Tel. 416-924-4449
Fax. 416-924-4094
February 9, 2001
Minister of Finance
Ottawa, Canada
K1A OG5
The Honourable Paul Martin. P.C., M.P.
Dear Mr. Martin:
Thank you for your letter dated February 5th, 2001 in response to my letter
of September 30th delivered through the good offices of Mr. Bill Graham. I
appreciate the time and depth of thought that you afforded our presentation
to you. Obviously it was not made clear in our presentation that the tax was
to be VOLUNTARY and supported by a Brand Label Marketing Strategy. This one
word VOLUNTARY changes the dynamic of your response. The Brand Label Strategy
affects other aspects of your observations. Your conclusions will be built
upon false premise.
Notwithstanding other aspects of your advice bear addressing..
Canada's commitment to the worldwide progress of democracy, human rights and good governance that you have identified takes place through the good offices of CIDA. While Canada's activity is commendable, Canada is well below the minimum commitment level of GDP that economists have identified as a minimum level of contribution. This observations indicates we can and ought to do better given our unique situation in the world.
With regards to feasability? How does one measure feasability? We are recommending a two year study project to analyze the feasability. Do we know our program is not feasible? It is based on the same premise that facilitated the reduction in smoking by parents through teaching children the dangers of smoking. This was proven and it worked in Canada. Our program is built within and without the existing education system, including formal and non formal education. Research within the business community has indicated that a 1% cost would be acceptable to business if it felt it were making a difference. This research was done during the early 90's relative to environmental concerns. The opportunity afforded by our program is to make certain we are not perceived as "business as usual" in this experience.
To the question of appropriate. What is an appropriate tax? I think you have
to recognize the validity of the discrepancies that exist in human cultures
around the world. What is appropriate. Two billion people are living on less
than $2 per day. I trust I do not have to regurgitate the statistics on health
care, clean water etc. How many years and how many people will die of starvation
and other preventable causes while we argue over which "appropriate"
tax to implement. This is not going to be easy. But that does not make it
inappropriate. At the recent UN's Social Summit consensus was achieved on
the adoption of a Canadian-introduced measure calling for a comprehensive
study by amending the original language in the document to read:
--(111(e)bis)Conducting a rigorous analysis of advantages,
disadvantages and implications of proposals for developing new
and innovative sources of funding, both public and private, for
dedication to social development and poverty eradication
programmes--
The UN Social Summit obviously does not think this is inappropriate.
"Taxation is, and should remain a prerogative of governments". Governments serve the will of the people. If people shift their buying habits that is a demonstration of that will. Let us also look to Europe with the EU. Is this not regionalism at work. Not Nation States. Are we not part of the OAS? Are we also not involved with the Internationale Organization de la Francophonie. Are they not Institutions that could involve themselves with our program - beyond Nation State.
The difficulty of course will be to spend the money equitably on the planet. The beginning stages will be painful. But democratic governments will only be strengthened by this activity - especially Canada if it takes a lead role. Integrated into our strategy, as conceptualized by Lama Gangchen, is the development of a Spiritual Forum at the United Nations, and our use of this Forum as formulating the spend and control functions assures us of a "unique" institutional framework.
Regarding your comment: "this kind of dedicated tax considerably diminshes the flexibility and autonomy necessary for the government to pursue an effective fiscal policy".
It should be stated that our program gives our government greater flexibility
and world autonomy to pursue an effective Canadian fiscal policy. And this
policy would be transparent and not open to misinterpretation by people around
the world. Perhaps you may agree given the voluntary nature of the process.
Consider:
the tax is voluntary and is used to support a Brand Label recognition that
a business/corporation is going to be able to put on its goods and services.
Consider:
that corporations will have to retain the services of a new class of Chartered
Accountant (called a Global Accountant) that will be able to express an opinion
as to the corporation/business or activity as to whether or not that entity
is participating fairly according to new global accounting standards (relative
to participating in the 1%solution). This group, will also be able to negotiate
with each business sector a lower than 1% fee if the full 1% is detrimental
to its survival. This activity will institutionalize Socially Responsible
Investment and Spending.
Consider:
that such an accounting designation is in the process of development at a
major University School of Business and will be available over the Internet.
Consider:
that we do not require consensus on an International bureaucratic level to
move forward. This is a grass roots movement driven by our model which was
recently presented and approved at the Inaugural Event of the new Foundation
for a Culture of Peace in Madrid Dec 11-13. This document is attached.
Since that presentation, Boutros Boutros-Ghali invited us to Paris for a meeting at which he committed his Institutional support for our activity. Having brought you up to date with our activity, we would like you to be aware that in addition to the support of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, we have the support of Dr. Young Seek Choue (Korea) and Frederico Mayor. We are moving forward.
Our budget is only $15 Million to research this effectively. Funds will come from participating businesses. Aspects of our program CIDA is already funding through the University for Peace in Costa Rica although we are not involved in their activity yet.
It would be helpful if government policy were shifted to support our Proclamations:
1) All educators both formal and informal are educators for world peace
2) All Educators will shift buying habits of individuals, corporations, institutions,
schools, organizations, to support the 1% solution
It is my understanding that a Private Members Bill is in process of preparation through Lorne Nystroms office (Henri Sadler) with that intent.
