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Make Poverty History Canada at the G8 Summit
The Make Poverty History (MPH) delegation posted the following notes from the G8 Summit in Scotland, July 6 to 8, 2005. The delegation included Gerry Barr, MPH co-chair and President-CEO of Canadian Council of International Co-operation (CCIC); Kristen Ostling, Communications Coordinator, CCIC, Mark Fried, Communications & Advocacy Coordinator, Oxfam Canada and Lina Holguin, Oxfam-Québec.
MPH team members at the G8 media centre
Make Poverty History Banners in Edinburgh:
Click to view photos from the G8 Summit
July 8, 2005
Gleneagles
July 8 Make Poverty History News Conference
Today was the day of announcements at Gleneagles. Tony Blair hit the top line messages at his press conference.
Aid is pledged to double to Africa by 2010 - and globally, will increase by 50 billion by the same deadline. Blair said world leaders were determined to drop the export subsidies in the rich economies of the North that allow for below cost dumping of products on developing world markets - a practice that knocks producers in the developing world out of production. Debt - just some of it - will be paid down until it is cancelled. The Prime Minister said that the United States now accepts climate change is a critical problem and is caused by people.
Well there is some real progress in all that...but poverty is not history, not even close.
Bono and Bob Geldoff and Kumi Naidoo (of the Global Call for Action Against Poverty) came next. Kumi pointed out that promising aid by 2010 leaves the world hanging for the next five years. Its like arriving at the Tsunami five years late. Though it sounds like a lot - all that reinvestment in aid by 2010 will leave the rich nations (as a group) performing at about 0.36 of the value of their economies - just half the internationally accepted target of 0.7 percent.
Bob Geldoff was proud of the outcome for Africa - the doubling of aid- and argued it will save lives. Bono gets the frustration - and shares the frustration--but also believes that the moves on aid and debt have been important. They are all right. But the main thing is there is a lot left to do.
Bono was asked by a Canadian reporter; what about Martin? Last year he promised to be a "pain in the butt" to the Prime Minister if Canada failed to adopt the Pearson aid target of 0.7percent. Bono said"I guess I'm going to kick his butt...Canada has lost its chance to lead, but I think he'll come through in time."
Martin answered in a press conference: "My job is to make sure we acheive 0.7 and we are going to do that. His [Bono's] job is to push us to do it faster..."
Well I think there are a lot of Canadians out there who are going to help! Canada may have lost its chance to lead at Gleneagles by failing to adopt the 0.7 target, but it still has the chance to do the right thing!
There were only 8 men in a room at this summit. But in New York, in September, the whole world will show up. That's the place where Canada should announce it is ready to meet the international standard for aid donors. We have a whole summer ahead of us - and great campaign opportunities!
So long from Gleneagles. One down and two to go. Next New York, after that Hong Kong. Good things can happen.
Gerry Barr
Make Poverty History co-chair
Gerry Barr doing media interviews at Gleneagles
July 8, 2005 - Official G8 Gleneagles 2005 documents
July 13, 2005 - G8 communique: More and Better Aid? (Eurodad analysis of the communique)
July 8, 2005 - GCAP statement on the outcome of the G8 Summit
July 6-8, 2005 - Mark Fried of Oxfam Canada reported from the G8 Summit
Bono on 0.7
Paul Martin at Gleneagles
July 7, 2005
Negotiators at Gleneagles began their day with the news that bombs had ripped through London busses killing many and injuring up to 700 Londoners. The effect on the media was immediate. A packed media centre emptied to less than half its previous number as journalists were re-assigned to the shaken city.
The effect on the G8 negotiations is less sure. World leaders will not want the terrorist attack to derail a large negotiating agenda but the London attack will almost certainly cast a shadow. Make Poverty History activists hope the anti poverty agenda survives the impact - so much is at stake and the time is very short.
Rumours from the bargaining table suggest that there will be "announceables" but activists are full of caution. They are concerned that real, but relatively small changes, will be packaged as major changes. We will see.
While activists here are concerned about what the G8 leaders will delivers, everyone is heartened by the energy of the campaigns at home. The Live 8 concerts where a phenomenal boost to the campaign globally. In Canada, our sign on list grew by more than 100,000. Over 135,000 e-mail messages have been delivered to Prime Minister Martin!
And last night in Murrayfield stadium - more than 50,000 citizens packed the "Final Push" concert in Edinburgh...the last of the Live 8 series. The stars were dazzling, the place rocked, citizen energy was through the roof, and one thing seemed sure; G8 leaders may not make poverty history tomorrow. But citizens are no longer willing to see it ignored and world leaders will hear from them!
July 7, 2005
Summary of meeting between Bono and Prime Minister Paul Martin
Jamie Drummond of DATA said:
Bono had a good, tough meeting with Prime Minister Paul Martin Wednesday 6 July, where he challenged Mr. Martin to keep Canada’s promise on development assistance. Bono specifically pressed Mr. Martin to provide 0.5% of national income in aid by 2010, and 0.7% in aid by 2015. And they discussed the importance of delivering $50 billion more in ODA now, especially for areas like education and health. Mr. Martin’s response was enthusiastic and non-committal. Bono insisted he would continue pushing until Canada fulfills its commitment. Press reports to the contrary are erroneous.
Gerry Barr of Canada’s Make Poverty History campaign said:
Bono and Make Poverty History will continue to work hand in hand to convince Mr. Martin. Reaching 0.7% by 2015 is feasible both financially and politically. Canadians have spoken out loud and clear, with over 125,000 messages sent to the PM. Parliament has formally called on the government to achieve 0.7 by 2015.
Mr. Martin doesn’t want to face up to 0.7% at this summit that’s a mistake. We urge Mr. Martin to do his part to make this G8 a historic breakthrough in the fight against poverty. The Prime Minister must fulfill Canada’s obligation to the 1.2 billion people living in poverty.