Law, College of
Date of this Version
2004
Abstract
Premier Rae had mentioned this morning that disputes between Canada and the United States are not just discussed between the federal governments of the two countries. Disputes are a matter of public diplomacy and every interest group is competing for public opinion on both sides of the border. Therefore, this afternoon we can explore the various groups that are in that competition for pubic opinion and the various groups that are involved in Canada-U.S. disputes. I thought we would start with the definition of what an NGO is. We are not going to come to any conclusion on this matter here today. It is much debated. However, one big distinction is whether you include in businesses, for profit entities, or only non-profit entities. The standard definition or at least the most commonly used definition only refers to non-profit entities, such as environmental groups, human right groups, etc. A somewhat broader definition would include associations of businesses, not the for-profit entities themselves, but at least the associations they enter into. While it is important to be aware of these distinctions, I am going to focus on the most common or narrower definition of NGO, excluding the for-profit entities for the moment.
Comments
Published in 30 CAN.-U.S. L.J. 69 (2004). Published by Case Western Reserve University School of Law.