Dennis Howlett

For over 30 years, Dennis Howlett worked for a number of ecumenical social justice coalitions including the Ecumenical Coalition for Economic Justice, Ten Days for Global Justice and KAIROS where he led successful campaigns against the Canada US Free Trade Agreement, and for cancellation of Third World debt, fair trade certification of coffee and other products, and ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. He has gone onto be the National Coordinator of Make Poverty History Canada, the Executive Director of the National Anti-Poverty Organization, and the Executive Director of Canadians for Tax Fairness. He is currently serving as the Treasurer of the Global Alliance for Tax Justice.

Interview Summary
In this interview, Howlett talks about his work with the Ecumenical Council for Economic Justice and GATT Fly, ‘an inter-church project for an alternative trade policy’. Initiated in 1973, and inspired by liberation theory, the project was supported by five Christian denominations in Canada: Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and United. Howlett talks about the role of the churches in the struggle against free trade. He discusses his role in leading popular education workshops on free trade during this time. He also discusses his work facilitating communications with the Pro-Canada Network and, later, Action Canada Network.