VANA Appeal to the Government of Canada to return its Foreign and Defence policies to a full respect for and full compliance with International Law and the UN Charter

23 February 1999

Dear Fellow Peace Activist:

VANA asks for your personal endorsation and also the endorsation of any group or organization to which you belong, for our Appeal to the Government of Canada, which appears below.

The issues that it deals with are of the greatest importance to the future of Canada.

If you or your organization can give this endorsation, please e-mail me at this address: dmorgan(at)web.net.

Please help circulate this appeal widely.

Thanks and best wishes,

David Morgan, National President
Veterans Against Nuclear Arms (VANA)

1. Whereas the Government of Canada has uncritically offered support for US bombing of Afghanistan and Khartoum, as well as for the on-going bombing of Iraq; and furthermore caused our military forces to actively participate in the bombing of Yugoslavia, all in violation of International Law and the UN Charter; and

2. Whereas Defence Minister Eggleton stated that "Canada is ready to go to war again for humanitarian reasons even if the action defies International Law and the UN Charter." (G&M 2 Oct'99); and

3. Whereas Canada's Defence Department's "Defence Strategy 2020" of January 2000 which mentions the UN only once and "International Law" not at all, is in very strong contrast with the "1994 Defence White Paper," which mentions the UN thirty-three times, and also asserts: "Canadians believe that the rule of law must govern relations between states." ( p.12); and

4. Whereas Foreign Affairs Minister Axworthy's has voiced defence of Kosovo-style "Humanitarian Interventions" outside International Law, most recently on 10 February 2000; and

5. Whereas it was this kind of contempt for International Law that led to international anarchy and the two terrible world wars of the 20th century; and

6. Whereas it was precisely to avoid international lawlessness and anarchy and its devastating effects that the United Nations was founded in 1945 at the end of World War II, the most terrible war in history.

7. Now therefore, the undersigned Canadian individuals and organizations insist that the Government of Canada return its foreign and defence policies to full respect for, and full compliance with International Law and the UN Charter.

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*  David Morgan, National President        *
*  Veterans Against Nuclear Arms (VANA)    *
*  240 Holyrood Road, North Vancouver, BC  *
*  V7N 2R5, Canada    Tel:(604)985-7147    *
*  Fax: (604)985-1260   dmorgan(at)web.net *
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