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Thank you very much for your support,
Halifax Peace Coalition (HPC)
http://hfxpeace.chebucto.org/wwa/whoweare.htm
***
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The BMD/NMD is a unilateral initiative of the United States, which plans
to dominate space by "integrating Space Forces into warfighting
capabilities" (as outlined in United States Space Command document
"Vision for 2020") that no other major country supports. Canada has not
decided if it will participate or not and is now negotiating with the
US. However, Paul Martin has stated publicly on numerous occasions that
he supports Canada's involvement in BMD/NMD and he is soon to be
Canada's next prime minister.
However, there are many reasons for us to oppose Canada's participation.
First, the BMD/NMD would be a step towards the deployment of weapons in
space and lead to a new arms race. Second, the BMD/NMD would violate the
1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, and run counter to Canada's
commitment as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to
promote complete nuclear disarmament. These Treaties are cornerstones of
the international non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament
regimes long supported by Canada. Third, many analysts have suggested
that BMD/NMD will not bring about more security, but will in fact bring
about more instability and insecurity. Further, many physicists claim
that BMD/NMD will not work as evidenced by the failure of the majority
of tests run in the US. Fourth, there has been no concrete evidence
provided from the Department Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(DFAIT) that there is a threat to Canadian security that warrants our
participation in this program. Finally, every Canadian tax dollar spent
toward the BMD/NMD program would mean one less dollar for environmental,
health, education, children's and senior's programs and foreign aid.
For more information, please visit the following web sites:
Canadian Peace Alliance
http://www.acp-cpa.ca/CPAmainEnglish.htm
Canada and Ballistic Missile Defense
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/department/focus/bmd-en.asp
U.S. Missile Defence Agency
http://www.acq.osd.mil/bmdo/bmdolink/html/
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
http://www.smdc.army.mil/
***
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please email, fax or phone Paul Martin's office at:
Honourable Paul Martin,
Minister of Finance,
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Email: Martin.P@parl.gc.ca
*Please also do the survey on BMD/NMD on Paul Martin's web site:
http://www.paulmartin.ca/home/default_e.asp
Telephone:
(613) 992-4284
Fax:
(613) 992-4291
AND please email, fax or phone the National Liberal Party office at:
National Office
81 Metcalfe Street, Suite 400
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6M8
Phone: 613-237-0740
Fax: 613-235-7208
***
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Honourable Paul Martin,
I/We object to the US Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) program and
am/are/is disturbed that the Government of Canada has not yet spoken out
clearly and unequivocally against it.
I am /We are convinced that:
BMD is a step towards the basing of weapons in space (plans for which
can be found on the US Space Command web site:
http://www.gsinstitute.org/resources/extras/vision_2020.pdf
BMD violates the intent of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
BMD will provoke new conventional and nuclear arms races both on Earth
and in space
BMD will undermine arms control and disarmament
BMD will make Canada and the world less secure
I/We therefore conclude that BMD runs counter to Canada's traditional
multilateral approach to security and its long-standing support for
international non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament
agreements.
I/We urge the Government of Canada to say a resounding "NO!" to missile
defence, and to work with other middle powers for an international
agreement to end the development of missile technology.
Yours sincerely,
Your name
Your address
cc: Hon. Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs; fax: 613-996-3443;
Graham.B@parl.gc.ca
Hon. John McCallum, Minister of National Defence; fax: 613-995-8189;
McCallum.J@parl.gc.ca
Your Member of Parliament
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
3.
Please Sign the Online Petition to
"Stop Canada Pension Plan Investments in War!"
Did you know that the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is forcing millions of
Canadians to invest in businesses that profit from war? Included among these
corporations are 15 of the world's top 20 military contractors!
Is that how you want your retirement funds invested?
If not, please take a minute to sign this new online petition:
http://coat.openconcept.ca
Send a message to the federal government to: "Stop Canada Pension Plan
Investments in War!"
This petition site has links to detailed articles and tables from a new report
("Operation Embedded Complicity: Canada, Playing our Part in the Business of
War") published by the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT).
Here are some of the facts that you'll learn at this website:
* At least $2.55 billion, collected by the government from Canadians for the
CPP, is invested in domestic and foreign military contractors.
* Mandatory CPP investments include corporations that manufacture dozens of
the world's most advanced weapons delivery systems, including many warplanes,
tanks and ships used to wage the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
* The CPP also invests in corporations that have produced dozens of different
kinds of "dumb" bombs and "smart" missiles, including anti-personnel
landmines, cluster bombs, incendiary/fire bombs and several types of cruise
missiles.
* Over the past 40 years, these war machines -- and the weapons they "deliver"
-- have been used in dozens of wars, invasions, attacks and military
operations that have literally killed millions of people.
Help Spread the Word!
After endorsing this petition, please help the campaign by encouraging others
to do likewise. Please forward this email to friends, colleagues, family
members, fellow activists, or whoever else you think may be interested. Also,
please send a message to any appropriate list serves, web sites, publications,
organizations or politicians, etc. If you have a web site, please link it to
this online petition. Thanks in advance for your help in spreading the word
about this important issue!
There are links on the website that will allow you to easily email MPs and
media outlets.
The more Canadians who endorse this petition, the louder and clearer our
message to the government will be. Let's tell the Liberal government that we
do not want to be forced into investing our pension money in corporations that
profit from war!
In solidarity for peace!
Richard Sanders
Editor, Press for Conversion
Coordinator, COAT
P.S. Here again is the link to the petition! Please sign on and encourage as
many others as possible to do so as well!
http://coat.openconcept.ca
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)
(A network of individuals and NGOs across Canada and around the world)
New email ==> overcoat@rogers.com Web: http://coat.ncf.ca
____________________________________________________________________________
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Just send 'subscribe sust-mar' to mailto:majordomo@chebucto.ca
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