Dear Sisters and Brothers,
International tensions are growing daily. Military budgets and war preparations are surging. Crippling economic sanctions are proliferating and Cold War rhetoric fills the airwaves and news feeds. The largest nuclear weapon states seem to be on a collision course.
Seventy-eight years ago, an act of international criminality and infamy took place, the consequences of which have posed an existential threat to humanity ever since. For the first time, a species had created the capacity to not only bring about its own extinction, but also to threaten virtually all life on our planet.
The conflict in Ukraine has now entered its second week, with no end in sight. Casualties continue to rise and the flow of refugees through Poland, southern Russia and other countries grows daily. Hostilities must be brought to a quick end, and military confrontation replaced by diplomatic negotiations to stop the war before it spins out of control.
Preliminary negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian authorities have begun, but so far only reached agreement to open ‘humanitarian corridors’ for civilians fleeing some of the conflict zones.
Seventy-six years ago, an act of international criminality and infamy took place, the consequences of which have posed an existential threat to humanity ever since. For the first time, a species had created the capacity to not only bring about its own extinction, but also to threaten virtually all life on our planet.
Canadian Peace Congress has just released the “Peace Alternative for Canada” (please see attachment). This 8-point program presents a comprehensive foundation for re-orienting Canadian foreign and defence policies based on peace and disarmament, not on militarization, aggression and war.
The Canadian Peace Congress stands in solidarity with the people of Bolivia in their struggle to force the coup regime headed by Janine Añez to resign and for a return to democratic conditions.
Evo Morales of the Movement Toward Socialism Party (MAS) was re-elected President of Bolivia in the first round of voting on October 20, 2019 with 47% of the popular vote. Carlos Mesa of the right-wing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) received only 36.5%, thus negating the necessity of a second round of voting.
Seventy-five years ago, an act of international criminality and infamy took place, the consequences of which have posed an existential threat to humanity ever since. For the first time ever, a species had created the capacity to not only bring about its own extinction, but also to potentially threaten all life on our planet.
The Canadian Peace Congress calls on the government of Canada to rescind punitive economic measures taken against Iran, Venezuela, North Korea Syria, Russia, China and other countries. These measures are in violation of Article 41, Chapter VII of the UN Charter which states that the power to impose economic restrictions on any nation rests solely with the Security Council.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads rapidly around the globe, claiming many thousands of lives in its path, Canadians from coast to coast to coast along with peoples around the world are confronted with an extraordinarily alarming threat. At this most difficult moment, the Canadian Peace Congress conveys its solidarity and best wishes to our members and friends, and to all peoples across the country in our common struggle to control this dreadful contagion.
An IWD 2020 solidarity message from the Canadian Peace Congress