I trust that you will be able to come to the obvious conclusion that we are
going ahead. We welcome you to consider how Canada may benefit from our activity
and consider such role for yourself as you may feel worthy of.
Looking forward to an early response as to how Canada intends to support our
research activity.
In peace
Mitch L. Gold G. A.
VP International Affairs
UN Special Envoy
cc: Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Frederico Mayor
Dr. Young Seek Choue
Lama Gangchen
Dr. Charles Mercieca
Sir Peshotan Mehta
Akaash Maharaj
Lorne Nystrom
Bill Graham
Martin Lees
attachment:
The Foundation for A Culture of Peace, at its first Conference in Spain, December
11-13, 2000 developed a document the Declaration of Madrid for the Culture
of Peace. This document represents the first steps in proposing a formalization
for the Culture of Peace. Included is a concept for four contracts-- social,
environmental, ethical, and cultural. The following process for the development
of a Culture of Peace was presented and endorsed.
The actualizing of a common vision and process for empowering youth, women, seniors, people living in poverty, and to include the people living in wealth - we include all of the 6 billion of our family. Three meaningful words to integrate: Globality, Accountability, and Spirituality.
Recognizing that the Peace Process on Planet Earth requires extra-ordinary organization and commitment of Peacemakers around the world, we hereby agree to work for a Culture of Peace by bringing forth the programs of a Culture of Peace: reference at www.homeplanet.org
1) An Education Curriculum for a Culture of Peace - includes the Manifesto of the Madrid Conference - a wholistic educational curriculum integrating the Manifesto Document
2) An Olympic Training Program - includes the Manifesto of the Madrid Conference
a training program for Olympic Athletes, Educators and Community workers to
implement 1)
3) A Media Relations Program - includes a media production of this Conference
a complementary educational program explaining the Contracts of the Conference
4) A Credit Card Affinity Program -
a financial tool and benefits program that will benefit participants
5) A Financial Industry Investment Program
a for profit driven marketing incentive program
6) A City Mayor Program (the above 1-5 included)
a compilation of the above to be delivered to local communities through Mayors
Offices
An implied component of each of the above programs is the application at vendor level of a "global duty", or an amount of money from every business transaction to fund the implementation strategy of Culture of Peace.
All of the above programs will be identified with a common Brand Label that will be brought forward through a Research program. By signing this document I indicate support of the Research Program.
By initialing this paragraph I am also indicating a willingness to participate in the process of the Research Study and play a role in the further development and implementation of the Study.
I sign this in my personal capacity. ___________________________
I sign this in my capacity of Title ___________________________
Organization ________________________
# of Members _______________
Address: ______________________________________________
_____________________ ZIP __________________
Country ___________ Telephone # ______________ Fax. _____________________
URL: ( to be added to our network) _____________
E-mail Address: _________________________________________
To acknowledge support, or to identify desire to be involved in the process
actively
Please Sign and mail a copy of this signed document to:
Culture of Peace /IAEWP/ 2 Bloor Street West /Suite 100-209/
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E 2 Canada
PROGRAMS for a Culture of Peace
An Education Curriculum for a Culture of Peace - includes the Manifesto of
the Madrid Conference
a wholistic educational curriculum integrating the Manifesto Document
· the educational program will include the basic Manifesto 2000 document
· and will include the thinking filters from www.homeplanet.org/alliance
the ten transformers
a medicine wheel
a framework for global thinking
· Proclamations (3)
All Educators formal and informal are educators for World Peace
All Educators will shift buying habits of individuals, corporations, institutions,
schools, organizations, to support the 1% solution
The Greenwich Mean Line is a Symbol for World Peace (time)
· Reference Materials
Jubillenium Candle
Home Poster
Manual for a Peacemaker - Jean Houston
Story - The Last One - audio /video / translated into four languages
· English, French, Spanish, Japanese
2) An Olympic Training Program - includes the Manifesto of this Conference
a training program for Olympic Athletes, Educators and Community workers to
implement
· a train the trainer program / see www.homeplanet.org/trainthetrainer
· an implementation program / see www.homeplanet.org/olympictraining
·
A Media Relations Program - includes a media production of this Conference
a complementary educational program explaining the Contracts of the Conference
· five television programs explaining the contracts arrived at this
conference
· each contract will have a ½ hour program explaining the content
with a fifth program giving an overview of the whole conference.
·
A Credit Card Affinity Program -
- a financial tool and benefits program that will benefit participants
- a financial tool to augment the funding program and information program
· a credit card and benefit program that will support the 1% solution
· integrated into the research study
5) A Financial Industry Investment Program
a for profit driven marketing incentive program
A marketing Corporation
Mutual Fund will be brand labeled with our program that will invest in corporations
that participate in the Research Study and the 1% Solution.
Barter Bank Component
Bank Component
Time Bank - media / communications
6) A City Mayor Program (the above 1-5 included)
· a compilation of the above to be delivered to local communities through
Mayors Offices
· delivered through a variety of Organizations /IAEWP / Sister Cities
/ UNESCO / Olympic Athletes etc