Martin Offers Alternative Economic Vision at Toronto Global Summit

“Sustainable development that works for the earth, community and all”

TORONTO – At a Global Economic Governance forum here Wednesday prior to G20 meetings, Sault MP Tony Martin urged world leaders to question their faith in the free market and not try to put “Humpty Dumpty” back together again.

“We are at a transformational moment after last year’s financial crisis recognizing the market doesn’t by itself deliver growth that is either sustainable or equitable,” Martin said. “Communities and at risk populations were the first to feel this economic tsunami coming. Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall and the world leaders, bankers and corporate executives are trying desperately to put him back together again with business as usual.

“We have to move from an agenda driven by greed and fear to one rooted in the common good and the recognition of each having enough.”

Citing the loss of 600,000 manufacturing jobs in Canada since 2002 – half of them in the past three years -, Martin recalled Canadian governments in different eras building inclusive national programs aimed at leaving no one behind.

“The unprecedented economic growth in the past 30 years has spawned more inequality where only a few at the top share wealth,” Martin said. “Some became obscenely rich while more and more struggle to survive. We must commit to rebuild focused sustainable development that works for the earth, community and all people.”

Martin spoke to 250 delegates including foreign parliamentarians, international labour leaders, non-government activists, academics and students right after a speech by former Prime Minister Paul Martin.

On Tuesday, the Sault MP attended a Dialogue on Globalization dinner for the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung book launch of  “Canadian Perspectives on Global Economic Governance and the G20”, a publication which includes his introductory chapter on creating the political will for change.

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