by Sean Osborne

Fair trade is a movement that promotes a fair deal for producers in developing countries. With more than 300 stores and businesses linking Commercial Drive, 17 of these are already selling fair trade products, exceeding the criteria set out by the International Fair Trade Labelling Organization to pronounce itself a fair trade town. (www.flo/fairtradetowninititaive.org). Fairtradedrive.org is vying to have Commercial Drive officially proclaimed North America’s first fair trade zone, aligning our community with the growing international ethical trade and justice movement.

Am I afraid of high notes? Of course I am afraid. What sane man is not?
– Luciano Pavarotti

Vancouver may need to sing falsetto to live up to its most liveable city in the world label. Despite glowing reviews, the city may not be taking full advantage of its reputation on the international stage. Could Vancouver enhance its potential by becoming the first North American example of a fair trade city? We need to take the first step, by convincing our new city council to get beyond the fear of fairness. Commercial Drive wants to be proclaimed a fair trade zone.
Bruce Macdonald, co-coordinator for fairtradedrive.org explains: “We canvassed 60 Commercial Drive businesses to participate in this initiative. Within this sample, we received a 78 percent approval rating, indicating a strong basis for creating a fair trade zone. We took this opportunity to encourage local merchants to sell or use at least one fair trade product. We also received an incredible response from the neighbours and local community, many of whom engage in an ongoing dialogue about fair trade with their local merchants.”

A fair trade zone is an opportunity to help build a sustainable community. If Commercial Drive becomes North America’s first fair trade zone, we could reach the upper register of conscious choice and build an environment, based on justice and fairness for our shared humanity. As Vancouver gears up for the first-ever sustainable Olympics, it makes sense to demonstrate to the world that we have the will and the character as a neighbourhood, and as a city, to demonstrate what we are really about: positive global change. Caroline Whitby, executive director of Transfair Canada says, “The idea of a fair trade zone is wonderful in that it provides a storefront for fair trade that allows for flexibility and the participation of a great number of people.”

The first step is to build upon what we already have. In addition to the interest shown from local groups such as Grandview Woodlands Area Council, The Commercial Drive Business Improvement Association and community organizations such as Job Start and The Kettle, shops such as the East End Food Coop, Sweet Cherubim, Drive Organics, Eternal Abundance, and companies such as the Fair Trade Chocolate Company, Café Etico, Ten Thousand Villages, Ethical Bean, and Spud.ca, we have also found support from politicians at all three levels of government.

Tim Louis, a passionate supporter of fair trade, has brought the initiative up with council (Tim was instrumental in the realization of the city’s ethical purchasing policy), Shane Simpson (environment critic for the NDP) has offered his support and encouragement, while Libby Davies, our MP for East Vancouver, has been a long-time champion for the cause. Libby’s father, a founding member of Bridgehead Coffee, one of the very first fair trade efforts in Canada has noted, “The fair trade Drive helps neighbours care about fair trade and encourages local merchants to carry and promote fair trade products.” Recently, at a local breakfast joint, I bumped into Ben West, a mayoral candidate in the recent election and leader of the Work Less Party. West, who has been involved with ethical purchasing initiatives and corporate responsibility issues, echoed the enthusiasm behind this grass-root project: “I think this is fantastic, the best thing to happen to the Drive in a long time.”

Despite an incredibly positive outlook from all those concerned, there are some concerns. For some merchants, the idea of a fair trade zone along Commercial Drive might seem like an imposition. After all, who would dare suggest that any hard-working, family-run business could be anything less than fair? So many of the businesses that grace Commercial Drive have grown from independent roots and immigrant perseverance; even the hint of a suggestion that their businesses ought to be more “fair” can seem like interference or, at best, an ideological flight of fancy.

Other worries appear in questions, such as: “Will a fair trade zone mean that nobody is allowed to sell anything that is not fair trade?” The word “zone” sounds prohibitive in some way, but, in fact, the objective of a fair trade zone is to shed light on the latent power in our collective pockets. Many consumers have already set their sights on the ethical high ground, slinging their coins past corporate giants that stand in the way of a balanced approach to the environment and the economy. Bruce Macdonald, who is also a historian and activist, continues: “Democracy has become dysfunctional, but fair trade allows us to vote directly with our money.” Indeed, the giants must hear the occasional ping whizzing past their collective, global ear.
Since November 1, the junk food behemoth McDonalds has been selling fair trade coffee at 658 of its restaurants in New England and Albany, New York. Usually, these types of initiatives provoke scorn and accusations of hypocrisy, but large-scale efforts to integrate ethical sources into big business are exactly the type of positive developments most fair trade activists hope for, winning praise from groups such as Oxfam America. Though there are obvious contradictions when large players get on board, every gain leads to a greater understanding that fair trade is all about win/win, providing further incentive for ethical shoppers to ask the big question: “Where is the best place to spend my money?”

Anyone taking a stroll along The Drive can easily see the reason for its reputation as a bohemian village. Characterized by social radicals, environmental activists, and progressive thinkers, the laid-back Drive scene hosts an ethnically diverse range of coffee shops, food cooperatives, restaurants, and boutiques. Here, the multi-cultural ideal of Canada vibrates in a spectrum akin to the rainbow mural that arcs the wall of Joe’s Café; it’s an area where the blossoming of ethical consumerism is imminent.

