CANADA NEEDS A CULTURE OF PEACE: CHILDREN NEED A CULTURE OF PEACE

Canadian children are being wooed into a culture of war by the glamour of military life with offers of adventure, training, free education and travel. But the military is all about war, dying and killing. Our taxes fund our bloated & increasing military budget. Lt. Gen. Rick Hillier, Canada’s highest-ranked military officer, says “We are the Canadian Forces; our job is to be able to kill people.”              

Why are Canadians dying and killing in Afghanistan, a country whose people have never threatened us? Why are we supporting its leaders whom Afghan Member of Parliament, Malalai Joya, says are “warlords, drug lords and criminals”?  She also accuses the US of continuing to support extremist warlords and Northern Alliance criminals. Because Harper’s minority government supports USA militarism (Hillier served in the US Army), Is Canada’s military is falling in step with the USA policy of “Full Spectrum Dominance”?
Canadians want to be helpers, aid-givers & peacemakers. Now, in Afghanistan our aid means, “90% deadly combat.”  Canada’s armed forces are killing children, children, like ours, who deserve a culture of peace, not a culture of war. We have never believed that killing people helped them to gain justice & peace. Why are we killing in Afghanistan? Are we merely tools of USA?
 
Canadian children need to know that our military kills children just like them – who want to live, learn and play
 All Canadian children deserve education, adventure and training for live a full and happy life in Canada and to serve Canada peacefully abroad in aid and development work. The military is not the place for this life.

A Culture of Peace would provide funding & structures for all children to have education and opportunities to help themselves, Canada & the world to become a peaceful and just place for all children to live in. A culture of peace creates alternatives to war & violence. All children and all people deserve a culture of peace.

 

Prepared for VICTORIA WOMEN IN BLACK for Navy Days vigil, Nov. 2006. Victoria WIB  has  been part of a worldwide movement for peace & non violence for 11 years.

Tell our Government we want an end now to Canada's war in Afghanistan. Canadians can call phone #1-800-662-6232 toll free and get the names, addresses, Email & phone # of all Members of Parliament.