Notes

By Valerie Osborne, Alan Wilson, Lynn Marriott | 1988-06-01 12:00:00

Atlantic

Dyer on a Neutral Canada

Military historian Gwynne Dyer spoke on February 17 at Mount Saint Vincent University. He called the Cold War and the formation of NATO in 1949, the results of a "dreadful mistake" based on mutual misunderstandings and paranoia in both Eastern and Western blocs. The West was afraid of the rise of the Communist party in Europe; Canada saw NATO as a way of containing a panic reaction in the United States. At first, the U.S. was reluctant, but with the Korean War in 1950, seized the excuse to take over NATO.

nuclear weapons from both the U.S. and USSR crossing and falling in her territory. How-ever, we would have to address our neighbors' real security ~ concerns by increasing surveillance. The army's role would be reduced, but its cost would exceed today's annual budget of $10 billion.

Would the U.S. let this happen? Dyer thought an economic embargo would be impossible to organize; economic entrapment works both ways.

Project Ploughshares

The Ploughshares Regional Conference in Wolfville last February drew 76 delegates from the four Atlantic Provinces. David Mangle reports little support for organized peace activities from church congregations. Ploughshares and other groups should make clear what we could do to work with them if invited (e.g. resources and leadership for discussion groups, speakers).
Saint John Project Ploughshares is delighted to have been invited to make a submission to a task force planning for the future of the city. Their brief, submitted in April, proposed linking the city with two other cities in the U.S. and the USSR; creating a peace park; establishing a chair of peace studies at the local campus of University of New Brunswick; declaring the city a nuclear weapons free zone; and beginning work on economic conversion of military industries.
A strong plea for Canadian action at the U.N. Special Session on Disarmament has gone to Ambassador Doug Roche from Saint John, N.B., Project Ploughshares.
Canada can try to set up an Arms Trade Registry, identifying regularly who is selling what to whom, and which weapons are used by oppressive regimes against their own citizenry.
Canada should stop all sales and export of military technology and weaponry to underdeveloped countries.
The government should fully inform the public on the extent of its efforts in the U.N. to realize a Comprehensive Test Ban.
Canada should disengage from American military production and testing and be willing to take the consequences.

For a copy of the full text, write to Judith Meinert, Project Ploughshares, P.O. Box 2737, Saint John, NB. E2L 4Z1.

Valerie Osborne

B.C.

Nanoose Bay

Far from converting the Nanoose Bay weapons testing base to "peaceful production," as the Nanoose Conversion Campaign has been urging for the past few years, it's starting to look as if the base will be expanded. Esquimalt (Victoria) is also expected to be the site of Department of National Defence (DND) spending as this country runs pell mell into the naval arms race.

Rumor has it that a $1.5 million will be spent at Nanoose to upgrade to docking facilities, perhaps to accommodate U.S. air-craft carriers. Fueling this rumor was the visit to Nanoose this spring of the U.S. carrier Nimitz.

Eight members of the NCC, outraged at the presence of this four-acre floating airfield carrying 90 planes and up to 6,300 crew (not to mention the equivalent of 2A00 Hiroshimas), committed civil disobedience. By placing 200 loaves of bread at the entrance to the base they showed their concern about the diversion of resources from development to the military. Al-though they were arrested, charges against them were dropped.

The NCC has evolved yet another strategy for public outreach, producing an excellent flyer called What's Going On Here? for mass mailout to local communities. They are soliciting funds to achieve as wide a distribution as possible. A donation of $20.00 will ensure it reaches a hundred homes. Already 10,000 have been printed and 8,000 distributed on Vancouver Island. Donations: RR#2, Box 6, Arlington Rd, Nanoose BC, VOR 2R0.

The NCC is also publicizing the refusal by the Nanoose base to provide a tour of the installation to look at whatever emergency response systems may be in place. This request has been underway for two years, with persistent contacts made with all levels concerned. Letters supporting their request could be sent to Defence Minister Perrin Beatty.

Refusals by the DND are getting to be a matter of course. Recently we saw them pull Out of a debate with William Arkin.

Visiting Peaceniks

At least the Peaceniks keep showing up. This spring we had Dr. Helen Caldicott with her Peace Pledge roadshow, and Dr. Thomas Cochran of the Natural Resources Defence Council in Washington, DC. This is the man who helped bring about the independent seismic monitoring agreement with the Soviet Academy of Scientists to install stations in the U.S. and USSR.

Spring was also a time of great peace walks in Vancouver, Victoria, Port Alberni and Courtenay. The Campbell River Peace Group visited high schools in their community to speak to students and enlist their participation. They also undertook to make an updated, local version of In the Nuclear Shadow interviewing students about the nuclear threat for a cable station.

Two other Island communities Nanaimo and Parksville - held peace festivals this spring.

