December 11, 2007 (LPAC)--Some 80 participants gathered today in Ottawa for the EIR conference titled, "The Strategic Importance of the Eurasian Land-Bridge: Canada and the Coming Eurasian World," which was an exuberant occasion for activists from Canada, the United States and Mexico, to review and revive their commitment to urgently needed North American infrastructure projects. Preliminary reports from the session indicate that attendance included officials from eight foreign embassies, five Canadian institutional agencies, as well as over 30 from the EIR networks, and 10 youth from the LaRouche Youth Movement (LYM) networks, and the continental speakers' roster (below). Among the provinces and states represented were Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, Washington state, Massachusetts, Michigan, Virginia, and Sonora, Mexico.
The event was initiated by the Canadian LYM, after their representative, Robert Ainsworth, attended the September Schiller Institute Land-Bridge event in Germany, hosted by Helga Zepp LaRouche. Ainsworth moderated today's sessions.
LaRouche Keynote: A Renaissance in North America
Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr. gave the keynote presentation today, after opening music by a LYM choral ensemble. LaRouche set the stage for discussion by starting, "We're presently at a point of a great world crisis...There are remedies. But the remedies require a certain kind of optimism about the future of mankind..." He elaborated this in terms of policy, culture, wealth of natural resources, and call to action for the Bering Strait/rail corridor, nuclear and priority projects.
"...If we can link these [regions], as we can, that is, Siberia to Canada, Alaska, and down into the States and into Mexico, we have the basis for a real renaissance in the economies of these regions of the world..."
Over the next 45 minutes, LaRouche fielded wide-ranging questions. A Sonora, Mexico attendee began by harking back to the 1970s and 1980s, when then Mexican Pres. Jose Lopez Portillo visited Canada, to enlist Canadian nuclear-building companies to engage in plans for 20 new nuclear plants in Mexico. Another questioner from Calgary, asked about relative per-mile costs of building maglev. A resident of central Quebec asked about what to do to repair infrastructure, given his own local example of a faulty bridge, for which the steel repair components cannot be obtained.
Mega-Projects Panel
The principal panel of the afternoon included six presentations:
- The Eurasian Land-Bridge: Russia, Eurasia's Keystone Nation, Ready for the Bering Strait Crossing, by Rachel Douglas, EIR Russia Desk. With a slide show of both Eurasia, and also of LaRouche's interventions of 30 years, she reported on the latest strategic developments in Russia.
- "New Agreement Between Canada, the United States and Mexico," by Alberto Vizcarra Osuna, Pro-PLHINO, from Ciudad Obregon, Sonora. Vizcarra called people to the task of, "changing the face of the Earth." He said, we must break with the failed axioms of NAFTA. He gave a vivid account of the destruction of NAFTA. Since 1994, 14 million Mexicans have left his nation. Each year, there are one million people newly thrown into unemployment.
- Manuel Frias Alcaraz, Eng., from Mexico City, reported on his own experiences working in infrastructure projects, especially water, from the Congo Basin in Africa, to the PLHINO and PLHIGON in Mexico. He gave a ringing refutation of the global warming insanity, including explaining of the procession of the Earth. Frias invited Canada and the United States "to work with us" to rebuild. He said that we must show how Mexico, a nation that has experienced so much destruction, can be restored to full life.
- Secretary General of the CTM of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Antonio Valdes Villanueva. He reported that Mexico-wide, his union has 5 million members. Thanking the EIR and LYM for their work, he said that, no matter how deep the crisis, 'our nations are great,' and we must proceed with our work.
- Message from former Rep. Jeannette James (R-Alaska), former Majority Leader of the Alaska House of Representatives. She sent greetings and hearty support for the infrastructure projects, from her home at the town of North Pole, Alaska (audio-taped Dec. 8).
- "The Worldwide Strategic Importance of the Canadian Rail Corridor Connections to the Eurasian and North American Land Bridges" by Hal B.H. Cooper, Jr. PhD, PE, Cooper Consulting Co., Kirkland, Washington
Following a supper break on site, the conference was set to continue on the theme of, organizing for world reconstruction, by viewing a video taped presentation on "Nuclear Power--Technology and Leadership Required for the Nuclear Future," by Jim Muckerheide, the nuclear engineer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for 37 years. (Taped Dec. 5 for the conference).
LYM Panel: Creating A Global Renaissance
The last panel of the day, before the LYM choral closing, features presentations by three LYM members. Besides moderator Rob Ainsworth, Limari Navarette will report on the LYM organizing drive in the United States, and Canadian LYM leader Valerie Trudel will speak on rebuilding nations with the American System.
Conference translation for Spanish/English, was provided by Gabriela Arroyo-Reyes.
