For immediate release: January, 28th 2004
Canadian Peace Alliance Steps Up Cross Canada Campaign Against US Missile
Defence
Toronto: The Canadian Peace Alliance, appalled at recent announcements
stating the Government of Canada
will sign on to the US Missile Defence is
stepping up a cross Canada campaign against the plan. Between now and the
federal
election we will be calling on Canadians to make their voices heard
by Paul Martin and the Liberals in Ottawa.
The
campaign will include petition, postcard, letter writing, street actions
and consultation with Members of Parliament on
both sides of the issue. WE
are working to highlight the following issues:
1. Missile Defense is an offensive system.
Contrary to what the Bush
Administration and the liberal government are saying, the MD plan is not
only about protecting
the US from alleged "rogue states" but, in particular
the "Theatre Missile Defence" component, which receives the majority
of
funding is actually about offensive capabilities and is designed to provide
massive firepower for advancing armies.
There is a deliberate deception
being practiced by US and Canadian officials about this fact.
2. Missile Defense
will provoke arms races on earth and in space. The US
"long range plan" has always stated that MD will lead to the weaponization
of space. The Government of Canada has recently admitted to the fact after
years of denial. Experts believe that the
MD plan will cause further
destabilization of international non-proliferation systems and is a green
light for countries
to create new weapons of mass destruction.
"We will make Missile Defence a key election issue", said Dave McKee,
co-chair
of the Canadian Peace Alliance. "The Paul Martin Liberals are
leading us down a path toward greater military integration
with the US and
an administration which is unconcerned with international rules and
treaties. Canada cannot be the
multilateral fig leaf of US government aims."
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For more information contact:
Sid Lacombe or Christy
Ferguson, CPA Campaign Coordinators at 416 588-5555
The Canadian Peace Alliance. founded in 1985, is a pan-Canadian
umbrella
peace organization with over 120 member groups representing 3 million
Canadians
The Canadian Peace
Alliance/ L'Alliance canadienne pour la paix
427 Bloor Street West/ 427 Rue Bloor Ouest, Toronto ON Canada M5S 1X7
Tel:
416 588-5555 Fax: 416 588-5556 Web:
www.acp-cpa.caEmail:
cpa@web.ca
