Evidence of “Hyper Capitalism” and the control corporations have over the world:
- Ethyl Corporation and the Canadian Government
Ethyl Corp. markets MMT, a manganese gasoline additive that is not permitted to be sold in California. But, under the so-called “Free Trade” Agreement between Canada and
the U.S.A., if something has been sold, then nothing can stop its future sale, without the payment of penalties. Ethyl has been awarded $10 million under the Agreement.
- Health Care and Alberta
Thanks to Ralph Klein, the Premier of Alberta, we in Canada are about to receive the benefits of private health care, whether we want it or not. If some good, like health care is about to become, is permitted by any provincial, or municipal government, to
be provided anywhere in Canada by private providers, then all other governments must permit it. Even in Alberta public opinion is not in favour of it. This has been demonstrated by daily demonstrations in front of the Alberta Legislature in favour of single-payer health care--known in Canada as medicare.
- Water
The bulk export of water threatens to become a reality when some corporation begins to do it. It will become a good, like health care. Several proposals are pending.
- The Spending of Money as Free Speech
In both the U.S. and Canada, rulings by their respective court systems have affirmed that the spending of large amounts of money is to be premitted as free speech. No common sense regulation is to be allowed. Of course, no ordinary individual has that kind of money--only extremely wealthy persons, or corporations, whose rights as
persons now trump those of actual human beings.
Free Trade, MAI, WTO, Opening Up Markets
The power of corporations to determine international trade agreements, which should really be called investment agreements, are merely the way to subject recalcitrant national governments to the rule of corporate law.
Reasons for Hope
The backroom campaign to establish the Multilateral Agreement on Investments was defeated by a world-wide effort, thanks to the internet, organized in large part by the Council of Canadians and its principal public spokesperson, Maude Barlow.
The Battle in Seattle and the anti-World Bank/IMF demonstrations in Washington, D.C. also show that things can be done.
Nevertheless, hyper capitalism is here!