[Dryerase] "Canadians say no to war"

[ckln NEWS 88.1fm]

November 18, 2002
(script from radio feature)

Canadians took to the streets in 25 cities and towns across the country
this weekend, to denounce the economic sanctions and possible war
against Iraq, and to call on the Canadian government to resist U.S.
pressure to participate in a war.

In Toronto, an estimated 6,000 people braved one of the first cold days
of winter to express their opposition, in Toronto's largest anti-war
demonstration in years.

Among the speakers was Marie Clarke Walker, executive Vice President of
the Canadian Labour Congress. Through their member unions, the Canadian
Labour Congress represents two million Canadian workers.

"The Canadian Labour Congress calls on Prime Minister Jean Chretien to
use his statesmanship - I thought he did have some - and all the power
of influence that Canada professes in world affairs, to intervene as a
third party on the side of peace," she said.

Ali Mallah, president of the Canadian Arab Federation, highlighted the
links between the drive for war abroad, and racial profiling and
discrimination at home.

"It's time we stood up my friends, and said no to racism, no to
discrimination, no to war and no to hate! It's time we stood up and said
yes to democracy, yes to civil rights, yes to multiculturalism, yes to
Arabs and yes to Muslims," he said.

Zafar Bangash, editor of Crescent International, waved a Canadian flag
as he spoke.

"When Canadians travel around the world, they carry this flag as a sign
of dignity and honour, and people around the world honour this flag
because they see Canada as a peace-loving country. But you know
something? When Americans travel around the world, they hide their
identity, because the Americans are hated around the world because of
the wars that their government imposes on other people. What we must do
is prevent our government from dragging this flag in the mud."

After a spirited march through the downtown core, the hip-hop crew Dope
Poet Society played to the crowd, which included many youth from all of
Toronto's communities.

"Hey yo, let me ask you all a question here
How many bombs did the U.S. drop last year?
And while they claim to be setting people free
How many lives are taken in the name of democracy?"

No Canadian peace demonstration would be complete without an appearance
by the Raging Grannies, a network of elderly women who express
themselves in song.

"The wealthy nations of the West
Always think that they know best 
Selling arms with profits high
Never mind how many die."

Canada's weekend of rallies came just days after Saddam Hussein agreed
to allow weapons inspectors back into Iraq, and also just after a visit
from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to Ottawa.

At a press conference held with Powell on November 14, Foreign Affairs
Minister Bill Graham said that Canada supports the U.S. threat to use
force against Iraq if Saddam thwarts weapons inspectors. However, Graham
is convinced that a war can now be avoided. He said: "I think that Iraq
will conform, I think its neighbours are now putting pressure on it to
say look there is no other alternative and it's very much thanks to the
iron role of the U.S. that we've got the pressure there to make sure
that this happens."

Canada's Parliament debated the issue of Canadian involvement in a war
against Iraq for three days in October. According to Joe Comartin, a
Member of Parliament from the industrial city of Windsor, Ontario:

"The Liberals were interesting because that party is clearly divided. A
lot of  backbenchers, and they did speak out in the debate, absolutely
oppose the unilateral action by the US or the US and the UK together.
But the Cabinet is under great pressure, we know this, from the United
States, to follow the American line. And the fear is that, when we look
at our past practices for the better part of 12 or 15 years, if the US
put on pressure, whether it was the Mulroney government or the Chretien
government, they always caved in."

Of the opposition parties, the Canadian Alliance is staunchly in support
of U.S. policy. But the Bloc Quebecois, which holds 44 of the seats in
the province in Quebec, the Conservative Party and the New Democratic
Party, are all opposed to a U.S. led war. Comartin is a member of the
New Democratic Party, which will oppose military action against Iraq
even if the UN approves.