Some neighbours have asked: “How can we call ourselves a fair trade zone if not everyone is buying and selling fair trade on the Drive?” The answer lies in the current state of fair trade as a movement and the current availability of fair trade products. As Roxanne Cave, manager of Ten Thousand Villages on Commercial Drive points out, “It is almost exclusively agricultural products that are certified – products like coffee, cocoa, and bananas, but we sell a range of items that include handicrafts and we sell these within the standards set by IFAT.” (IFAT is the global network of fair trade organizations, www.ifat.com) Concerned that rhetorical differences between standards and definitions could stand in the way of allowing fair trade to flourish, Cave is adamant that the most important principle is whether or not the producer is indeed receiving a fair price for their efforts. “It is not right to make claims of fair trade just because you have gone and met the producer; a substantial benefit needs to be demonstrated.”

Basically, fair trade products fall under two broad categories: “Certified fair trade” and “fairly traded.” For those new to fair trade, the difference may seem irrelevant, but the distinction is part of an ongoing dialogue that is shaping the fair trade movement. The best way to explain it is to compare it to the organic food industry; without regulation of some sort, it is difficult to verify claims of authenticity. In a similar way, fair trade certification ensures that the entire supply chain is on board. Based on strict audits, the consumer gains confidence that the extra price of fair trade is being tracked with diligence, that every extra penny spent on a fair trade cup of coffee ends up exactly where it is intended. The other category, “fairly traded,” is a term applied to those that choose to self-regulate their commitment, or who participate under an umbrella of guidelines set out by an established fair trade organization. For the vast majority, this practice is based upon a direct purchasing relationship with the producer. Most of these businesses claim to fulfill, or exceed, the basic principle of fair trade: a fair price for the work or product.

In some cases, merchants shy away from the fair trade label because they realize that the range of their products does not quite meet the full criteria. Despite this, the fair trade Drive initiative embraces every merchant that supports the concept in principle. Clearly, for many store owners, their product choices are a means of survival; not every store can offer a comprehensive range of fair trade products, such as Ten Thousand Villages does, but if a store is willing to sell even a single, fair trade product (Santa Barbara Market, for instance, sells fair trade coffee) it represents its full-fledged participation in the fair trade zone.
Sonja Kalathil, owner of Kali gift store located at the corner of Parker and Commercial, is an example of a non-certified seller who supports the initiative, yet finds herself in a gray area. Kalathil notes, “Many of our products are sourced directly from producers in Indonesia, who I have met personally. We know the conditions under which our items are made and we offer a price that is very fair. We know first hand that we are making a fair deal, but we don’t advertise as “fair trade” because this is simply the way it is and I would not do this business if it were otherwise.”

When will the fair trade zone be official?

Hope turns to Vancouver city council. Having collected 350 signatures in support of the idea, we knew that, according to the guidelines of the European model, we would need to garner the support of city council by having it fulfill a request to have The Drive officially proclaimed a fair trade zone. Vancouver is currently promoting a plan to allow a sustainable community model to flourish at the southeast side of False Creek. Despite this, David Suzuki and others have pointed out that BC and the rest of Canada have been doing very little to facilitate the increase of sustainable practices. Drive citizens have a choice to move ahead, even if government wants to drag its feet. A community of conscious-choice-consumerism is possible. We can soar past political fear and drive toward a concept that calls for diversity, sustainability, and a brave future for Vancouver.


Sean Osborne is a founding member of the fairtradedrive.org initiative, a community-citizen organization, which is building a coalition of supporters committed to education, activism, and the promotion of fair trade in the shops and businesses along Commercial Drive. A former computer animation director, Osborne is currently building the socially conscious Fair Trade Chocolate Company.

Why buy fair?
When you purchase a certified, fair trade product, you support the infrastructure that will allow fair trade to flourish. Similar to the way that charitable NGOs, such as Oxfam or World Vision, build structures to organize relief efforts, or raise consciousness through activism, the fair trade movement builds bridges between the North and South, between strong economies and the exploited. The difference lies in the slogan: “Trade not aid.” Fair trade addresses the criticisms of charitable relief as a form of international welfare, by facilitating indigenous co-ops toward self-empowerment and self-control over their own agricultural resources. But this is not the entire picture. In order for fair trade to work effectively, fair trade co-ops in countries like Venezuela, Ghana, Cameroon, and many others, need to develop partnerships with markets in the developed world. Fair trade producers need fair access to our shelf space; otherwise, fair trade becomes nothing but lip service. For more information, or to lend your support, visit www.fairtradedrive.org
Resources:
Canadian fair trade certification: TransFair Canada www.transfair.ca
International Fair Trade Association: IFAT www.ifat.org/
Fair trade town initiatives: www.fairtrade.org.uk/get_involved_fairtrade_towns.htm
The Big Noise to Make Trade Fair: www.maketradefair.com/en/index.htm