allegations. EDC's Compliance Officer investigated the complaint, an internal audit was conducted, reports released in May and June, and the file closed on June 15th 2004.

Please find attached some comments outlining our experience in using this mechanism, and a number of broader and more specific recommendations on improving EDC's compliance mechanism that flow from the lessons we learned in filing the complaint and best practices among other institutions.

October 20, 2004

Mr. Gilles Ross
Acting President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor Street
Ottawa, ON  K1A 1K3

Dear Mr. Ross,

We recognize the changes that EDC has made over the past few years to enhance transparency, increase consultation and ensure internal compliance.

It is in this context of openness that we are writing to inquire whether you are considering providing any sort of loan, insurance, guarantee or other form of financial assistance for the troubled Inco Goro Nickel mine in New Caledonia, a project which would appear to violate EDC’s environmental guidelines.

SEP 28 2004
 
Mr. John Mihevc Chair
Halifax Initiative Coalition
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, Ontario
KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Mihevc:

Thank you for your letter in which you raised the issues of International Development Association (IDA) governance, debt relief and the independent review of the World Bank's role in extractive industries. With respect to the latter issue, I understand that my officials have been corresponding with the Halifax Initiative on your concerns.

Sep 24 2004

Mr. John Mihevc Chair

Halifax Initiative Coalition

104-153 Chapel Street Ottawa, Ontario

KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Mihevc:

Mr. Ian Gillespie
President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O'Connor, Ottawa, ON K1A 1K3
Fax: (613) 598-3080

July 15, 2004

Re: EDC Support for the Belene Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Bulgaria

Dear Mr. Gillespie:

It is my understanding that Export Development Canada (EDC) may have already tentatively agreed to provide financing to the Belene Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Bulgaria, if Atomic Energy Canada Limited (AECL) are successful in their bid to win the contract for the nuclear facility.

June 15, 2004

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa ON KIN 1H5

Re: Compliance program file number 2236-4-1-2003

Dear Mr. Reilly-King:

This letter is a follow-up to my letter of May 7, 2004 and should serve as the conclusion of the Halifax Initiative complaint.

Your letter of complaint dated July 28, 2003 regarding the Cernavoda 2 nuclear power plant transaction came within EDC's compliance program. It was accepted and followed the compliance program process. A recommendation that a compliance audit be conducted was made to EDC Executive Management (Management) in October of 2003.

Management accepted the recommendation and the work was divided into two parts.

May 7, 2004

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa ON KIN 1H5

Re: Compliance program file number 2236-4-1-2003

April 16, 2004

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa, ON  K1N 1H5

Re: Compliance program file number 2236-4-1-2003

Dear Mr. Reilly-King,
 

Mr. Ian Gillespie

President and CEO

Export Development Canada

151 O’Connor, Ottawa, ON  K1A 1K3

Fax: (613) 598-3080

March 18, 2003

Re: Disclosure policies at EDC

Dear Mr. Gillespie:

It is my understanding that Export Development Canada will be reviewing its disclosure policy later in the year.

January 20, 2004

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa, Ontario
KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Reilly-King:

I would like to thank you for your letter of November 20 regarding the OECD Common Approaches on Environment and Officially-Supported Export Credits and to take this opportunity to thank you for the comments you provided before the negotiation of the final text of the Common Approaches.

Your comments are always appreciated. We found them constructive and relevant, and they helped us prepare for the negotiations in Paris.

Washington DC,
December 1st 2003

Dear UN delegations active in the Second Committee;

We, the undersigned NGOs, are encouraged that the UN General Assembly Second Committee is taking the UN Financing for Development (FFD) process seriously by giving careful consideration to proposals made at the High Level Dialogue of the General Assembly (past October 29-30th, New York).

The Financing for Development conference meant an unprecedented effort to build a consensus among a broad set of stakeholders, including international organizations, civil society and the private sector, on means for financing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals. However, as some delegations noted during the High Level Dialogue, the Monterrey Consensus was never a finished product, but rather a point of departure. In fact, the credibility of the Financing for Development follow up process hinges upon its ability to build on the broad language of the Monterrey consensus to provide concrete proposals that effectively address the key issues that hinder the availability of resources for development in our time.

November 20, 2003

Mr. A. Ian Gillespie
President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor Street,
Ottawa, ON K1A 1K3

The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew
Minister of International Trade
Department of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive, Tower B, 5th Floor
Ottawa, ON   K1A 0G2

Dear Minister Pettigrew and Mr. Gillespie,

Thank you for forwarding me Rev. 2 of the OECD “Common Approaches on Environment and Officially Support Export Credits 2003.”

