Building the Other Superpower: A pan-Canadian Peace Conference

“This is the first truly cross-Canada peace conference since the invasion and occupation of Iraq and the unprecedented worldwide opposition to the war that has emerged over the past two years,” notes Derrick O'keefe of StopWar Vancouver.

Christine Jones of the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War and the ACTivist Magazine points out that “this is a pivotal moment for the Canadian peace movement and signals a new phase in our organizing and a strengthening of our resolve.”

“This pan-Canadian peace conference sends a strong signal that we stand in solidarity with the peace movements in the US and around the world in opposing war and militarism,” emphasizes Scott Herron of the Yukon Peace Coalition. Herron was recently part of a Whitehorse contingent at the fourth annual Fort Greely Peace Camp in Alaska to oppose Star Wars missile deployments there.

Alexa McDonough, the NDP Member of Parliament for Halifax, Nova Scotia, maintains that the peace movement in Canada can prevent the federal government from signing on to Missile “Defense”. “I think it can come out of here – this weekend,” says McDonough, referring to the peace conference's potential impact on stopping Canadian involvement in Star Wars. She says the public opposition is “just out there waiting to be mobilized.” McDonough is the only Canadian elected official to attend the conference so far.

Workshop Highlights:

The Real War in Afghanistan, Strategies for Confronting the Occupation
Palestine and the Anti-War Movement
Women Peace and Security - UN Resolution 1325
The War Resisters Support Campaign
Missile Defense and Canadian Complicity in US Militarism
Troops Out Now, How We Can Help End the Occupation of Iraq with rare footage from occupied Baghdad.
Building a Broad and Inclusive Movement

Building the Other Superpower has been organized by the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, Canadian Peace Alliance, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Toronto & Supported by the Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy.

** Voice Of Women and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Canada will be holding meetings at the same time as the Canadian Peace Alliance convention