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).

Marcel Massé

Executive Director for Canada

International Finance Corporation

1818 H St. NW

Washington DC, 20433

 USA

October 8, 2003

Dear Mr Massé,

Commonwealth Foundation
Brunei Darasalaam
July 22nd, 2003

The Role of IFIs
Pamela Foster
Halifax Initiative Coalition

I may have been asked to give this talk as I, among our Commonwealth colleagues, sit closest to Washington. As there is so much experience in the room in addressing issues of the World Bank and the IMF[1], I will merely start a list of all the ways that the IFIs are implicated in the relentless drive towards privatization of public assets.

First, I would like to quickly share two contextual comments regarding this push towards privatization. It must be situated within the drive towards the end of history, or the ultimate global supremacy of US-modeled capitalism. This victory was declared at the end of the Cold War. The end of history envisions the role of the state being limited to maintaining law and order and a sound investment climate.

Alburnus Maior - Bankwatch CEE - Friends of the Earth Canada - Greenpeace Canada - NGO Working Group on EDC - Mineral Policy Center - MiningWatch Canada
Controversial Romanian gold mine plagued by troubles - Canadian company involved
Toronto - June 17, 2003: Gabriel Resources, a Canadian junior mining company that is developing the largest open-pit gold mine in Europe, may have to answer to both public and shareholder scrutiny at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Toronto on June 17th.

Wall Street Journal (10/11)
World Bank Chief Blocks Romanian Gold-Mine Loan

By Neil King Jr.
 

Comments and critiques of EDC’s Environmental Review Directive and recommendations by the Working Group - March 1, 2002

Leaked Documents Show OECD Export Credit Group Fails to Meet Environmental Demands of its Own Ministers, G-8 Leaders

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.

October 8, 1999

Hon. Pierre Pettigrew
Minister for International Trade
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G2

By FAX: 996-8924
Eight pages including this page

Dear Minister Pettigrew,

This letter contains the formal response of the Working Group on the EDC to the Report on the Review of the Export Development Act, conducted by the firm Gowling, Strathy & Henderson.

The Working Group on the EDC is a coalition of Canadian non-governmental organizations concerned about the human and environmental impact of export financing agencies. The Working Group, which is a project of the Halifax Initiative, promotes adherence by export credit agencies, particularly the Export Development Corporation, to internationally accepted standards regarding human rights, environment and sustainable development.