Science for Peace Newsletter

Anonymous — February 1984

OBJECTIVES: 1) to conduct and encourage educational and research activities relating to the dangers of war waged with weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons; 2) to encourage scientific activities directed towards peace, and to urge the publication and dissemination or the findings of peace research; 3) to do such things as are incidental and necessary to the attainment of the above objectives.

STRUCTURE: Science for Peace is a national organisation currently centered. in Toronto, with Chapters in British Columbia, the Waterloo Region and New Brunswick. Our purpose is 10 provide the public with factual information about the dangers and likely consequences of nuclear war, and to monitor destabilising developments in the arms race, and to offer expert advice on these issues to decision-makers.

Members include scientists (social and human as well as physical), engineers and others, who are encouraged to form local Chapters to organise educational and research activities. The Executive coordinates such activities nationally, administers the finances, and produces and distributes a news bulletin. The Board of Directors determines national policy of Science for Peace.

ACHIEVEMENTS: Education — Several Canadian universities are actively interested in developing courses and eventually programs in Peace Studies, and to this end an Inter-University Workshop on Peace Education was held at York University in November 1983: Speakers from the U.K. and the U.S.A., as well as Canada, described their own experience in building such programs, and the published Proceedings should prove invaluable to university peace educators. Seminar, lecture and film series for public education are in progress or are being organised by the individual Chapters. Seminar speakers form the basis for a speakers bureau, a resource for the local peace network, as well as a list of media contacts.

Research – The B.C. Chapter has been the most vigorous in this area. Working groups are preparing reports, along the lines of the already-published Cruise Missile Report, on the following topics:

computer simulation of nuclear attacks on Canada;
the CANDU power reactor and its implications for arms control;
current developments in chemical and biological warfare;
analysis of current and previous strategies of deterrence;
aftermath of nuclear war and particularly the effect on the ozone layer; and
current technology in antisubmarine warfare.

Science Tor Peace is interested in participating in the newly established arms control and verification program based in the Department of External Affairs. This program is intended to use expertise available outside as well as inside Government, and will focus initially on verification of agreements limiting chemical weapons and on monitoring underground testing of nuclear weapons.

The president of Science for Peace had the opportunity early in January 1984 to meet Prime Minister Trudeau and to discuss a memorandum on “The Clear and Present Danger of Nuclear War.” He also formally presented an appeal signed by morc than 14,000 physicists world.wide which called for a nuclear freeze.

PUBLICITY: Science for Peace publishes a BULLETIN for its members, which should appear roughly quarterly. A Science for Peace column will also appear regularly in The Peace Calendar, which is published monthly, and announcemellls of local events will also be listed in The Peace Calendar.

MEMBERSHIP: We extend an invitation to join Science for Peace to all scientists (social and human as well as physical — a definition that includes most academics), engineers and others. Membership will bring a subscription to the BULLETIN and the right to participate in Chapter activities. Membership Subscription: $25.00 (student/retired: $5.00). Make cheques out to SCIENCE FOR PEACE (registration as a charitable organisation has been applied for.) Mail to: Science for Peace, University College, University of Toronto, Toronto On. M5S 1A7.

The Peace Calendar

Canadian Disarmament Information Service, 1983-1984

Science for Peace Newsletter