November 3, 2003

Jeff Immelt, Chief Executive Officer

General Electric

3135 Easton Turnpike

Fairfield, Connecticut, 06828

October 31, 2003

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King

Coordinator

NGO Working Group on EDC

Halifax Initiative

153 Chapel Street, Suite 104

Ottawa, ON  K1N 1H5

Dear Mr. Reilly-King:

This is in reply to your letter of September 5th regarding the Yamula Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant in Kayseri Province, Turkey.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project is likely to go to the World Bank Board of Directors on October 30, 2003. A review of the Environmental Impact Assessment shows it in violation of almost all of World Bank policies.

Letter to Marcel Masse, Canadian Executive Director of the World Bank Group

Executive Summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment

October 27, 2003

Mr. A. Ian Gillespie
President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor street,
Ottawa, ON   K1A 1K3

The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew
Minister of International Trade
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
125 Sussex Drive, Tower B, 5th Floor
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0G2

Re.: Draft OECD recommendation on Common Approaches on Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits: 2003 Review – Revised version 1

Dear Mr. Gillespie and Minister Pettigrew:

Thank you for giving us this opportunity to comment on the ‘Common Approaches on Environment and Officially Supported Export Credits: 2003 Review – Revised version 1’ (Rev. 1).

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Coordinator
NGO Working Group on EDC
153 rue Chapel Street, #104
Ottawa, ON K1N 1H5
CANADA

Dear Mr. Reilly-King,

Thank you for your letter, dated 2 October 2003, concerning the visit of a delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy to Rosia Montana, Romania. I noted both the various aspects of the possible implementation of a gold/silver mining project in Rosia Montana – as described in your letter – and the great importance attached by many representatives of civil society both in Romania and abroad, including, of course, the NGO Working Group on the EDC, to the visit of Members of the European Parliament to Rosia Montana.

Pat Cox, President

The European Parliament
Rue Wiertz PHS 11B11
B - 1047 Brussels, Belgium
Fax: 011 32 2 2849363
E-mail: pcox@europarl.eu.int

A. Ian Gillespie

President

Export Development Canada

151 OConnor

Ottawa, ON  K1A 1K3

September 5, 2003

Dear Mr. Gillespie:

I am writing you with regards to potential EDC involvement in the Yamula Dam, in the Kayseri province of Central Turkey.

James Wolfensohn
President
World Bank
1818H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
USA

August 21, 2003

Dear Mr. Wolfensohn,

The fight against corruption is a central part of the World Bank mission to reduce poverty and improve the quality of people's lives.

The World Bank response to the loss of Acres International's appeal in the Lesotho Highlands Water Project of Friday, August 15th, 2003, will be indicative of how the World Bank approaches the fight against corruption.

We urge you to debar Acres International from future Bank-financed contracts. We also ask that all existing World Bank contracts with Acres be subject to review to determine whether Acres bid was carried out in a legal manner.

August 20, 2003

Señor Doctor Ricardo Lagos
Presidente de la República de Chile
Palacio de la Moneda
Santiago, Chile

Fax: 011-56-2 690-4020

Dear President Lagos:

During your recent visit to Canada, a coalition of North American Organizations sent you a letter highlighting our concerns about Canadian Noranda Inc.’s proposal to build an aluminum smelter in Patagonia. We encouraged you to use all of your influence to ensure that this project does not proceed in its current form and destroy one of the last unspoiled treasures of the planet, and a vibrant regional and local economy.

July 28, 2003

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
NGO Working Group on the EDC
Halifax Initaitive
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 1H5

Dear Mr. Reilly-King:

Thank you for your letter of May 16, 2003, concerning the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Project in China. I regret the delay in replying to you.

July 14, 2003

President Ricardo Lagos
Government of Chile
C/o Chilean Embassy
50 O’Connor Street
Ottawa, ON  K1P 6L2

Fax: (613) 235-1176

Dear President Lagos:

Re: Noranda’s investment in Chile and the case of Alumysa

On the occasion of your visit to Canada and your meeting with Prime Minister Chrétien, we are writing to you concerning Noranda Inc.’s proposal to build an aluminum smelter in the Aisen region of Southern Patagonia, Chile.

