from Naomi Klein: "They were dressed like activists," said Helen Nazon, a 23-year-old from Quebec City, with hooded sweatshirts, bandannas on their faces, flannel shirts, a little grubby. "They pushed Jaggi on the ground and kicked him. It was really violent." "Then they dragged him off," said Michele Luellen. All the witnesses told me that when Mr. Singh's friends closed in to try to rescue him, the men dressed as activists pulled out long batons, beat back the crowd and identified themselves: "Police!" they shouted. Then they threw him into a beige van and drove off. Several of the young activists have open cuts where they were hit. Three hours after Mr. Singh's arrest, there was still no word of where he was being held. http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/RTGAMArticleHTMLTemplate/B,B/20010421/wk lei?tf=RT/fullstory.html&cf=RT/config-neutral&vg=BigAdVariableGenerator&slug =wklei&date=20010421&archive=RTGAM&site=Front Meanwhile, back at the ranch: In a speech hastily rewritten to address the clashes between police and small groups of protesters, Mr. Chrétien condemned the violence and said the 34 leaders gathered for the summit represent the will of the citizens who elected them. [Like Dubya, for example?] "Violence and provocation is unacceptable in a democracy," Mr. Chrétien said. "The type of behaviour that we have seen outside this afternoon by small groups of extremists is contrary to the democratic principles we all hold dear. "The creation of a free-trade area is not an end in itself," he said at the opening ceremony, which was attended by a host of dignitaries from across the hemisphere. "It is a means; a tool for growth that will allow us to promote closer, more dynamic economic relations among the nations of the Americas. In time, it will assure a higher standard of living and a better quality of life for all peoples of the hemisphere." Maude Barlow, chair of the Council of Canadians, said activists representing unions, church groups and other citizens' group flatly reject Mr. Chrétien's contention that free trade creates prosperity. "It has increased poverty in Canada and in the United States and in Mexico, and it will do the same throughout the rest of the Americas," Ms. Barlow said. The summit leaders are also expected to focus on ways to enshrine and promote democracy in the region. The heads of government are expected to include in their final communique a "democracy clause," which Canadian officials described as a major advance for a region that has a history of brutal military dictatorships. "They were dressed like activists," said Helen Nazon, a 23-year-old from Quebec City, with hooded sweatshirts, bandannas on their faces, flannel shirts, a little grubby. "They pushed Jaggi on the ground and kicked him. It was really violent." Mr. Chrétien said Friday night the promotion of democracy cannot take a back seat to the advancement of free trade. "Then they dragged him off," said Michele Luellen. All the witnesses told me that when Mr. Singh's friends closed in to try to rescue him, the men dressed as activists pulled out long batons, beat back the crowd and identified themselves: "Police!" they shouted. Then they threw him into a beige van and drove off. Several of the young activists have open cuts where they were hit. "Economic integration is only one pillar in our hemispheric edifice," he said. "After all, prosperity has no meaning if our citizens are not free, if they are not equal before the law or if they cannot make use of the opportunities open to them." Three hours after Mr. Singh's arrest, there was still no word of where he was being held. Tom Walker Bowen Island, BC 604 947 2213
