Last week, the Canadian government announced that Ottawa would play host to a meeting of finance ministers of the G20, as well key committees of the IMF and World Bank on November 16-18
(see http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/view?/news/2001/10/17/g20_meet011017).
The IMF and World Bank meetings were originally to be held in Washington D.C. in September, but were cancelled because of the terrorist attacks. Simillarly, the G20 was to meet in India which also cancelled the meeting because of security fears.Canada's peace coalition against the war, the September 11th Peace Coalition, has called for a national day of action for global peace and justice for November 17th. The press release and some clippings follow.
For Immediate Release
October 22, 2001
The September Eleventh Peace Coalition has called on groups across the country to join a cross Canada day of non-violent action for Global Peace and Justice Saturday November 17th, 2001.
Actions will call on the Canadian government to withdraw Canadian Forces from military action and to asses WTO, IMF and World Bank agreements and policies based on peace and economic development.
The coalition announced that already events are being planned in towns and cities across the country. "Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto are among the more high profile cities that will have non-violent actions against war and corporate globalization," said Peter Coombes, National Organizer of End the Arms Race, and Co-chair of the September 11 Peace Coalition.
The November 17th call for a cross Canada day of action for Global Peace and Justice coincides with the recently announced meetings of the G-20 Finance Ministerial meetings to be held in Ottawa on the same day.
"The Government must use the upcoming meetings of the G20, IMF, and World Bank in Ottawa to asses current agreements and policies of institutions such as the WTO, IMF, and World Bank against Canadian values of promoting peace, social justice, and security for all people," said Steven Staples of the Council of Canadians.
"The alternative to war is to begin rebuilding the world's infrastructures and to provide the things that working people need, like food, shelter, medical care, education, jobs and justice. Canadians implicitly understand the need for real justice and that's why thousands of people across the country will participate in the November 17th day of Global Peace and Justice," said Deborah Bourque of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, and Co-chair of the September 11 Peace Coalition.
The September Eleventh Peace Coalition, which includes high-profile national peace, labour, students, religious, women, environmental, cultural and community groups formed October 5th to oppose Canada's participation in military retaliation and to speak out against racist attacks resulting from the September 11 terrorists attacks on the United States.
Deborah Bourque and Mel Watkins were on CBC television at supper hour, and CPAC did a ten-minute interview with Steve Staples on Peter van Deusen's program. As well, Radio Canada in Ottawa did a story on October 23rd.
OTTAWA (CP) - A group calling itself the September Eleventh Peace Coalition is urging anti-war and anti-globalization groups to participate in a cross-country day of non-violent protest next month.
The coalition of peace, faith, women's, labour, environmental, cultural and student groups wants the federal government to withdraw Canadian Forces from the war on terrorism.
“We demand that the Canadian government end Canadian military participation in the war and pursue a political solution to the crisis,” said co-chairwoman Deborah Bourque, of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
The group also wants Ottawa to reassess international policies and agreements based on peace and international development. It has set Nov. 17 as a “cross-Canada day for global peace and justice.”
“The coalition believes that the current crisis must be resolved through a framework of law and equality of people, not a framework of war and racism,” said Bourque.
“Canada's security emanates from our social programs, our commitment to equality, our respect for democracy and our positive role in the world through support for the preservation of the environment, respect for human rights, eradication of poverty and the expansion of workers' rights.”
It wants the federal government to halt free-trade negotiations and use Nov. 17-18 meetings of the G-20, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Ottawa to assess current agreements and policies “against Canadian values of peace, social justice and security of all people.”
“The policies of the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO have created terrible inequality, poverty and environmental destruction in many areas around the world,” said Steven Staples of the Council of Canadians.
“These are the breeding grounds for conflict and extremism which are the root causes of terrorism. What we should be doing is dropping Third World debt, not bombs.”
A poll released Sept. 20 suggested 81 per cent of Canadians supported what was then Canada's possible participation in a military alliance to fight terrorism.
Canada has since dispatched six navy ships, more than 2,000 personnel and six aircraft to the efforts against Afghanistan's terrorist infrastructure and Taliban regime.
11:45 (Eastern Time)
OTTAWA
This story also appeared in:
The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)
The Edmonton Journal
A brief version appeared in:
The Globe and Mail
The Daily News (Truro)
Nanaimo Daily News
The North Bay Nugget
Vancouver Province
The Kingston Whig-Standard
Terror-Canada-Peace
Broadcast News
Mon 22 Oct 2001
General and national news
OTTAWA — A group calling itself the September Eleventh Peace Coalition wants to hold a day of protest next month against the war on terrorism.
The group is calling on anti-war and anti-globalization groups to participate in a cross-country day of non-violent action.
The coalition of peace, faith, women's, labour, environmental, cultural and student groups is demanding the federal government end Canada's military involvement in the war.
Co-chair Deborah Bourque says a political solution to the crisis should be pursued instead.
The group also wants Ottawa to reassess international policies and agreements based on peace and international development.
It has set November 17th as a “cross-Canada day for global peace and justice.”
That's the same day Canada will begin hosting the G-20 economic summit in Ottawa. (BN) --- TAP
11:52 (Eastern Time)
International Network on Disarmament and Globalization
http://www.indg.org