VANCOUVER RALLY FOR PEACE

 

We, signing for Canadian peace groups, are united in our call for an immediate ceasefire and diplomatic negotiations to end the violence by the Russian military, the Ukraine security forces and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).  We utterly reject all resort to war, preparations for war, and the effects of constant aggression on all life in this era of climate and ecological crisis. 

The parties to the war are risking nuclear conflict. The resulting political actions are denying common global action on the adaptation and mitigation needed now for a liveable, sustainable and peaceful world. 

 There is no military solution to this crisis. A peaceful resolution that guarantees security to all parties can only be achieved through negotiation and diplomacy to establish unbreakable treaties and a new global security architecture that ensures a future for humanity’s children and our planet. 

 A negotiated, comprehensive and enduring political agreement to end this conflict must be negotiated with the meaningful and equitable participation of women.  Women and children, especially in Middle Eastern and Global South conflicts, have been the most severely affected by war.   

We are saddened by the role that the Canadian government and NATO have played in creating conditions for armed conflict in Ukraine.  Canada has been a party to escalating the crisis by sending lethal aid to Ukraine, training Ukrainian nationalist militias and promoting NATO membership for Ukraine.  These are “red lines” for Russia, a modern nuclear power.  

For a lasting peace, Canada must end Operation UNIFIER and Operation REASSURANCE and bring all soldiers home. We also call for Canada to end arms exports and sanctions to all countries 

 We call for Canada to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 

 We call for Canada to withdraw from NATO.  NATO is an aggressive military alliance based on outdated ideas of deterrence.  It requires our Government  to increase military spending thereby diverting resources from urgently needed social and environmental healing both at home and in the Global South.   

 We support neutrality for Ukraine and the ending of warlike sanctions against Russia, sanctions which hurt only working people and families and thereby increase the enmity between nations.