Newsworthy

By Shirley Farlinger | 1986-04-01 12:00:00

Mothers Day, 1986

BY SHIRLEY FARLINGER

This year mothers want more for Mother's Day than a pretty pink card and breakfast in bed. They want peace. Peace as in No More War.

Last year a young Toronto mother, Lisa Bevalander, initiated a letter-writing campaign to then-pregnant Mila Mulroney urging her to influence her husband and the Canadian government to work for peace. This year is International Year of Peace and Mother's Day is Sunday May 11, a day originally dedicated to the promotion of world peace. Lisa believes that mothers feel this need for peace more strongly than men because "mothers carry the new life." But all parents, she says, should be parents for peace. She cannot take off three weeks from work this year but she is urging everyone to write to Nancy Reagan (The White House, 1600 Pensylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20500) and to Raisa Gorbachev (do The Kremlin, Moscow).

Children should write too, she adds, because their comments are so important. In the peace movement, Lisa says, we must get the media on our side. Timing is crucial. We should saturate the media just before the next summit in September. Perhaps the Mother's Day Campaign could extend to Hiroshima-Nagasaki, August 6-9.

In San Diego on December 1, a group called Mothers Embracing Nuclear Disarmament organized a holiday musical show in memory of Samantha Smith, the girl who wrote to and visited General-Secretary Andropov. Attended by 3000 people, it was quite an example of motherpower.

Peace Tax Time

BY SHIRLEY FARLINGER

VICTORIA-- Ah, to be in Ottawa now that April's here. Tax returns will be pouring in and adding to the normal headaches of tax officials will be the returns of those who refuse to pay for war. About 250 Canadians have diverted 10 percent of their Federal tax money to the Peace Tax Fund, Victoria, B.C., and requested the government to recognize the right of citizens to do this.

Jim Manly, M.P. for Cowichan, Malahat and the Islands, is leading this initiative. He is presenting ~ Private Members' Bill advocating an amendment to the Income Tax laws to enable citizens to express their Constitutional right to withhold taxes which would otherwise be used for the preparation for war.

Twice this bill has been "talked out" in the House. In September the parliamentary secretaries for External Relations and for Finance did most of the talking. But Jim Manly is not discouraged. He has received several hundred letters and each time more interest in the idea is stirred up. He believes that letters to the Prime Minister, to Hon. Erik Nielsen, or to Ron. Elmer MacKay, Minister for Revenue Canada, may force a change in government Thinking. To obtain copies of the Petition for a Peace Tax Fund write to Conscience Canada, P.O. Box 601, Ste. E., Victoria, B.C. V8W 2P3.

"Amerika"

TORONTO-- The ABC TV mini-series "Amerika" will be filming in Toronto for 3 weeks, starting May 20. It depicts America ten years after a Soviet takeover of the U.S. The Soviet Union complained about the program last fall, and it was reported then that ABC might shelve the project. Some Canadian actors have refused to audition for "Amerika." Meeting on February 17Th, Performing Artists for Nuclear Disarmament unanimously resolved to express concern that the show may harm the cause of peace and disarmament.

Cranes

WATERLOO-- On August 6th, the Ride for Peace will set out from Ottawa for St Johns, Newfoundland, carrying cranes folded by Canadian children. As it passes through towns children will be able to add their cranes to the chain. The paper cranes will be presented to The House of Commons.

Please teach a child to fold cranes. She should write her name, age, and address on them, and send Them with her photo to Ride for Peace, Box 43, 70 King St. N, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3Z6.