First Canadian War Resister To Speak Oct 19, Vancouver

Subsequent to his speaking at the NDP national convention in Quebec City, he faced immediate pressure from the Armed Forces to keep silent and not speak his exception to the government's actions. He says, "Overnight we find billions of dollars for transport aircraft and other hardware for war but not for our public health care system, which is what more of Canadians would prefer their taxes to support." Currently awaiting confirmation of his discharge papers, Francisco will speak out against the war to the public in his home province of British Columbia. The event, to be held at the Hewitt Centre of the Unitarian Church at 49th and Oak St., Vancouver, is sponsored the War Resisters Support Campaign and StopWar.ca. "Just as we support US war resisters seeking sanctuary in Canada, we support Canadian soldiers and their families taking a courageous stand against the misguided and failing war in Afghanistan," says Bob Ages, chair of the War Resisters Support Campaign in Vancouver. The War Resisters Support Campaign, StopWar.ca and dozens of other organizations will be participating in a national day of action on Oct 28 with speeches, marches and events across Canada. Mr. Juarez's engagement, beginning at 7:30pm, will be the first opportunity for the public to hear a new voice in the movement calling for the Canadian troops withdrawal from Afghanistan. Francisco states, "With a minimum of debate the Harper government has taken Canadians into an American model of war-making in Afghanistan which I believe to be counterproductive to the stated goals of humanitarian assistance and meaningful democratic reform. I hope that more and more people will start to question what Canadians are really doing over there. I chose not to go." [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on October 19, 2006]