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Coordinator
NGO Working Group on the EDC
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa ON K1N 1H5
Dear Mr. Reilly-King:
Thank you for your letter of April 22, concerning export credit agency reform and the G8 Environment Ministers' Meeting held April 25-27 in Paris, France.

July 2, 2003

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa, ON  K1N 1H5
Dear Mr. Reilly-King

I wish to respond to your letter of May 16 in which you raise a number of questions concerning Export Development Canada’s practice of assessing human rights issues related to transactions that we may consider for support.

You suggest that I intervene with the Chinese authorities in the development of the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Project. While EDC continues to follow developments concerning the project, your request is more appropriately addressed to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. Canadian foreign policy and government-to-government relations are quite properly handled by political authorities, not export credit agencies. This is consistent with actions taken by the Swiss government.

June 18, 2003

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King

Halifax Initiative

153 Chapel Street

Suite 104

Ottawa, Ontario

K1N 1H5

Dear Mr. Reilly-King

Globe and Mail, Saturday, May 31st.

May 16, 2003

The Hon. Bill Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0G2
Fax: (613) 996-3443

Dear Minister Graham:

Thank you for your letter of March 17, in response to the human rights concerns we raised with regards to the Three Gorges Dam, and Canada’s involvement in the project through Export Development Canada. We also received a response from EDC.

You are right to acknowledge the energy needs of the Chinese population, and to observe that relative to the total project budget of USD$24 billion, Canada contribution was minor. But this should not diminish the significance of the USD$165.5 million in financing that EDC provided, nor should it downplay the fact that as the first export credit agency to become involved in the project, EDC set an example for others to follow.

Update on submergence

May 13, 2003

Mr. Ian Gillespie
President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor
Ottawa, ON  K1A 1K3

Dear Mr. Gillespie:

Re: Reporting out of the Compliance Officer in the EDC 2002 Annual report

Yolanda Banks, Corporate Social Responsibility Advisor, kindly forwarded us two copies of Export Development Canada’s (EDC) 2002 Annual Report, which we read with great interest.

We appreciate that this year a principal focus of EDC’s public policy objectives was to highlight the existence of its new Compliance Officer (CO) position and increase awareness of the position among different groups at EDC, and among corporations and civil society. The meetings you held and the disclosure of information on EDC’s web site helped realize this goal.

 Mr. Marcel Massé

Executive Director for Canada

The World Bank

1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20433 U.S.A.

                                                            May 12, 2003

Dear Mr. Massé,

Marcel Massé

Executive Director

April 14, 2003

Ms. Robin Round
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada KIN lH5

Dear Robin,

It was a pleasure meeting you, Derek and Karen today. I very much enjoyed our chat on issues of mutual interest, notably water and the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative. You have our sincerest thanks for taking a keen interest in Guyana and for devoting so much resources to our mutual goals of poverty reduction and social equity.

March 6th, 2003

Derek Pannell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Noranda Inc.
207 Queen’s Quay West, Suite 800
Toronto, ON  M5J 1A7
Fax: (416) 982-7423

Dear Mr. Panell:

We are writing you to express our extreme disappointment at Noranda’s proposed aluminum smelter in the Aysén region of Chile, known to be one of the three least contaminated areas on the planet.

January 17, 2003

The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew
Minister of International Trade
125 Sussex Drive
Tower B, 5th Floor
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0G2
Fax: (613) 944-2509/0455

cc.  The Honourable Bill Graham
      Minister of Foreign Affairs
      Ottawa

      Mr. Ian Gillespie
      President and CEO, Export Development Canada
      Ottawa
 
Re: Human rights violations in the Three Gorges Project

Dear Minister Pettigrew:

We would like to bring to your attention the massive human rights violations entailed in the resettlement program for the Three Gorges Project in China. Canada is involved in this project through export credit guarantees granted by Export Development Canada.

Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A2

December 22, 2002

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

December 12, 2002

Mr. James Wolfensohn
President
The World Bank Group
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20433 U.S.A.

Dear Mr. Wolfensohn,

We are writing to express dismay at the recent Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman report on the MIGA guarantee of the Bulyanhulu gold mine and to request your urgent intervention.

The CAO is a mechanism that non-governmental organizations have pushed hard to establish. Your personal support for the initiative played a major role in ensuring that the CAO was established. As all parties have observed, the CAO's effectiveness rests on the respect and trust it enjoys amongst the public: integrity, transparency, even¬handedness and thoroughness are thus critical to all aspects of its work.

