It’s exciting to learn that journalist, UofT faculty member, consultant, peace museum advocate Chris Houston produces a weekly peace-themed column for an independently owned paper, the Bancroft Times. The 28/01/25 article focuses on the harms caused to wellbeing, including peace, of US govt. policies and the clamour to increase military spending. https://chrishouston.ca/stories-of-peace/f/the-audacity-of-america
Category Archives: Promote Peace
Virtual Conference: Compassion, Justice, in Polarizing Times
Anima Leadership was founded in 2007 to nurture inclusive, productive workplaces & communities. It’s a professional consulting firm which offers some free events, including the Conference, Jan. 21 – 23: https://animaleadership.com/anima-conference-2025/
Let Peace Be Their Memorial
Dr. Linda Thyer (Conscience Canada treasurer) spoke at the 2024 Let Peace Be Their Memorial Remembrance Day ceremony in Vancouver. To watch this moving, inspiring event, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDHsDn0FyrQ You can read Linda’s speech on ecological impacts of war below.
White Poppies Sept. 21 – Dec. 10
We invite you to join us in wearing white poppies, blue scarves and other symbols of our commitment to work for peace with justice.
You can order wallet cards (as above) & sample poppies by contacting Bruna b.nota@icloud.com .
And maybe your group would like to sign on to this statement -> “Join us to support the White Poppy Campaign”. Continue reading
World Beyond War (WBW) conf. Sept. 20 -22
This conference is a great opportunity to “meet” people all around the world who are working for peace with justice.
Sign the WBW peace declaration here: https://worldbeyondwar.org/individual/
& register for the conference here: https://worldbeyondwar.org/wbw-news-action-nowar2024-sept-20-22/
NATO (& other) targets
If you find the brouhaha about meeting NATO spending targets (while we more or less ignore overseas development aid or climate targets) upsetting, you’ll surely find this article by Yves Engler helpful! https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/yves-engler-the-insanity-of-spending-two-percent-of-gdp-on-the-military
Hiroshima Day events
What US Gen. Omar Bradley said (10 Nov. 1948) is relevant, in remembering Hiroshima & Nagaski: “We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Man is stumbling blindly through a spiritual darkness while toying with the precarious secrets of life and death. The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living.” Here are some events happening in Canada: Victoria: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/hiroshima-nagasaki-day-august-6-2024-tickets-943962415997, Nanaimo, starting 8:45 pm Swy-A-Lana Lagoon, Winnipeg- South Side of Manitoba Legislature. Lantern making 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Official ceremony 8:30 p.m. Launch of lanterns 9:15 p.m., Ottawa, starting 7 pm at the pond near Queen Elizabeth & 5th, Hamilton: Aug. 9 12 – 2 pm at Dundas Town Hall, Toronto (Peace Garden near City Hall) , 4 – 8:30 pm, Aug. 6, Dartmouth: Aug. 6 11 – noon, 88 Alderney Dr.. If you know of other Hiroshima -Nagasaki Day events in Canada, please let us know. (You can write to janslakov @ proton.me or info @ consciencecanada.ca .)
Neurosurgeon Dr. David Hasan’s testimony, vision
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!
“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
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.
Increasing numbers of Israeli COs – Let’s Support Them!
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.