Other Institutions (G8, G20, UN Fora, etc.) Reports and Analysis
Section Articles
Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) Submission regarding the April 2008 Report of the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative on Business and Human Rights
This submission provides feedback regarding the final report to the first part of the Special Representative's mandate.
Letter to John Ruggie re HRIA - September 24, 2006
This letter to John Ruggie, UN Special Representative to the Secretary General on Business and Human Rights, outlines the principles that individuals involved in Rights & Democracy's Human Rights Impact Assessment for communities feel are essential to any HRIA developed by governments or companies.
Calling for a "Made in Canada" Proposal for 100 Percent Debt Cancellation
The G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Berlin is an opportunity for Canada to deliver on the many promises made for Canadian values to be reflected internationally. It can do this by securing support for 100 percent debt cancellation for the more than 50 poorest countries that need debt cancellation to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
Reality Bites: A Rebuttal of the IMF's 'Common Criticisms: Some Responses.' (September 2003)
The IMF often seems to think its lack of popularity is due to misunderstandings or misrepresentation of its role. A recent IMF promotional publication ("Common Criticisms: Some Responses"), using a question and answer format, attempts to present its actions in a more favorable light. Questions include: "Do IMF-supported programs favor bankers and elites?" and "Is the IMF dominated by the G-7 (especially the U.S. Treasury)?" The answers to those questions, which could most accurately be a simple "yes," are, for the IMF, an opportunity to do a little spinning. Our rebuttal tries to unwind the spin, and give the straight story on the IMF.
The G8, Globalization and Human Security
"The G8, Globalization and Human Security - a Resource Package and Facilitator's Guide" This package uses the lens of the G8 through which to examine issues of globalization and human security because of the central role the G8 plays in economics and global governance. This package was produced by the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation with the support of the Halifax Initiative Coalition.
The Global Environment Facility: The First Ten Years - Growing Pains or Inherent Flaws? (August 2002)
The report offers a succinct overview of the GEF's first ten years, examining some of its history, structure and governance, the conflicting expectations of its participants and the implications of the central role of the World Bank. Co-released with Environmental Defense (August 2003). [ PDF Format]
Marketing the Earth: The World Bank and Sustainable Development (August 2002)
This report, released at the time of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, documents the World Bank's approach to sustainable development in specific sectors addressed in Agenda 21. [PDF format]
G8 Counter Conference, the G6B People's Summit (July 2002)
Final Report on the G6B People's Summit [PDF format ]
Taxing Currency Transactions - From Feasibility to Implementation (October 2001)
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. Conference Papers - Vancouver, October 4-6, 2001
Currency Transactions Tax Implementation - A Proposed Model (September 2001)
Currency Transactions Tax Implementation - A Proposed Model (Robin Round - Halifax Initiative)
Submission to UN Financing for Development (January 2001)
One of the newest and most innovative methods to generate new resources for development involves the regulation and taxation of international capital flows. This paper talks about how currency transactions taxes, adopted nationally and coordinated regionally or internationally, provide a means by which unstable and untaxed capital can be re-regulated in the interest of financial stability and revenue generation for development.
G20 Counter Conference: Democratize it (October 2000)
In October 2000, the Halifax Initiative organized a three day event on the eve of the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Montreal to discuss alternative proposals for the global financial system. The first day comprised of a film festival and Teach-In. An NGO strategy session was held for two days to explore ways the global financial system could contribute to the eradication of poverty and environment sustainability.
Is the Tobin Tax Practicable? (June 2000)
The proposed Tobin tax is a percentage of the quantity of domestic currency converted into foreign currency. It would be collected on all such conversions of domestic currency, and would be treated by participants in the foreign-exchange market as an added cost to each foreign-exchange transaction. The tax cost would be equivalent to the payment processing costs which, though very small, are currently paid on each foreign-exchange transaction (June 2000).
Paper on the Feasibility of a Foreign Exchange Transactions Tax (March 1999)
There is virtually no formal infrastructure for trading foreign exchange. Traders in major banks around the world communicate directly with each other or through a broker. By contrast, the infrastructure for settling foreign exchange trades is becoming increasingly formal, centralised and regulated. This is due to new technology subject to increasing returns to scale and to cooperation between trading and central banks to reduce and eliminate settlement risk.
The World Bank and the G-7: Changing the Climate for Business (June 1997)
The consequences of the World Bank's fossil fuel expansion in the global South are proving devastating for the Earth's climate as greenhouse gases generated in mining and burning of fossil fuels are released into the Earth's atmosphere. The total of World Bank-financed fossil fuel-related emissions for Bank projects since the 1992 Earth Summit will result in 9.5 gigatons of carbon being emitted over the lifetime of the targeted oil, gas and coal fields, pipelines, and power plants;