Mr. Ian Gillespie
President
Export Development Canada
151 O'Connor
Ottawa Ontario
KlA 1K3

23 October, 2002

Dear Mr. Gillespie,

It is with grave concern that we write you today regarding potential EDC support for expanding projects of the International Nickel Company (INCO) in Indonesia.

As you may be aware, the history of INCO's mining activity in Indonesia is not characterized by consensual relations with affected communities nor by respect for basic environmental standards.

August 14, 2002

Ms. Pamela Foster
Coordinator
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 1H5

Dear Ms. Foster,

This is in reply to your letter of July 11, 2002, regarding possible Export Development Canada (EDC) support for the Cernovoda Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Two.

The Honourable John Manley
Minister of Finance House of Commons
Ottawa, K1A 0A6

July 19, 2002

Dear Minister Manley,

Southern Africa is facing its worst food crisis in over a decade, with millions of people facing starvation. The UN World Food Programme has launched an emergency appeal for assistance, and Canada is responding promptly and generously.

As development, human rights, church and environmental organizations, our concern extends beyond the need for emergency aid. We are dismayed to see millions of dollars continue to be taken out of the region by creditors like the World Bank.

The World Bank has released its long awaited draft policy on forests. It severely weakens the existing Operational (OP) Policy on Forests of 1993. Environmental group pressure led to the current policy that bans Bank funding of logging in primary moist tropical forests. Over the past several years, the World Bank has sought to resume financing of "sustainable forest management" activities in the World's dwindling primary forests, particularly in the tropics.

Letter signed on by NGOs.

Mr. James D. Wolfensohn
President
The World Bank
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20433

Re: Draft Operational Policy on Forests

Dear Mr. Wolfensohn,

We are writing to you to express our dismay and rejection of the current draft OP on Forests which was placed on the World Bank's website on June 10, 2002.

May 31, 2002
 
Mr. Ian Gillespie
President and Chief Executive Officer
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 1K3

Dear Mr. Gillespie:

I am writing you today on behalf of the NGO Working Group on Export Development Canada to bring to your attention the recent policy developments at the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) of the United States with regard to supporting renewable energy projects and to ask EDC to adopt Ex-Im’s approach to this important sector.

May 10, 2002

Ms. Melanie Quevillon

Coordinator

NGO Working Group on the Export Development Corporation

Halifax Initiative

153 Chapel Street, Suite 105

Ottawa, ON K1N 1H5

Dear Ms. Quevillon:

Thank you for your facsimilie of April 8, concerning the G-8 Environment Ministers meeting held in Banff on April 12-14. I am enclosing, for your information, a copy of the Banff Ministerial Statement on the World Summit on Sustainable Development adopted at the close of the meeting.

Hon. Paul Martin, Minister of Finance
House of Commons
Centre Block, 309-S
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

April 30, 2002

Dear Mr. Martin,

On behalf of the Halifax Initiative, I write seeking clarification as to whether and why the Government of Canada no longer supports the Tobin tax. When questioned by Lorne Nystrom in the House, John McCallum, Secretary of State for Financial Institutions said that he "would commend the government for ceasing to support a Tobin tax because I think it is a pretty bad tax." (House of Commons Hansard, 21 March 2002).

March 20, 2002

Ms. Melanie Quevillon
NGO Working Group on the EDC
Halifax Initiative/Canada
Suite 104 - 153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, ON K1N 1H5

Dear Ms. Quevlioon:

On behalf of the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, I would like to thank you for your correspondence regarding Romania's nuclear energy policies.

Please be assured that your comments have been given careful consideration. I am certain that the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew,  Minister for International Trade, to whom you indicate a copy of your correspondence has already been forwarded, will also have appreciated being made aware of your views.

Yours sincerely,

S. Russell
Exectuive Correspondence Officer

The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Centre Block, 309-S
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

March 14, 2002

Dear Prime Minister,

We are writing to you, as representatives of Canadian non-governmental organizations, to express our dismay at the proposed outcomes of the UN Financing for Development process and Canada’s role in the negotiations leading to it. We call urgently for renewed leadership on the road to Kananaskis.

March 5th, 2002

The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister
Government of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada       K1A 0A2
(613) 941-6900

Subject: Cernavoda 2 Nuclear Power Plant project in Romania, EDC export credit approval

Dear Prime Minister Chrétien,

We are writing you to express our deep concern about the possibility that Export Development Canada (EDC) will approve $390 million ($250 million US) in financing for the completion of the second CANDU reactor of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (C2) in Romania.

