There was a healthy and respectful debate and discussion in the trade working group of the position paper. The paper is adapted from the Alliance for Responsible Trade (ART) that is part of the Hemispheric Social Alliance’s "Alternative for the Americas" document.

The discussion in the working group centered on the "reform vs. revolution" debate. To briefly summarized, we discussed if trade agreements like NAFTA or FTAA can be improved by the inclusion of side agreements on labor rights and environmental protection (among others) that will guarantee and protect these crucial rights; or, should we declare that all trade agreements benefit multinational corporations and promote corporate globalization and can never be reformed, so we should always oppose them.

After discussing these two positions the group voted and substantially changed the working document on trade. We kept only the opening paragraph, making some additions. We also added a new paragraph.

* "We oppose the FTAA, NAFTA, and all other trade agreements that impose corporate rights over people’s rights and that decrease popular democracy in favor of corporations. We oppose these trade agreements from an internationalist perspective. [Editor’s note: By this we mean we avoid and do not fall into protectionist "us vs. them" traps, and xenophobic and racist arguments against trade agreements.]."

* "Trade and investment should not be ends in themselves, but rather the instruments for achieving just and sustainable development. Citizens must have the right to participate in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of hemispheric agreements. Central goals of these policies should be to promote economic sovereignty based on self-determination, social welfare, reduced inequality at all levels, environmental justice, and fundamental human and labor rights."

1) Stopping the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement (FTAA). By undertaking this we commit to educating ourselves, our communities, and the general U.S. public about FTAA.

2) We encourage activists and people to go and participate in the protests against the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, Canada in April. We also encourage people to participate in the various border actions and protests along the U.S.-Canadian and U.S.-Mexican borders timed to coincide with the Quebec actions and to organize or participate in local solidarity actions held simultaneously with the Quebec demonstrations. One theme that we felt was important for people to watch for if they hold local actions was "green wash." The date of the FTAA protests in April falls during Earth Day. We thought that pro business/pro FTAA groups might try to promote Earth Day this year to show that they are "green" and environmentally friendly. We have to watch for this and not get coopted into this. Perhaps instead of avoiding Earth Day activities, we should reclaim them and make them anti corporate and anti-FTAA.

3) We oppose and will work against the passing of Fast Track by Congress, giving the President Fast track authority to approve free trade agreements.

4) We will hold teach-ins or community forums in non-academic settings to talk about FTAA and how it can be stopped. These events would have a Latin America/Caribbean or Americas perspective. We will also use the media, both progressive and mainstream in every way possible to promote our message.

5) Our tactics in our work and organizing will include popular education techniques, and political and/or guerrilla theater.

6) A citizenís referendum or Zapatista style consulta. This idea would include perhaps five questions: one on the FTAA, two on more general issues of corporate globalization, and two reserved for local or regional struggles of particular interest. There are possible proposed dates for holding the consulta. Two mentioned in the proposal from the Mexico Solidarity Network of November 2001 or April 2002, and one that was proposed at LASC II of May 2001.

7) The Trade Working Group proposes working to undo and overturn current existing trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada and the agreements that allowed the U.S. to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

8) The Trade Working Group discussed holding tours of our cities and towns. The theme of the tours would be how NAFTA has hurt the city or town economically and socially. This kind of outreach and educational tactic has been used in Cleveland, Ohio with success.

9) The group discussed holding "Race to the bottom" skits to demonstrate in a fun and accessible way the devastating effects of NAFTA and other free trade agreements.

The trade group discussed the following points and considered them to be very strategic to focus on and include in our organizing and outreach.

1) We must include Latin Americans and the peoples of the Caribbean, including people from these areas living in the United States, in our strategizing about, organizing and promotion of, and the implementation of our work.

2) We feel there must be a strategic alliance between international and local organizing because the same target could be used in both kinds of work. An example could be corporate power and/or the concentration of wealth. Thus, the struggle against Plan Colombia could be linked to the struggle for more money for affordable housing.

3) We must make links and connections with anti-poverty organizations in the U.S., especially those with an internationalist perspective.

4) We must include the voices and perspectives of people most impacted by trade policies, corporate globalization, and neoliberalism. We must also have a genuine solidarity, one that actively engages and reaches out and is not opportunistic.

5) We must diversify our movement, especially in terms of class and race. We must work more with those most affected by corporate globalization and neoliberalism, especially the working poor and peoples of color.

6) We must make connections between militarism and trade in the Americas and see how trade policies are implemented and backed up by the use of military force.