Film exposes the costly side of ‘free’ trade

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4458

3 May 2010

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition and the Sierra Club will celebrate World Fair Trade Day with a free screening of a film that exposes the costly side of “free” trade and offers ways to help create positive change.
“The Emperor’s New Clothes: A Cautionary Tale of Free Trade” will be shown Thursday, May 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Seward Co-op, 2832 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis.

The film takes an impassioned look at the effects of economic globalization on workers in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Filmed over a three-year period, the film looks at life before, during and after the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The movie follows a Canadian delegation of workers to Mexico to see where some of their jobs have gone. They find the lawns in front of industrial plants greened by sprinklers, while some Mexican workers live in cardboard shacks without running water. It takes an incisive look at the profound effects that economic agreements between big business and government can have on human lives, including increased cuts to social programs, massive unemployment, environmental damage, and demoralization.

This event is free, but space is limited, so pre-registration with Customer Service, 612-338-2465, is required. A discussion will follow the screening.