June 29, 2001
 
Response to the Export Development Corporation’s Draft Disclosure Policy
 
by the NGO Working Group on the Export Development Corporation a working group of the Halifax Initiative
 
The NGO Working Group on the Export Development Corporation (WG) is a coalition of Canadian non-governmental organisations concerned about the social, human and environmental impacts of export credit agencies. The Working Group promotes adherence by export credit agencies, especially Canada’s Export Development Corporation, to internationally accepted standards regarding human rights, the environment and sustainable development. The Working Group is hosted by the Halifax Initiative Coalition.
 

7 February 2001

President Gustavo NoboaPalacio de Gobierno
García Moreno 1043
Quito
Ecuador

Dear President Noboa:

We write to you as representatives of civil-society organizations concernedabout the impact of IMF- and World Bank-imposed structural adjustment programs around the world. We are alarmed by reports of violent suppression by your government of the legitimate public protests against the most recently implemented adjustment program in Ecuador. We urge you to cease this repression and to launch a national dialogue to find lasting solutions to the pressing economic and social problems confronting your country.

Terrie O' Leary
Executive Director for Canada
World Bank Group
1818 H St. NW
Washington, DC  20433
June 4, 2000

Dear Ms. O' Leary,

We are writing to express our serious concerns related to a proposed IFC investment, the Niger Delta Contractor Revolving Credit Facility, and to urge you to vote against this project.  This project involves IFC and the Shell Petroleum Development Company teaming up to provide credit to Nigerian contractors who are providing services to Shell.

May 19, 2000

The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew
Minister for International Trade

Dear Minister Pettigrew:

The federal government is considering whether changes should be made in the way that the Export Development Corporation (EDC) operates, a Canadian taxpayer-supported agency, assists Canadian business interests abroad. The choices that the federal government makes about how EDC operates will have significant social and environmental consequences.

As a Crown corporation, EDC pays no taxes, enjoys limited liability, and its credit is backed by the Canadian government. Yet it operates largely in secret. Unlike other government agencies, EDC is not subject to the Access to Information Act, and it keeps the projects it funds a secret. It has no binding standards requiring its projects to adhere to well-accepted social, environmental, labour or human rights standards.

Francois Page
Advisor to the Executive Director for Canada
World Bank
1818 H street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20433

Fax: 1-202-477-4155

16 July, 1999

Dear Mr. Page;,

Please thank Ms. O"Leary for forwarding to us the Draft Final Report on the Fuel for Thought: Environmental Strategy for the Energy Sector and the Proposal to Establish a Prototype Carbon Fund. We appreciate their provision in order to enable us to provide more relevant input to the Board discussion on July 20th. As you know, the Bank did not share your commitment to transparency. The Bank decision not to release the Strategy publicly is, as you can imagine, a great disappointment to all of us who have been engaged in consultations on this Strategy over the past year. We would appreciate if Canada can express its concern that the Strategy was not publicly released prior to the Board meeting.

June 11, 1999

To the leaders of the Group of Seven nations,

At next week's Summit in Cologne, you will be discussing new directions for public policy governing global markets in order to help prevent or mitigate future financial crises. Measures currently under discussion, including strengthened financial sector supervision, surveillance and transparency, while commendable if adopted, are insufficient to prevent future crises. Similar measures endorsed at your Summit in Halifax in1995 in the wake of the Mexican peso crisis, although not fully adopted, were unable to prevent or even anticipate the South East Asian crash of 1997. Clearly, bolder measures are required.

March 15, 1999

February 1, 1999

Citizen's Declarations are pouring in - thanks for sending and sharing them!  Note that the Halifax Intiative site (www. sierraclub.ca/national/halifax)  now has an automatic email sendback for those wishing to sign the Citizen's Declaration on line.

I have included text of two letters recently sent to MPs in this mailout and urge you to use them (if you wish) in your letterwriting to your MP.

The Canadian Labour Congress has just posted its "Put the Brakes on Currency Speculation" campaign on its homepage and from it you can fax your MP directly. Visit the Canadian Labour Congress site and click the FAX YOUR MP icon. Select the "Put the Brakes on Currency Speculation" campaign, type in your name and postal code, and a draft letter(which you can edit) to your MP will appear on your screen. Edit and send!