This past June, José Aviles and Rubén Naichap, two Ecuadorian men who claim to be leaders of indigenous organizations in Ecuador, accused Ottawa-based Mining Watch Canada of supporting ‘the Economic, Cultural and Social Genocide of the Shuar people’; and of helping to keep ‘the Indigenous People of the Amazon in Poverty.’
In one of two letters written to Mining Watch, Mr. Naichap also says they “endorsed, promoted, and supported a small group of individuals who marched on the EcuaCorriente camp (December 3, 2006)”, allegedly intent on “burning down [Vancouver-based Corriente Resources's] exploration camp.”
For my position it’s impossible to verify what happened on December 3, but I read the so-called endorsement. It’s an urgent action notice sent out on December 14 which details the human rights abuses that occurred against the People …
The fact that corporations and governments feel compelled to spend billions of dollars every year manipulating the public is a perverse tribute to human nature and our own moral values. The public relations industry has stolen our dreams, and returned them to us packaged as illusions. It must be our duty to dream more deeply, and to participate in the process of transforming those dreams into reality. —quote from the book “Toxic Sludge Is Good For You,” 1995
Based on the book of the same name, “Toxic Sludge Is Good For You” is a film that examines the advertising industry’s invisible partner, the public relations industry.
The film tracks the development of the PR industry from early efforts to win popular American support for World War I to the role of ‘crisis management’ in controlling the damage to a client’s image.
It also analyzes the tools used by public relations professionals to …
In recent months there have been major concerns with Nisgaa Treaty, Lheidli Tenneh Treaty, and Tsawwassen Treaty. Each of these are in their own right threatening to the respective Nations (regardless of anything that speaks to the contrary. The presence of good does not mean the absence of bad.) — but it’s not just the treaties which are a concern.
There’s also concern with what the proponents of these treaties are doing to have them ratified. They are using coercion, bribery, and deceit — effectively molesting the people so they can get their way.
Oh the proponents are more than willing to provide the potential for democracy — but only so as long as it’s advantageous to their interests. The moment democracy no longer “works” however, it’s tossed out faster than you can say “Canada.”
A video just posted on Wasase reiterates …
I’ve been meaning to post this for a while now, and thought it was about time I did so. This page is a look at “logical fallacies:” what they are, how they are used, and what we can do to overcome them.
A logical fallacy is defined as errors of logic in an argument that has nothing to do with the actual argument, but they are much more than that. In everyday life, they’re linguistic and emotion-fuelled “tricks” used to manipulate people, sell products, win arguments, spin the truth, and even convict people in courts of law.
Colonial society is absolutely riddled with logical fallacies. We find them in commercials and movies, on the front page of cosmopolitan, and even inside cereal boxes. We find them in Papal Bulls, in Constitutions, and even in National Anthems. Many people use them …
Canadian Ambassador to Guatemala Spreads Misinformation About Mining Conflict
Written by Rights Action
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
A Public Letter To:
Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, MacKay.P@parl.gc.ca
James Lambert, Director General, Latin America and Caribbean Bureau, DFAIT, james.lambert@international.gc.ca
Kenneth Cook, Canadian Ambassador to Guatemala, kenneth.cook@international.gc.ca
RE: Canadian ambassador to Guatemala spreads misinformation about film documenting indigenous Mayan Q’eqchi’ communities forcibly evicted on behalf of nickel mining company Skye Resources
Dear Sirs,
We, the undersigned, write with deep concern over the recent conduct of Canadian ambassador to Guatemala, Kenneth Cook. Ambassador Cook has been misinforming people about the work of Canadian doctoral student Steven Schnoor, who has been in Central America for several months conducting CIDA-funded research, in collaboration with Rights Action and various Guatemalan organizations and communities. The ambassador’s allegations also prejudice public perception of the territorial claims of indigenous Mayan Q’eqchi’ communities affected by Canadian mining company Skye Resources.
Multiple sources, including Guatemalan …
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