Author Archives: Conscience Canada

Infuriating, Ludicrous (& Indigenous Wisdom)

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from alam.qc.to

So, species are disappearing at an unprecedented rate (the 6th Mass Extinction) and we face the virtual certainty of the end of civilization as we know it (the end of things like pensions, Medicare, garbage services, etc.) and the Canadian government is under intense pressure to “deliver a concrete plan next month to raise defence spending to meet NATO’s benchmark”. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nato-spending-trudeau-joly-business-council-canada-1.7231776?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar  (I [Jan S] could expound on the hypocrisy of the Business Council of Canada’s stance…!)

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Neurosurgeon Dr. David Hasan’s testimony, vision

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An article originally published in Haaretz by award-wining journalist Netta Ahituv, resonates deeply with members of the board of Conscience Canada & friends. A couple of us even subscribed to Haaretz; we want to support this kind of journalism! 

Dr. Hasan & his wife invite people to contribute to efforts like this to provide relief in Gaza.

“When everyone who was able to flee from Gaza was doing so, Dr. David Hasan made the reverse journey. His story is a must-read for every Israeli.” The article continues, describing conditions in Gaza, and transforming statistics into people, loving and loved, people we can learn to love too. Dr. Hasan, a Palestinian born in Kuwait, has a deep connection to the place, the people. When he moved to the US, he “connected mainly with Jews and Israelis” who helped him acclimate. He changed his name from Emad to David. 

He went to Gaza to help not just Palestinians, but Israelis as well. Continue reading →

Powerful Letter

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Let’s stop wasting the earth’s wealth on war!

A Montreal professor wrote the letter below, which we want to share as a great example of how to reach out to MPs about respecting the right to conscientious objection.
Thanks for sharing; our letters can inspire more and better 🙂

Dear Minister Freeland,

I am a part-time Teacher [in a university faculty], a dedicated citizen and community member who is deeply concerned about Canada’s investment in militarism and warfare. Myself, friends, family and colleagues are working and dedicated to life-giving practices and community building to support people who are disproportionately excluded from access to basic resources, including affordable housing, food, healthcare, and education.

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Increasing numbers of Israeli COs – Let’s Support Them!

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Mattan Helman, executive director of Refuser Solidarity Network, has a petition we hope you’ll sign, and share. Find it here: https://support.refuser.org/ .

Addressed to Israeli COs, it reads:

We, citizens of countries around the world, support your brave decision to refuse to take part in the Gaza genocide despite the persecution you face. 

Not only is refusal to participate in war crimes a moral imperative, it is crucial to ending the horrors of the war. By withdrawing your cooperation and disobeying, you are undermining Israel’s ability to continue destroying Gaza.

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Missing amid the numbers

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Reflections from Doug HW

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has just released their annual analysis of trends in world military expenditure. They report that military spending worldwide increased for the ninth consecutive year in 2023, reaching a total of $2.43 trillion USD. That 6.8 percent increase over 2022 is the steepest rise since 2009 and highest level SIPRI has ever recorded. The world military burden (military spending as a percentage of GDP) increased to 2.3 per cent. Average military expenditure as a share of government spending rose to 6.9 per cent and world military spending per person was the highest since 1990, at $306 USD.

Military expenditure went up in all five geographical regions, with major spending increases recorded in Europe, Asia and Oceania and the Middle East.

At $27.2 billion USD in 2023, SIPRI reports that Canada’s military spending was 6.6 per cent more than in 2022 and a whopping 49 per cent more than in 2014. Canada’s military burden was 1.3 per cent of GDP in 2023. Canada’s plans are to increase military spending by $8.1 billion CAD over the next five years and $73 billion CAD over the next twenty years.

Those are the bare facts. So what is missing from this account?

The figures cannot truly testify to the misery of millions of people all over the world that suffer the consequences of this nasty spending on guns, bombs, artillery, land mines, warplanes, warships, nuclear arms and solders trained to kill. So many of these weapons find their way into the hands of paramilitary militias and roving gangs. Mines remain hidden for years to kill and maim innocent men, women and children.

Are not these some of the same numbers boldly flaunted by politicians to garner the trust of voters. Our governments tell us that this spending is to keep us safe, to protect us from evil nations, to protect us from people unlike us beyond our borders that mean us harm and want to destroy our homelands.

But can we ever be safe swimming in this sea of weapons?

What is missing? The money desperately needed to secure health care, education, housing and food.

What is missing? Money badly needed for training, developing and deploying experienced expert people for peace building, mediation, negotiation, diplomacy, peacekeeping.

Not one soul profits from weaponized WAR.
It is PEACE that pays dividends!

On to Ottawa Peace Caravan

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For more info, endorsements or to donate contact wilpfcanada@gmail.com

If you are feeling overwhelmed or helpless by wars killing hundreds of thousands of innocents and tearing our world apart, the military’s disastrous impact on the climate and if you care about Truth and Reconciliation consider supporting the cross-country On to Ottawa Peace Caravan (May 2024).

This is a call to action to bring Canadians together to talk about how we can create positive change in the face of these interconnected concerns and threats.

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Gaza Peace Pilgrimage

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Participants in Winnipeg’s Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage on a frigid March 16th, 2024. (in front of Boeing Industries)

Conscientious objectors Ernie Wiens and Eric Unger participated in Winnipeg’s Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage, one of over 140 around the world. The Pilgrimages are intended to draw attention to the relationship between the atrocities now happening in Gaza and the weapons industry and are inspired by Jesus’ way of healing justice.

The 42km route through Winnipeg symbolically mirrors the walk from Gaza City to Rafah, a journey which Palestinians have been forced to take because of Israel’s military assaults and forced evacuations.

Ernie’s speech in front of Boeing Industries’ Winnipeg factory provides details of Canadian profiteering from war. We have copied it below.

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Invitation: April 7 Info Session, April 20 AGM

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Photo from Women’s Views on News, 2016

If you’d like to learn more about conscientious objection to military taxation (why, how it’s not a tax evasion scheme!, consequences, etc) please join us for our upcoming information session Sunday, April 7, 2024. (Email janslakov @ proton.me (without the spaces) to get the link.
And members and friends are encouraged to join our AGM, via Zoom, on Sat. April 20 starting at 3:30pm Eastern. Please contact info@ consciencecanada.ca for the link (or a proxy form).