“2010 is a date with fate for the G8…There can be no half measures; no excuses. Firm commitments were made for 2010 and the eyes of the world will be upon them.”- Robert Fox Executive Director, Oxfam Canada

As Canada gears up to host the G8 and G20 summits this June, international aid groups are preparing to lobby around these events to remind world leaders about the commitments they’ve made to address key issues such as poverty, the environment, the global economy, and the plight of women and children around the globe.

Oxfam Canada, along with many other international NGO’s, anti-poverty groups, student coalitions, faith groups, and organized labour groups is taking this critical moment in Canadian history to draw public attention to social and environmental issues through awareness events and meaningful interaction in the form of the At the Table campaign which kicked off in March.

At the Table encourages ordinary citizens to “take their place at the table” to remind leaders that they must follow through on their promises in order to meet targets such as the Millennium Development Goals outlined by the United Nations and agreed upon by world leaders.

By raising awareness and support for At the Table, Oxfam and its partners hope to increase pressure on world leaders to get back on track towards global development.

Many world leaders have promised impressive amounts of aid to combat issues plaguing developing countries. Amongst these promises, G8 countries pledged to give billions of dollars in aid for health improvement in impoverished nations, increased access to HIV/AIDS treatments, and billions in development assistance, with half of it going to Africa.

Many of these goals should have been met by this year, but it is clear that they are still far off. World leaders have simply not done enough to guarantee that these needs would be met in the time allotted. This will have negative implications for meeting the Millennium Development Goals and the primary target underpinning this initiative: to end severe poverty by 2015.

Similarly, many commitments were made to address climate change on a global scale. Emissions which lead to global warming are created mostly by the world’s richest countries, but it is the world’s poorest who are hit the hardest. The G8 and G20 Summits will be the first major meeting of world leaders since the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit this past December, where G8 nations agreed to tackle climate change and global warming by providing up to $30 billion dollars (US) to reduce emissions in poorer countries designed to relieve developing nations of the burden of climate change.

Many economies were hit hard by the global recession but poor countries were hit hardest in many cases. While the G20 nations had the means to stimulate their own economies with about $1 trillion dollars, only $50 billion in assistance was given to developing nations, with much of being on loan. More is needed if the world’s poorest countries are to have any hope of attaining stable and accessible economies. Job creation, increased financial assistance debt cancellation, and better fair trade policies are some of the measures, which, if implemented, could lead to faster and better results for global development and could see the MDG goals met on time.

These are only some of the facts and figures driving the At the Table campaign. Much has been promised and this is a chance for Canadians to show our concern and leadership in furthering global development and equality.

What you can do

By getting involved in At the Table, you can show world leaders that these issues are important to you and make an impact in ensuring that they take them seriously and come to solid agreements as to how to get back on track the Summits this summer.

The At the Table initiative is tied closely with public awareness and involvement. It is up to ordinary citizens like us to exercise the benefits of living in a democracy and hold our leaders accountable for fulfilling the promises they make. Here are a few things you can do to support At the Table:

1. Take Your Place At the Table Online: Go to http:// atthetable2010.org/ and sign the petition to make your voice heard and proclaim your support for the goals of this project.
   
   
2. Host an At the Table dinner: Gather your friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers for a meal and spread the word about the campaign and the issues it is addressing.
   
   
3. Take a flat leader photo: Download and print a picture of your world leader at http://atthetable2010.org/ individuals/actnow/flatleader, pick a speech bubble to highlight an issue you want him or her to work on, then take a picture with them and send it in to add to the online photo petition which will be sent to the Summits.
   
   
4. Educate Yourself: Go to the At the Table website and learn more about the impact issues like poverty, the economy and climate change have on the poorest nations in the world and find out different ways you can help and get involved. ■