Peace Network News

Anonymous — July 1984

Edited by Mary Vrantsidis

World-wide Sing Out for Peace… join people in at least 16 countries to sing out at dawn on August 5th. Nine men and women in Milwauke Wisconsin planned and held the first world sing out last year. It’s easy, non-political and appeals to both secular and religious groups. A logo and flyers are available. Most important, let the group know of your plans for 1984. Contact: Ruth C. Johnson, 4360 N. 133 St., Brookfield, WI., 53005, phone 608-xxx-xxxx.
Pedal for Peace… a group of cyclists from Galiano Island. B.C. will leave Vancouver August 24th, on bikes, headed for Ottawa. Their goal is to gather signatures for the Peace Petition Caravan Campaign. Support cyclists, financial donations, sponsorship and signing of the petitions are welcome. Watch for them in your community between August 24th and October 9th and help out if you can. Contact: Pedal for Peace, Box 231, Galiano Island, B.C., VON 1P0, or phone 604-xxx-xxxx.
The women of the Cole Bay Saskatchewan Peace Camp invite the women of Canada to join them in continuing their efforts this summer. The camp, with strong support from the local native women is on the edge of Primrose Airforce Base, the test range for the U.S. cruise missile. Men are welcome during the day. For more information write to: Women’s Peace Camp, Cole Bay, SK., SOM OMO, or phone 306-xxx-xxxx. Donations welcome.
Toronto Parents for Peace have a new kit available… “Facing the Nuclear Age: Parents and Children Together.” It contains articles, activities and resources lists to help parents talk to their children about the nuclear threat. The cost is $4 plus $1 for postage if mailed. Write to Parents for Peace, Box 611, Station P, Toronto, ON M5S 2Y4.
The curriculum committee of the Toronto chapter of Parents for Peace has submitted a package to the Board of Education’s ‘Thinking and Deciding in a Nuclear Age’ Committee. It’s called “Preamble to a Peace Curriculum.” It suggests a new direction for Remembrance Day. They feel the future lies in the hands of children and in order to understand and “remember” what war is about, they must also be provided with the tools and strategies for understanding peace. For more information call Magda Lewis at xxx-xxxx. The Curriculum Committee welcomes any contributions you have.
For a different summer vacation… try a peace camp… Study non-violence as it relates to international justice and peace and labour along side other concerned people at the work/study camp of the Fellowship of Reconciliation in New York State. Participants must be 17 or older. It’s at the Stony Point Centre from August 6 18th. For more information, write to Fellowship of Reconciliation, Summer Work/Study Camp, Box 271, Nyack, NY. 10960.
Veterans for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament, a national organization for war veterans, has just released its “Statement of Position,” available for the asking. The group is also interested in recruiting other vets. Members have spoken at peace rallies in Toronto, Vancouver and Halifax. They are also planning a meeting between Soviet and Canadian veterans in Berlin and the USSR, on the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II in early May, 1985. For a copy of VMND’s Statement, write to them at P.O. Box 8252, Halifax NS, B3K 5L9.
Jim Garrison, author of the new book The Russian Threat: Its Myths and Realities will be on a speaking tour of Canada in the Fall. Professor Gordon Campbell of the University of lethbridge is asking the Canadian peace movement for its support. What is required is for each community to set up a co-ordinating committee to organize meetings, inform the media and arrange for Mr. Garrison’s accomodations and travel. Garrison is the co-founder of East-West Reach in London, England. He has written extensively on the nuclear situation in Hiroshima and the Soviet Union. He’s also done two TV specials for the BBC on Hiroshima and theology in the nuclear age. For more information, contact Campbell at the University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge AB, or call 403/xxx-xxxx.
Congratulations to WILPF… The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom celebrated its 69th birthday on April 28, 1984.
A demonstration is planned in response to the presence of American nuclear-armed submarines in Halifax Harbour. The next demo will include a water protest. When a submarine is spotted in the harbour, call Beverlee Rach. at 902/xxx-xxxx for information.
The Edmonton Peace Information Service is expanding its service to include all of the province. It’s gathering information on various peace groups and helping the peace movement network in Alberta. A monthly calendar of events is the next project. Please submit your activity plans to them and all events will be submitted to various community calendars, including The Peace Calendar. The staff of The Peace Calendar wishes them the best of luck in this endeavour. For more information, contact Frank Brab, 10765 98th St., Edmonton AB T5H 2P2, or call 403-xxx-xxxx or xxx-xxxx.
New location for PAND in Toronto … Performing Artist for Nuclear Disarmament is now in the Bathurst St. United Church, 736 Bathurst St., Toronto, M5S 2R4, 416-xxx-xxxx. Buttons, t-shirts and posters are available.
There are still three episodes to be aired of Gwynne Dyer’s series WAR. It’s on CBC, Tuesday nights, 8 pm across the country, 8:30 pm in Newfoundland. The series is also available on film or videocassette from the National Film Board.
PBS has acquired Gwynne Dyer’s WAR series. It will be presented in the U.S. by the PBS Seattle affiliate with some editorial changes. Vicepresident of programming, Suzanne Wei!, says the. editorial changes will be “nothing significant, but some points have to be stressed or made clearer for American viewers. That’s all. “
