Taxing Currency Transactions - From Feasibility to Implementation (October 2001)

Conference Papers - Vancouver, October 4-6, 2001

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Between Oct 4 - 6, 2001, Halifax Initiative hosted a conference "Taxing Currency Transactions - From Feasibility to Implementation" which attracted sixty participants from eighteen countries including: Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The progamme included an evening public forum on Oct 4th attended by over 110 people and the two-day conference.

October 4 – 6, 2001

Vancouver, BC, CANADA

 

----- AGENDA -----

 

Thursday, October 4, 2001

 

Public Forum - “Tax the Banks - Share the Wealth”

7:30 – 9:30pm

Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre – Fletcher Challenge Room

515 West Hastings St.

 

Moderator: Linda McQuaig, journalist & author

 

PANEL: 

 

1. Rodney Schmidt, Canadian economist,

 

2. Steve Tibbett, Tobin Tax activist (UK),

 

3. John Langmore, United Nations representative

 

This public forum will provide an opportunity for leading currency transactions tax experts from around the world to engage Vancouver citizens in discussions on how the globalization of finance is contributing to social inequity and how the trend can be reversed through the re-regulation of capital. Two hundred attendees are anticipated.

 

Friday, October 5, 2001

 

Conference Day 1 - Taxing Currency Transactions – From Feasibility to Implementation

8:15am – 5:30pm Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue

580 West Hastings St.


The success of the global movement in favour of currency transactions taxes is contingent upon its intellectual evolution. Day 1 expert panels will provide the opportunity for analysis and debate on the most critical questions associated with currency transactions taxes. Each panel will be followed by 20 minutes of discussion.

 

8:15 – 8:55 Registration

 

9:00 sharp Welcoming Remarks

  • Robin Round, Policy Analyst and Conference Coordinator, Halifax Initiative

 

9:10 Keynote Address

  • Ken Georgetti, President, Canadian Labour Congress

 

9:30 Panel #1 – Technical Feasibility

  • Chair: John Dillon - KAIROS (Canada)

  • Rodney Schmidt – IDRC (Canada)

  • Dean Baker - CEPR (USA)

 

10:30 COFFEE (20 minutes)

 

10:50 Panel #2 – Tax Rate Efficiency

  • Chair: Marc Lee - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

  • Paul Bernd Spahn – University of Frankfurt (Germany)

  • Bruno Jetin – ATTAC (France)

  • David Felix - Washington University (US)

 

12:10 LUNCH (1 hour 15 minutes - local restaurants)

 

13:25 Panel #3 – Political Feasibility

  • Chair: Bob Baldwin - Canadian Labour Congress

  • Lorne Nystrom – Member of Parliament – (Canada)

  • Glyn Ford - Member European Parliament (UK)

  • Leticia Burgos Ochoa – Senator (Mexico)

  • Jacques-chai Chomthongdi - Focus on the Global South (Thailand)

  • Jörg Huffschmid, Bremen University (Germany)

 

15:15 COFFEE (20 minutes)

 

15:35 Panel #4 – Implementation – Legal and Administrative Arrangements

  • Chair: Pam Foster - Halifax Initiative (Canada)

  • Heikki Patomaki – NIGD – (Finland)

  • Robin Round - Halifax Initiative (Canada)

  • John Langmore - United Nations (US)

 

16:55 Panel #5 – Revenue Partition and Redistribution

  • Chair: Brian O'Neill - Oxfam Canada

  • Steve Tibbett – War on Want (UK)

  • Ruthanne Cecil – CEED (USA)

 

17:55 Day 1 – Closing

 

20:00 Dinner for all Registered Participants at Local Restaurant featuring fine BC Cuisine

 

Saturday, October 6, 2001

  • Conference Day 2 - Taxing Currency Transactions – From Feasibility to Implementation

9:30am – 5:30pm

  • Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre – Segal Centre
    515 West Hastings St.
    The success of a populist movement is contingent upon the continuing and expanding engagement of citizens, academics, institutions and political officials. Day 2 will focus on the development of shared and complementary strategies and tactics to advance the CTT debate globally. Breakout sessions will focus on select issue areas as well as sectoral political strategies and cross-sectoral activities. All groups will report back at a closing plenary.

9:30  Issue Working Groups

  • Technical Feasibility

  • Tax Rate

  • Legal and Administrative Arrangements

  • Revenue Partition and Redistribution

10:45 COFFEE (15 minutes)

 

11:00 Issue Working Groups Continue

 

12:15 LUNCH (local restaurants)

 

13:30 Political Strategy Working Groups

  • UN Financing For Development

  • Europe

  • Americas

  • Asia

  • Canada/BC/Vancouver

15:30 COFFEE (30 minutes)

 

16:00 Closing Plenary

  • Reports back from all Working Groups

  • Closing Remarks

17:30 Conference Closes