Militarism and Development

OXFAM kicked off its two-year focus on Militarism and Development together with Project Ploughshares, they hosted a conference in Vancouver with speakers from South Africa and Honduras. It was gratifying to see many peace activists making the connections between arms spending and third world poverty. Even the Raging Grannies put in an appearance. Speaking of the Grannies, chapters are springing up all over. Tapes and transcripts of their material are available to interested groups. Write for information c/o The Greater Victoria Disarmament Group, 620 View SL #612, Victoria BC. V8W 1J6.
Speaking of Militarism and Development, funds were made available in B.C. this year for an educational outreach program about African problems. I was able to hook up with the program and have spent the last few months visiting schools all over Vancouver Island to speak on how militarism in Africa (and especially in South Africa)is contributing to widespread death.
Saltspring Nuclear Disarmament Group and GIPA placed ads in local papers stating their views on the White Paper.
Links between the peace issue and trade, human rights, environmental, and developmental issues are obviously growing. This year, for instance, the Kootenay Center for a Sustainable Future will be looking at resource development options for the region in a week-long study session in Nelson, August 3-7. The KCSF integrates a wide range of issues and shows the way to a less fragmented social perspective. They want to evolve positive alternatives which could help convince people that harmful practices are not really "profitable" or necessary. They hope to provide a coherent set of alternatives to present resource development, gathering and coordinating the information which is already available. (KCSF, Box 727, Nelson BC, V1I 5R4)
In Victoria a world wide human rights campaign was launched. A petition urges governments to live up to the human rights standards of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.
And in May, at the University of British Columbia, the youth of B.C. gathered at the Youth for Global Awareness Conference. The full spectrum of issues was under study at this event: militarism and disarmament, global development, human rights, the environment, and of course, the voice of youth!
A dance marathon, "Give Peace a Dance," was also held in Vancouver this spring, a project of the Pacific Peace Umbrella Society with support from the Vancouver City Council.

Hey, have you noticed, peace is getting to be a lot of fun!

Alan Wilson

Ontario

Ontario/Canada:

CONSCIENCE CANADA. Participants re-direct 9.1 percent of their Federal Income Tax to a Peace Trust Fund. This figure covers money that would otherwise be spent by the Department of National Defence, Atomic Energy Control Board, and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Contact Peace Tax Fund, 505-620 View Street, Victoria, B.C. V8W 1J6.

CANADIAN PEACE ALLIANCE Steering Committee Minutes. Concern was expressed about the involvement of CSIS with peace groups. Peace groups are encouraged to send minutes of their meetings to CSIS, requesting them to reallocate tax money saved for peace and disarmament efforts. Send to: CSIS, Box 9732, Ottawa Postal Terminal, Ottawa KIG 4G4.

Belleville:

World Without War. Peace and Justice resource files in Hastings County high school and public libraries have led to debate and the appointment of Janice Brown to Hastings County public school board "advisory committee" to review resource material entering that board. At the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) April convention, there will be, for the first lime. a discussion of Peace Education for Central Ontario school curricula. Contact: WwW, 106 Catharine St., Belleville K8P 1M3. 613/962-4571.

OTHER AMERICA'S RADIO. World Without War has reviewed audiocassettes on world-wide covert wars. For a listener catalog and price list contact WwW (see above) or OAR, Santa Barbara, California 93102.805/569-5381.

EDUCATORS FOR PEACE. Conference 1989: Children and Violence. The theme would be broad to include media and children, children as victims. The goal is to find ways to empower children. Possible speakers: Roy Bonisteel, Joanna Santa Barbara, Judith Marshall, Shala Marks, Bruce Kidd. Contact 64 Westmoreland, Kingston K7L 1J5.

Toronto:

Arctic Rim Peace Conference Organizing Committee. Support of a "North Nuclear Weapons Free Zone of Peace." All Arctic Rim Countries will be invited. Contact ARC, 300 Bathurst St., Top Floor, Toronto M5T 2S3. 416/868-6570.
Canadian Peace Alliance has a new Web-system computer outlet. Details of data system, contact CPA, 416/588-5555.
Tools For Peace. Campaign to supply Nicaragua with: rubber boots for female agricultural workers, notebooks for a million students; health and safety gear for workers: roofing for houses of war-displaced families; fishing gear. Contact TFP, 146 Laird Dr., Suite 101, Toronto M4G 3V7. 416/4244664.
Voice Of Women. Four delegates will attend Third United Nations Special Session on Disarmament (May 31 to June 25). Non-governmental organizations can "try to influence the forthcoming debate through oral or written submissions" dealing with the role of the United Nations. Contact: VOW, 736 Bathurst St., Toronto M5S 2R4. 416/537-9343.
Voice Of Women/ World Federalists Of Canada. VOW have obtained endorsers for the nuclear weapons legal action: YWCA of Canada, Beaches Women's Group (Toronto), and Arab Canadian Women's Network. The action will challenge the legality of nuclear weapons using Canada's new Constitution in Canadian courts. The action is expected to be in the courts in early summer. Contact: World Federalists, 46 Elgin St., Suite 32, Ottawa KIP 5K6. 613/233-5797.

Lynn Marriott