Going Ballistic!

Before I get into the details let me explain my personal commitment to Canada a sovereign nation. I am the mother of two young military personnel, my husband served for 17 years in the Canadian Military, he spent several years in Germany as part of NATO, my brother served for 9 years in the Canadian Navy as a submariner, and my father served 17 years in the R.C.M.P. We have a family tradition of service to Canada. I believe whole heartedly that Canada needs to have a superb military, capable of defending our sovereignty. We need to supply it, to staff it and train it, we need to be able to defend our borders from North to South and East to West. We need to be capable of peace-keeping missions, of which we are the best in the world, but we have not done and are not doing the best job in supporting these fine dedicated people. I believe we need to assist our allies when they are being attacked, we should be able to support United Nations deployments when necessary. What we do not want to be is part of an alliance of aggressors or world bullies! Nor should we participate in activities, which elevate the level of aggression in the world such as an arms race. Getting back to Why? Why don’t Canadian know what BMD means for us? Is it fear of the unknown that prevents people from asking the hard questions? Is it intimidation by the press or the politicians? Or is it apathy? I believe it is all three. We are a generation of people born into a world of apparent peace, our country has not endured the horrific first hand knowledge of living in a war zone. We do not really understand a life that means daily scavenging for food, seeing children with limbs destroyed by land mines, nor do we wait at home to see if our spouses will return at night from the horror of a days fighting. We live in freedom, we brag about our lifestyle of purchasing power, credit cards and mortgage payments. We complain about our potholed roads, our failing healthcare system, the price of gas and the hardships of farming. These are the issues of daily discussion and they are important topics. We talk about politicians, our various levels of government and their duties to the electorate. Some of us even vote, although many of us fail to become informed about the issues before we do so. Some Canadians may remember seeing photos of victims of Nagasaki and Hiroshima or pictures of the horrific mushroom clouds the bombs created. Most of us cannot imagine this type of event ever happening again, it was a mistake of horrendous proportions and it could never happen again. That is part of the lull, the apathy in which the birth of BMD was born, in secret and without public consultation. We the public are considered too insignificant to stand in the way of progress. We do not understand the economic, political and military gains to be made but such incredible feats, as the program to conquer space. We do not live with the health effects of depleted uranium, like those in Afghanistan or Iraq, we do not walk by burned out buildings that used to house our mentally ill, or the schools our children used to attend. We don’t go to sleep at night wondering if a chemical attack is going to occur in the night. We live in peace! The International Campaign to Ban Land Mines: A copy of which I have with me for your examination. Canada signed this treaty on December 3, 1997 and was ratified the same day. Under Article 15, the treaty was open for signature from 3 December 1997 until its entry into force, which was 1 March 1999. On the list, the first date is signature, the second date is ratification. Now that the treaty has entered into force, states may no longer sign it, rather they may become bound without signature through a one step procedure known as accession. According to Article 16 (2), the treaty is open for accession by any State that has not signed. Accession is indicated below on the list with (a). As of 13 Aug 04, 152 signatories/accessions and 143 ratifications or accessions (a). 9 have signed the treaty but not ratified. One country is noticeably not signed or become bound through accession and that is the United States of America, does that tell you anything about the morals or ideals of this country that says they want to protect all of North America? This is a quote from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: ‘Anti-personnel mines are not indispensable military tools. According to a 1996 Red Cross study, military experts examining 26 wars where anti-personnel mines were used concluded that mines did not lead to a strategic advantage in war. The reality is that mines do more to create fear and cause suffering in civilian populations than they do to deter the movement of soldiers. According to the United Nations, landmines are at least 10 times more likely to kill or injure a civilian after a conflict than a combatant during hostilities. Once mines have been laid, they are completely indiscriminate in their action. Unless cleared, they continue to have the potential to kill and maim long after the actual fighting has ceased.’ So I ask you again, why does a country that purports to care about Canada’s people not sign an international treaty to ban these weapons and why should we believe that their motives to protect us through a BMD shield are as our government claims them to be? What are Canadians Being Told vs U.S. Statements? Canadians are being told by our politicians that BMD is NOT Star Wars and that Canada will not participate in such a program. We are told that we are only agreeing to certain aspects so that we can sit at the table and have a say, and especially so that we can prevent the ‘weaponization’ of Space. I quote you now from the Government of Canada’s website : ‘Canadian Approach: Canada's approach on ballistic missile proliferation is based on: engaging diplomatically with potential ballistic missile proliferators; promoting multilateral arms control mechanisms; and examining the employment of defensive capabilities. Through this approach, Canada, along with its allies, is actively seeking to address the threats posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile technology, in a manner that respects Canada's longstanding policies on arms control and strategic stability - including Canada's opposition