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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 ____________________________________________________________________________ Did a friend forward this to you? Join sust-mar yourself! Just send 'subscribe sust-mar' to mailto:majordomo@chebucto.ca
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