Canadian Peace Initiative

Happy International day of Peace. A short video by a local community for your reflection. Do something today to remember peace requires a change of heart https://youtu.be/zHPb_kEyoU0.

"As Canada contemplates the post-Covid-19 world and citizens everywhere are considering the issue of defunding militarized police, we must also focus on Canada’s military budgets, which have increased from $18.9 billion in 2016-17, to $32.7 billion in 2019-20." Read more from Dr. Saul Arbess, cofounder and board member of the Canadian Peace Initiative: https://www.thestar.com//billions-for-military-should-be-s

The undersigned, gathered in Mérida, Mexico, at the 17th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates declare: 1- Peace is the right of all human beings. It is the supreme good of humanity because without it there is no true development or possible coexistence. 2- Building a Culture of Peace rests on the belief that we must treat others as we wish to be treated. This ethical principle applies at all levels of human endeavor personal, family, community, and national. When honored, ...dignity and stability follow. When violated, instability results. 3- In the midst of the current challenges of war, fear, racism, intolerance, and populist nationalism, today more than ever it is necessary to promote a Culture of Peace that follows tolerance and respect for diversity as a fundamental principle of coexistence among human beings and nations. 4- A Culture of Peace is essential for the integral development of individuals and their families, for the progress of societies and the survival of humanity. 5- A Culture of Peace expresses unconditional respect for human life and human rights. Human rights are the foundation upon which humanity can live in harmony. 6- A Culture of Peace requires respect for all other life, and for the systems that support all life on earth, as a prerequisite for the healthy development of human society. A Culture of Peace includes being at peace with oneself, others and the natural world. 7- The primary tool to promote a Culture of Peace is Peace Education, which must be taught in families, all levels of education, workplaces, and disseminated through the media, and encouraged at all levels of society. 8- First, we are human beings. Our common humanity precedes gender, race, religion, nation, sexual orientation, and political affiliation. Our humanity is enriched by its diversity. 9- We support and are inspired by the resolutions and institutions of the United Nations such as the Culture of Peace Program developed by UNESCO and in a broader sense the Sustainable Development Goals. 10- There is no greater gift we can give our nations and communities than peace. Our children and generations to come deserve this gift. Let’s make the Culture of Peace our legacy! https://gsinstitute.org/nobel-culture-of-peace/

The newly re-elected Liberal government has promised to "establish the Canadian Centre for Peace, Order, and Good Government, which will lend expertise and help to people seeking to build peace, advance justice, promote human rights and democracy, and deliver good governance." This sounds promising and aligned with our calls for a Department of Peace (https://canadianpeaceinitiative.ca), but of course the details matter greatly. https://www.ceasefire.ca/canada-needs-a-world-class-centre/

Tamara Lorincz has the following to say about military vs. climate-environmental spending. Military Spending in Canada: Billions to Address the Wrong Threat. Aggravating the Real Threat Under Canada’s new defence policy, Strong Secure Engaged, the federal government will be spending $553 billion on National Defence over the next twenty years. The Canadian military will be recruiting more soldiers and buying more weapons to maintain high-level warfighting. Last year, the m...ilitary received $32 billion according to the Public Accounts of Canada and was ranked 14th highest in the world for military spending according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. National Defence is the federal agency that consumes the most fossil fuels and is one of the biggest producers of hazardous waste in Canada. National Defence is also the agency with the most contaminated sites across Canada. Note: military emissions from operations are exempted from national greenhouse gas reporting and reduction targets. We must demilitarize to decarbonize. We must cut military spending to fund urgent environmental and social needs and resist the new defence policy. See more