Both the Saskatoon and Regina Peace Councils hold regular monthly neetings, contact Ed Lehman in Regina, 306-xxx-xxxx or Edna Meakes in Saskatoon, 306-xxx-xxxx.
By the way, the Regina Peace Council made a comprehensive submission in early May, 1985. For a copy of VMND’s Statement, write to them at P.O. Box 8252, Halifax NS, B3K 5L9.
The biggest military parade in the world is held in France, on July 14, on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. It’s four hours long with thousands of soldiers, tanks, airplanes and the newest nuclear rockets. Jacques Suchet is organizing a peace carnival across France with plans to block this parade and celebrate a world without weapons. Watch for it. Everyone is welcome.
The Muskoka Peace Group is alive and thriving, judging from their annual report. Public meetings have been very successful, local governments have supported referendums on disarmament and groups keep springing up in towns across the county. Future activities will focus on education, the Peace Petition Caravan, teachers and youth and expanding Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones.
Nurses for Peace in Ottawa will be holding their first meeting on Wednesday September 12. Mark your calendar and invite others who might be interested. For more information call Loris Jordan at 613-xxx-xxxx.
Twenty-eight people, representing seven federal ridings in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island attended a workshop organized by Project Ploughshares in Saint John on June 9th and 10th to prepare for the Election Priorities Campaign. Jamie Scott presented materials provided by the Campaign staff and led the discussion. The network is expected to spread to the remaining ridings by election time.
From Comox, B.C. — Look for the departure of the Genie missiles from CFB Comox sometime in July.
Courtenay, B.C. – Tuesdays during the summer a booth will be set up in front of the Courtenay Library on behalf of the Peace Petition Caravan Campaign.
Dorothy Morrison (B. Ed.) has written a pamphlet/book for children called ABC for Peace. My favourite letter is X. “Xx is for xylophone. Plink, plink – plink, plink – the little hammers are playing a peace tune. A peace song written by a Canadian goes like this:
Last night I had the strangest dream
I’d ever dreamed before;
I dreamed the world had all agreed
to put an end to war.
The children in the Soviet Union sing a peace song that goes like this:
May there always be blue skies; May there always be sunshine;
May there always be Mama;
May there always be me.
Do you know some peace songs?”
Copies are available for 2.50 + 50q: postage, write to Dorothy Morrison, 3419 West 7th Ave., Vancouver, B.C., V6R IW2.
Unitarians for Peace will be hosting a weekend of “Firebreaks: A Game of War and Peace,” at Unicamp of Ontario in Honeywood, on the Bruce Trail. Eryl Court of Toronto First Church will be facilitating. Starts Friday July 6 at 7 pm, goes to Sunday July 8 at I pm. Cost is $72.00 (or $5.75 x age.) Price includes accomodation and board. For more information call (519) xxx-xxxx.
The 26th regional chapter of Project Ploughshares was founded on June 4th at 71 Broad St., Sussex, N.B. Anyone interested in joining can contact: Beth Downing at xxx-xxxx.
Hampton, N.B. residents interested in studying Peace and Development in the Nuclear Age will meet the first Thursday of each month to familiarize themselves with specific issues and to further the aims of PPCC. For more information call Kathy Hooper, xxx-xxxx or Peggy Land, xxx-xxxx.
Fenalla McGregor writes from london England: “When we were in Vancouver everyone was saying they had heard the news that the women had been evicted from Greenham and it was finished. Yes, the women have been evicted, and they continually are, but they always go back. No sooner have the police moved people from one area than they appear at another. So the women’s peace camp is alive and well and flourishing.”
And while we’re on the subject… The Greater London Committee Against Nuclear Disarmament wants as many women as possible to go to Greenham Common in Berkshire, England to attend the Women’s Peace Camp from Sept. 20th to 30th, 1984. Contact: Margaret Mclean, 416-xxx-xxxx.
Canvassing for P2C2 is now completed on Salt Spring Island. The canvassers were able to get signatures from about 70 per cent of the people they canvassed. Among those most negative about the petition were exservicemen. Some former Europeans were afraid to put their names on anything, fearful that their names would end up in the ‘wrong hands.’ Others responded that it was “God’s will,” or that “God will take care of everything.” It was also obvious that many people fear a direct Russian invasion, at worst, or communist subversion, at least. Canvassers were very surprised by the fact that in many households women would not sign without asking their men. In at least one case, the woman called back and made an appointment to sign out of sight of her husband. The Salt Spring Island Nuclear Disarmament Group reached the following conclusions: I) The canvass provided discourse with people not normally contacted. 2) Other ways of reaching people, and education, must be found. 3) A political candidate could not win on the peace issue alone. The economy is the prime concern and people do not see the two issues as being linked in any way. The SSND Group is now turning its efforts in the direction of the CCIC Election Priorities Project.
Resolution 364, declaring New York City a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone, is currently in the City Council Committee on Environmental Protection. Council Member Abraham G. Gerges invites letters of support. Please write to Abraham G. Gerges, Council member, 29th District, Brooklyn, 111 >Court St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201.

The Peace Calendar

Canadian Disarmament Information Service, 1983-1984

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