to the weaponization of space, as articulated in the April 1999 Government Statement on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. Canada is a founding member of the Missile Technology Control Regime established in 1987 as a means to counter the threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation by controlling the transfer of missile equipment, material and related technologies. Canada was also instrumental in the development of the 2002 Hague Code of Conduct against ballistic missile proliferation - the first multilateral agreement which establishes principles and confidence building measures regarding ballistic missiles and related activities. Complementing these efforts to halt the proliferation and use of missile delivery systems, Canada remains active in working to control the development and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction that could be employed as warheads for such weapons. The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty forms the foundation of Canada's nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation policy and Canada continues to play an active role in strengthening this important cornerstone of strategic stability. Canada has also been very active in the development, universalization and implementation of the 1975 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, as well as the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. More recently, Canada has begun devoting considerable resources to support the G8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. Through this initiative, Canada will focus on working closely with its G8 partners, including Russia, to assist Russian authorities to secure the destruction of chemical weapons, dismantle nuclear submarines, ensure the safe disposition of nuclear fissile materials and find employment for former weapons scientists. Canada and the US also established a BMD Bilateral Information Sharing Working Group that has met twice a year since 2000. In addition, Canada placed a Canadian Forces Liaison Officer with the US Missile Defense Agency in early 2001 for the purpose of supporting the ongoing consultation and information gathering process. And, Canada has been involved with short-range missile defence efforts that have been underway in NATO since the early 1990s. If this is true, then why is Canada not promoting the disarmament of the U.S., since it is commonly known that they are the world’s leader in WMD? What the U.S. Says: The United States, is not nearly as timid in their proclamation of what their intentions are, in a document called, ‘The United States Vision for 2020’, prepared in 1997, a copy which is here for your information; you can read and see that the mission IS to weaponize space, to control and command space for the sole purpose of controlling the world. What’s So Bad About That? I do not believe that, mankind was meant to live under the rule of a superpower; I believe humans were meant to be free, truly free, which is what democracy is all about. There are a few very certain enemies of democracy and one of them is to allow any country to rule all others. Even if they have completely altruistic morals and policies, which they don’t, this is not how we are meant to live. Presently we are living in an environment, which is based on one country, through its corporate agenda, controlling all others through monopolies on everything from agriculture, water, oil, and military might. Trade deals are created to favor the ruling monopolies, the United Nations is under the control of the superpower, as is the World Trade Organization, and they refuse to acknowledge or allow their own military to be judged by the World Court. In other words they are the world’s policeman, morality police and judge, jury and if necessary, executioner! The people of Canada have placed a high value on peace, we have continually mandated our politicians to sign agreements such as the Ban on Land Mines, Arms Control agreements, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972 and we abhor the brutality of various dictators around the world. We support foreign aid, that we expect to help feed, cloth and shelter the world’s less fortunate. We willingly donate funds to assist in Health initiatives to inoculate and fight the spread of Aids. We do not support the overthrow of democratically elected governments, nor do we want our aid money going to buy guns or weapons. Why would we support an initiative to weaponize space? According to Mr. Hurtig, numerous official U.S. documents reveal their plans to ‘dominate space’ and place deadly lasers and nuclear weapons in space and that today’s nuclear weapons are up to 350 times more powerful than the bombs which devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Ah but you say, the enemy also has these bombs and therefore we must defend ourselves. Department of Foreign Affairs: Quote from their website: ‘Within this policy framework, DFAIT took into account numerous significant external factors affecting the Department's operations. Chief among these was global integration and interdependence, threat reduction and international terrorism, growing public expectations and concerns, and the nature of government commitments to international organizations and international events. Besides meeting the challenges of external events beyond its immediate control, DFAIT also participated in a very broad range of domestic and international activities within the limits of its mandate and resources. Reinforcing awareness of the links between foreign and domestic interests such as Canada’s commitments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, building on opportunities for addressing emerging and traditional challenges as in the Africa Action Plan, and promoting our interest in safeguarding international peace and human security are but a few of the areas where DFAIT has played a major role and where the two Departments will continue to do so.’ So according to this quote from the Department of Foreign Affairs, we are committed to Sustainable Development and safeguarding international peace, while we are also committed to BMD? Does this not sound like a conflict of interest? Does it Work and Are We Safer With It? First, all documents I have read, (of which I have a list of sources for anyone interested) state that the BMD does not work, this gives North America a false sense of security and creates fear in the ‘enemy’. Fear breeds hate as any basic psychology will tell you. Regardless of the oppressor, even a very nice oppressor, people do not wish to live under someone else’s rule. They will fight back. The world does not appreciate the threat of having the largest possessor of WMD, also having the ability to strike any other country at will. There will be those who have nothing to lose that are willing to take a chance and strike first. There is more than one way to be an oppressor, you do not have to invade a country, you can just buy their resources, their land and control their own politicians through trade deals, which are unfair. Once large corporations own the land, they control what is done with the land, whether it is a crop, cattle, or oil wells. The people no longer have a say and they may be forced to work for the corporation to farm the land, which once was theirs, but for meager wages and unfair working conditions. If a country does not wish to be so invaded and controlled, then the space laser can kick in, this is more effective than sending in troops, less expensive, more accurate and you have no loss of your own soldiers. You cannot continually promote yourself as the greatest country in the world; the most powerful and richest while causing untold suffering in other countries and not expect to create enemies. Canada has a reputation of peacekeeper, a compassionate country, willing to help and especially we are considered a non-aggressor. If we align ourselves with the United States in their mission to rule space, and control the world and its resources from there, we too will be hated and we will become a target. If missiles are allowed on Canadian soil, they will be deployed from Canadian soil and therefore the response will land on Canadian soil. Since the U.S. has stated that ‘you are either with us or against us’, some people think it is better for Canada to be with them. That is a sad reaction to a critical situation. Should we really join the world’s bully in order to protect ourselves? Would it not be better to stand up and say, ‘NO, we will not legitimize your plan, by allowing you to use our name to create such a horrific environment in the world’? Should our elected officials not attempt to make alliances with other countries and force the U.S. to stop seeking world domination. We are not as strong as the U.S. today, that is true, but together with other peace-seeking nations, we could be the strongest. Do you believe that the people of the United States want to be the world’s enemy? I don’t think so, many of them are just as naïve as we are, but we can be leaders, as we have been in other peace initiatives. Action : I have written numerous letters to former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Paul Martin our current Prime Minister, David Pratt the previous Minister of Defence, Bill Graham, former Foreign Affairs Minister and now Defence Minister, and none have heard the message. I have spoken to Mr. Jack Layton the Leader of the New Democrats and he, as well as Alexa McDonough the NDP Foreign Affairs Critic are working to stop this weaponization of space. Many others are speaking out as well, but we each individually cannot make a difference, one voice rarely can, but together, united we are a very loud voice and we can make a difference, not just for Canada but for the World and that would be an accomplishment of which to be proud. I must say that when I remember, those individuals who have given their lives for this country, for democracy and our freedom, when I think about the poem, ‘ In Flanders Fields’ which we all hear on November 11, every year, and we those words echo through the years, ‘Take up our Quarrel with the Foe…for if you falter, then we will not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders Field’ I am forced to remember what that really means. We cannot fail those soldiers, we, who treasure freedom, must fight for those who are too weak to fight, for those who can no longer fight. We do not need to shed blood, or take a life, we take up the fight for freedom and democracy when we stand up against cruel, horrific policies which threaten life! Shocking? You bet. Terrifying? Absolutely. What can we do? The first thing you can do today, is sign the petition we have prepared to send to our Prime Minister demanding that he abandon this undesirable, deadly and unnecessary agreement, the second is read Mr. Mel Hurtig’s new book, ‘Rushing to Armageddon’ available at most book stores and Highwood Books in High River. We must become educated, we can no longer allow our politicians to spoon feed us, what they believe we ought to or need to hear. If we are really serious about a future for this planet, a life for our children and grandchildren, we must stand up today. We owe it to the past, for the present and future of this world! Sources about BMD: ‘The Rushing to Armageddon’, by Mel Hurtig, ISBN 0-7710-4162-4 Publisher McClelland & Steward Council of Canadians website http://www.canadians.org/browse_categories.htm?COC_token=23@@bb48a0458423e54b3e9006de8971a20c&step=2&catid=346&iscat=1 The White House President Bush Speaks at National Defense University www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/05/20010501-10.html The Canadian Peace Alliance www.acp-cpa.ca/NMDFAQ.htm Canada Could Prevent Weaponization of Space www.spaceref.ca/news/viewpr.html?pid=8266 Space Weapons and World Empire by John Valleau www.globalresearch.ca/articles/VAL206A.html Department of National Defence website: BMD http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1064 Speech Canada-U.S. Defence Relations, Asymmetric Threats And The U.S. Unified Command Plan-For Lieutenant-General George Macdonald Vice Chief Of The Defence Staff SP-06.002 - May 6, 2002 http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1004 Department of Foreign Affairs http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/sustain/sd-dd/adg-06-sec11-en.asp Land Mines Treaty http://www.icbl.org/treaty/members?eZSESSIDicbl=44e25c7339d826dda1178d3093167fb8 When and Where have Land Mines been Used http://www.mines.gc.ca/I/I_B-en.asp