At End the Arms Race in Vancouver, Peter Coombs is trying to get people to oppose the government purchase of helicopters, "especially" says Peter, "since they are cutting back on spending." He is organizing a mailout to 3000 people and they are spreading the word through their newsletter, Peacetime.
Three Victoria residents were expecting to have their $10,000 suit heard in court on December 14, nearly two years after they were run over by Military Police in Esquimalt Harbor. They were participating in a peaceful demonstration against the presence of a nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarine. Cpl. Bray, who operated the Military Police Zodiac, has admitted liability through his lawyer. However, the trial was adjourned because of procedural wrangling. "Nuclear ships seem to be immune from democracy" said Al Rycroft, one of the claimants. Fifty-one of fifty-two B.C. legislators, eight of ten municipalities, and all local MPs have called for an environmental review of ship visits.
Alberta
Calgary Project Ploughshares celebrated the 10th anniversary of Project Ploughshares with a dinner with Ernie Regehr. Calgary Project Ploughshares has been working hard on the boycott and considers the GE sale of its nuclear branch a victory. "We collectively has but an end to GE nuclear capacity," said Dave Plummer of Ploughshares.
The Girl Guides of Canada has recently introduced a "peace badge" which guides can obtain by talking to someone working for peace or going to a peace rally. Project Ploughshares as a result has been doing a lot of speaking with girl guide groups -telling stories, talking about conflict resolution, playing games.
Ontario
Get involved in stopping low-level military flying over Innu land in Nitassinan. An international day of action is planned Saturday, April 3 to demand an immediate end to the flights, which occur out of Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay. Demonstrations are already being planned as far away as New Delhi, India. Your participation is needed. Individuals and organizations interested in organizing activities in their communities should contact the Innu Campaign, through ACT, 4l6/531-6154.
Two young Mennonite women, Jennifer Lindberg and Patty King, are touring North America with a photo exhibit of 100,000 faces syrnbolizing those killed in the Persian Gulf War. The project was begun by Jennifer Lindberg, a volunteer working with Hispanic refugees. We wanted to see the faces behind the statistics, and so transform a tragedy that happened to "those" people to one that happened to "our" people, the people of the earth. Hundreds of adults and children across Canada and the United States helped make the panels. The 100,000 Faces exhibit will be shown for 3 days in each of 9 Ontario cities between January 14 and February 25, 1993. For Ontario contact Doug Pritchard at 416/421-7079.
In Ottawa Doctors Without Borders launched their Populations in Danger report, its first report on the world's ten most critically endangered peoples. In Toronto the group held a rally and minute of silence to bring public attention to the plight of endangered peoples. Call Vanessa Schoor in Toronto, 416/683-6733.
The World Federalists, based in Ottawa, have begun organizing discussion and letter-writing groups across Canada. These groups of 8 -15 people receive Issue Action Briefing Papers prepared by the national office as material for their discussion, and in the course of the evening write very short letters (3-5 sentences) to government and/or the media. briefing papers for them. About 100 conveners have already come forward to lead groups. A convener's kit is available from the World Federalists. Call 613/232-0647 for details. The World Federalists had 60 participants at an "egghead" conference on U.N. reform in November. Academics, diplomats, and a few lawyers came up with ideas and analysis which will be published in a conference report in the new year.
Quebec
The Innu people of Maliotenam held a civil disobedience action on Dec. 8th to protest the building of dam "St Marguerite River 3" on their land and the delay inset-ding outstanding land claims. Tensions are mounting between the Maliotenam and the adjoining "Uashat" people, who want to see the dam built and turn a blind eye to the non-settlement of land claims.
Steve Molnar from the International Peace Brigades and Normand Beaudet from Centre de Ressources sur Ia Non-Violence (CRNV) went to Maliotenam on Thursday December 10th to investigate the feasibility of Peace Brigade presence there.
Gerry Pascal of CRNV is walking from Grafton, New York on Dec 10th, with the Peace Pagoda, a group formed by an order of Japanese monks and nuns. The walk will open the inter-national year for native people. The Peace Pagoda will walk to Montreal and then to Quebec City by January 2nd. They will be joined by Innu people as they walk.
Peace Magazine Jan-Feb 1993, page 31. Some rights reserved.
