Calendar of Events

Canada stands second to none with the U.S., Britain and other NATO members in prolonging the U.S./NATO proxy war in Ukraine. By refusing to permit a negotiated settlement, it has set a course of fighting to the last Ukrainian. It is also participating in ever larger U.S.-led war exercises which endanger world peace. From June 12-23, NATO held the biggest air war exercises in its history with Germany playing host. The exercises involved 23 NATO members, with Sweden and Japan also participating.

Every day, announcements are made of more military spending, more sanctions, more provocations and dangerous plans to be adopted at the upcoming NATO Summit to be held in Vilnius, Lithuania July 11-12. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian lives are being sacrificed as a result of the refusal of the U.S./NATO-backed Ukrainian government to negotiate a peace deal with Russia that meets its security concerns and those of Russia and protects the lives of the Russian-speaking people in Ukraine.

Canada is playing a dirty role, repeating unfounded stories that Ukraine is winning and will defeat Russia and egging on NATO to further arm Ukraine and enter the war directly by making it a NATO member.

Canada has provided $8 billion to the Zelensky government and Ukrainian armed forces to prop up the U.S./NATO proxy war in Ukraine, prolonging the war, increasing the sacrifice of Ukrainian lives by the Zelensky government and increasing the danger of escalation.

Meanwhile, here at home, the federal and provincial governments, along with various private interests are cooperating with U.S. declarations that Canada’s natural resources and territory are an integral part of the U.S. military-industrial base. This includes energy resources and critical minerals and the dispossession of Indigenous Peoples’ lands in violation of hereditary and treaty rights. It includes the use and occupation of our waterways and ports for purposes designated by U.S. Northern Command and Canadian forces are deployed abroad for purposes decided by the U.S. military. Those who call themselves a sovereign government of Canada are seen as unable and incapable of standing up to the warmongers.

None of this favours the working people of Canada. Already Canadians from all walks of life face demands for concessions by U.S. cartels and private interests in every sphere of life, including health care, education and other public services. In the mines, mills, production and transportation sectors, demands for concessions include demands to contract out in the name of the need for a flexible workforce. These make workers disposable and are union-busting. Governments heavily subsidize narrow private interests by guaranteeing their profits with public funds. Meanwhile they provide arguments which seek to legitimate union-busting, treat workers as disposable and violate the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Further integrating Canada into the U.S. war economy and war machine in the name of green energy, new infrastructure, reducing inflation, or good middle class salaries, does not favour the people of Canada nor peace. It increases the control over our lives by U.S. cartels and private interests and their agendas and puts the peoples of the world in increasing danger of wars, the consequences of climate crises, impoverishment, hunger and starvation and more.

It is necessary to raise our voices now and say: Not in Our Name!

Oppose U.S./NATO Proxy War in Ukraine!
Oppose Canadian Warmongering!
Get Canada Out of NATO! Dismantle NATO!
Make Canada a Zone for Peace!

Demand a Peace Deal Now!

Ferocious fighting has raged in June along the 1,000 kilometre front line separating Ukrainian and Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. It is widely promoted by NATO members and the monopoly media supporting this U.S./NATO proxy war as a successful Ukrainian “counter-offensive.”

This is the propaganda coming out of Canada as well, despite the fact that this so-called counter-offensive is not successful. On the contrary, it is sacrificing the lives of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers who are being deliberately thrown into killing fields without the training, ammunition and air protection they needed under the circumstances.

It is estimated that the “counter-offensive” launched June 4 resulted in Ukrainian losses of 500-700 soldiers per day, or 14,000-20,000 by June 29, as well as some 313 tanks, 815 Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other armoured vehicles, 313 howitzer and other long range artillery systems, all in June alone. Ahead of the NATO Vilnius Summit, Ukraine’s top military officer General Zaluzhny said he needs more of every type of weapon and this has been one of the main refrains of what the Vilnius Summit must provide.

All the announcements about aid to Ukraine are disinformation of the first order to cover up that Ukraine is wallowing in corruption and its debt is so big, it is said Ukraine is now owned lock, stock and barrel by the U.S. Millions of dollars, said to be for Ukraine, in fact go directly into the coffers of the arms producers in the United States. Talk of sending more weapons covers up the lack of trained forces to operate them and that these weapons are being wiped out by the Russian military as soon as they arrive.

Canada is shamelessly and criminally doing yeoman’s service for the U.S./NATO demand that the war they are fighting to the last Ukrainian be escalated. The U.S./NATO is desperate to defeat Russia’s intention to de-nazify and de-militarize Ukraine so as to protect the Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine as well as its own borders and security. But there is no unity about any aspect of this proxy war within the European Union and amongst NATO members.

The U.S. and Britain in particular, along with Canada, Germany and France, have actively sabotaged every earlier prospect of a negotiated peace deal and they are promoting the adamant refusal of the NATO command to hold negotiations now. Instead they insist on escalation. To this end they are creating a more and more volatile situation, and increasing the war dead and wounded exponentially. They are running roughshod over the opinion of the peoples and majority of the countries of the world that the war must stop.

The occasion of the NATO Summit in Vilnius is a time to raise our voices loud and clear: Not in Our Name!

Negotiate a Peace Deal Now!
Make Canada a Zone for Peace!

Alberta Actions Say No to Preparations for U.S./NATO War

Calgary

Calgarians took their place Saturday, June 17 alongside others across Canada with two bold and spirited pickets, saying No! to U.S./NATO war preparations, get Canada out of NATO, and make Canada a zone for peace.

The late-morning actions began with holding signs and banners at the Sunnyside LRT station for close to half an hour. Everyone then headed downtown to the U.S. Consulate where they displayed their banners, and chanted No U.S./NATO War in Our Name!; Canada Out of NATO!; Fund Health Care Not War!, and other slogans. Many passing drivers honked and waved and gave a thumbs up.

Participants then travelled back to the Sunnyside Kensington area and, with banners unfurled, headed down the busy 10 Street NW to the Louise Bridge and the War Memorial at Memorial Drive NW for another action and discussion. They agreed to meet again in July for another Make Canada a Zone for Peace action.

Edmonton

A lively picket organized by the Edmonton Committee Against War and Racism was held on June 17 in Edmonton. Anti-war activists gathered at the Strathcona Farmers Market at noon to speak out against the preparations for a U.S./NATO war against Russia. The picket informed people about the war games taking place in Germany, the largest since NATO was founded in 1949, which “simulate” war with Russia. They gave the call to Get Canada Out of NATO and NORAD and Make Canada a Zone for Peace.

Young people and veteran anti-war activists took part and engaged in lively discussions, expressing the need to continue such actions, including to oppose the NATO Summit July 11-12. Many people stopped to talk, to inform themselves, to thank the picketers for speaking out against the Canadian government’s stand which would prolong the conflict in Ukraine, and to express their conviction that Canada must play an active role for peace. Others slowly walked the length of the picket, carefully reading each placard, often giving a thumbs-up, sometimes a fist. Some went into the market where they could stand out of the rain and closely examine the messages on the placards.