G8

[ianben]

Is G8 talks making the headlines in Canada?

Lots over here in UK "Make poverty history" "More aid and debt relief for Africa" "Global warming"

Will it all be hot air or do things happen at these meetings?

Personnally I think promises are easily made and then forgoten.

Can there be "free" trade with countries with differing standards of living?

Africa sees removal of food subsidies and trade tarifs as their salvation.
How will exporting cheap food from the starving in Africa to the over fed West help.
The west spend less and less of their income on food every year and take it for granted it will be available.

Food is too cheap in the west and too expensive in Africa. Is there a solution?

[cakadu]

Hi ianben. Good to hear from you after such a long stretch. Yes, we are hearing some about the G8, primarily about the clashes between demonstrators and police. There are some peaceful demonstrations of course, but they get overshadowed by the few.

We all heard about the Live 8 concerts over the weekend and I enjoyed watching some of the performances. You have to wonder just how much good the concerts will do. I believe it did raise awareness, but like you wonder how much good it will do in the end. The interesting part about the concerts and the Public Service Announcement they were running about one African dying every 3 seconds, was that some of those celebrities on there could easily have retired the African debt on their own.

I've often wondered why it is that 1.5 million children die every year from something as treatable as diarrhea and the biggest selling drug around the globe is a "little blue pill". You know who the drug companies are catering to.

Without putting something sustainable in there, how can they move ahead? I actually heard something very interesting the other day and you've touched on it. A friend of mine mentioned that the developing countries will export their food and keep water for their growing industries. In many ways, here in Canada, we export water in terms of sending our commodities away, only to buy back finished goods. I wish we would have had more time to go into it in more detail because I found that notion quite interesting.

When I was in Chile, they were talking about a small village that almost came to ruin because they worked hard to clean up the area got them out of doing things with grasses i.e. baskets etc. but did not give the people something to do that would bring a return. They started doing all of this really dynamic stuff with wood carvings and such and turned things around and made a thriving business out of it - for that area.

Doesn't this come down to giving a fish versus teaching them how to fish? They need the tools, skills and resources to help them move forward.

I believe it was farmers_son who brought up in another post that the agenda for the summit was a little sparse on some things. The work is basically done ahead of time and they just meet to discuss a few items. Kind of makes you wonder why they have to go to the trouble and the HUGE expense of coming together at all, doesn't it?

[ianben]

My daughter was in Hyde Park on Saturday watching live8. My eldest son went to mind her baby while she was there. I have another daughter who lives and works in London. Today I am thankful they are all safe while being very sorry for the people hurt and killed.
I am relieved I do not know them.

Is this why there will always be rich and poor, conflicts and wars. To most people their family will always come first. It is an animal instict which we have never tamed. The same instinct perhaps which drives people to commit such acts of terror.
What can drive a person to kill and maime at random commiting suicide in the process?

[ianben]

My daughter was in Hyde Park on Saturday watching live8. My eldest son went to mind her baby while she was there. I have another daughter who lives and works in London. Today I am thankful they are all safe while being very sorry for the people hurt and killed.
I am relieved I do not know them.

Is this why there will always be rich and poor, conflicts and wars. To most people their family will always come first. It is an animal instict which we have never tamed. The same instinct perhaps which drives people to commit such acts of terror.
What can drive a person to kill and maime at random commiting suicide in the process?

[ianben]

My daughter was in Hyde Park on Saturday watching live8. My eldest son went to mind her baby while she was there. I have another daughter who lives and works in London. Today I am thankful they are all safe while being very sorry for the people hurt and killed.
I am relieved I do not know them.

Is this why there will always be rich and poor, conflicts and wars. To most people their family will always come first. It is an animal instict which we have never tamed. The same instinct perhaps which drives people to commit such acts of terror.
What can drive a person to kill and maime at random commiting suicide in the process?

[ianben]

My daughter was in Hyde Park on Saturday watching live8. My eldest son went to mind her baby while she was there. I have another daughter who lives and works in London.

Today I am thankful they are all safe while being very sorry for the people hurt and killed,I am relieved I do not know them.

Is this why there will always be rich and poor, conflicts and wars. To most people their family will always come first. It is an animal instict which we have never tamed. The same instinct perhaps which drives people to commit such acts of terror.

What can drive a person to kill and maime at random commiting suicide in the process?