Mayors for Peace, a Japan-based NGO that seeks the abolition of nuclear weapons worldwide through disarmament, passed a membership milestone earlier this month. More than 5,000 mayors from 151 countries and regions in the world are now members of the organization, which is the largest and fastest growing association of local governments in the […]
Archive | September, 2011
The Libya question
The House of Commons voted to support a three-month extension of Canada’s mission in Libya on Monday, voting 189 to 98 in favour of the extension (Stephanie Levitz, “Commons approves three-month extension to Libyan mission,” Globe and Mail, 26 September 2011). The Conservatives, the Liberals, and Bloc supported the extension, and the NDP and the […]
F-35 doubts continue
With budget cuts affecting defence departments around the world, the JSF is taking a toll on the budgets of those states involved in the program. In addition to Australia (discussed last month), the Netherlands, Norway, and even the primary customer, the United States, have all voiced misgivings about the program’s issues of costs and scheduling. […]
Perimeter security deal threatens Canadians’ privacy
The Rideau Institute has released a new report that provides a critique of the recently announced Shared Vision Declaration between Canada and the United States. The report, called Shared Vision or Myopia: The Politics of Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness and written by former Foreign Service officer and CIA liaison Gar Pardy, examines the threat […]
Fifth Ottawa Peace Festival celebrates human survival and democracy
What started out as a small gathering of concerned citizens has become the 12-day Fifth Annual Ottawa Peace Festival, a celebration of peace and justice from September 21 to October 2. This year’s program, put together by over 15 peace groups, includes: a peace walk; photo and art exhibits; a music concert; panel discussions; and […]
10th Memorial of 9/11
I encourage you to download our report, and share this note with your friends and colleagues on September 11, so that everyone can take a moment and consider what our government has done over the last decade, and where we want to lead our country in the next decade.