by Sasha Caldera
Global trade in the 21st century is a continuous negotiation between people, governments, corporations and international law and its success rests upon being able to satisfy the interests of all players. The food we eat and the everyday products we use posses a global footprint. Cocoa is harvested in West Africa. Tea and cotton are predominately grown in South Asia. Coffee plantations are located in Latin America, while sugar is imported from the Caribbean. It might also be surprising to note the majority of minerals – diamonds, gold, silver, copper and tin – are located in these very same regions. Moreover, tropical fruit, spices and rubber are sourced from much warmer climates.
The impact of our consumption is reflected upon global markets. Worldwide stocks of goods – particularly food commodities – are dependent upon favourable growing conditions and, in turn, world prices rise and fall as a result of droughts, floods, crop diseases and soil erosion, all of which are being exacerbated by climate change.
To further complicate matters, producers in developing countries are facing incredible hardship in
exporting their goods into European and North American markets because they are faced with steep tariffs and import quotas on agricultural goods. Additionally, the US and the European Union are subsidizing their own industries and selling products below world prices (known as dumping) to developing countries. Dumping is so widespread that Ghana imports American rice in spite of being able to produce enough to feed its entire population.
These tactics undertaken by wealthier nations is much different from the vision of free trade that was conceived by philosophers like George Whatley, Adam Smith and David Ricardo. The trading system we are exposed to today is highly protectionist, as the sales of conventional foodstuffs and raw materials are dominated by just a handful of transnational corporations and their subsidiaries in developing regions. Low corporate tax rates, incentives, loopholes, subsidies and bailouts from governments support these institutions and perpetuate their grasp on commerce.
Fair Trade creates another way of doing business with developing countries by guaranteeing liveable wages for producers, encouraging community economic development in growing regions and ensuring environmentally sustainable practices. This movement is widespread and a vibrant Fair Trade community is growing in Vancouver.
On May 6, 2010, Vancouver became Canada’s first Fair Trade City, in which city councillors committed to purchasing “Fair Trade Certified” goods in all its municipal buildings. Vancouver is creating quite a stir, as major cities like Montreal, Ottawa and Edmonton are following it’s lead and launching their own Fair Trade campaigns.
Recently, UBC became Canada’s first Fair Trade University where all university food service providers switched to offering Fair Trade coffee provided by Ethical Bean and Milano. Additionally, Fair Trade tea and chocolate options are available at all university retailers. This switch culminates nearly a decade of awareness campaigns and is sending a signal to universities across the country to become Fair Trade campuses.
Vancouver is embarking upon a strategy to harmonize its ethical procurement guidelines with various authorities such as the Vancouver School Board and Vancouver Coastal Health. These authorities purchase significant quantities of coffee and tea and should these bodies convert to Fair Trade, it will significantly empower communities in developing countries.
Fairtrade Fortnight May 1-15
May 4-5 - Fair Trade Vancouver hosts a series of free meet-ups for people to learn more about free trade. Visit www.meetup.com and then search Fair Trade.
May 8 - Come out to Stanley Park for free Mother’s Day roses. Call Sasha for more info: 604-916-1861.
May 11 - Join Fair Trade Vancouver at Radha Yoga & Eatery (728 Main Street, Vancouver) for a free talk by a representative of a Bolivian coffee cooperative. Call Sasha for details: 604-916-1861.
May 13-15 - Visit the Vancouver Fair Trade pavilion at the Epic Sustainable Living Expo, Vancouver Convention Centre. www.epicexpo.com
