Back in 1990-1991 I was very active in the Canadian Student Pugwash and participated in a number of fascinating conferences, largely on environmental issues. I was fortunate to participate in a number of conferences leading up to the United Nations Conference for Environment and Development (UNCED). In that time there wasn't much contact with senior Pugwash members (Although Digby Mclaren may have been a member).

It was nice today to see that the Rideau Institute video on YouTube today, reminding us of the continuing threat of a nuclear disaster. Murray Thomson, introduces the panel and the concern that the UN's Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, of which Canada is a member, is being threatened by the nuclear weapon policies of NATO. Canadian Pugwash calls on the Government of Canada to place NATO nuclear weapons policies on the agenda of the upcoming NATO meetings. The panel included Dr. Adele Buckley, Elizabeth Barot, Major-General Leonard Johnson & Elizabeth Farrell and the Canadian Pugwash Group's Press Conference was held in Ottawa, Canada, on April 2nd, 2007.

Nuclear weapons have been a blight on our planet since they were first developed. Pugwash is a movement of scientists who take seriously the moral and ethical issues involved in science and technology. The pressures placed on society are intense, the debate about adoption of new technologies is generally not very reflective (if it is even present). More than ever before society needs to consider seriously how the adoption of technology is going to affect future generations and the world that we all share.

From the YouTube presentation (split in three parts) and I wasn't clear exactly what they were calling for so I asked Murray (who I know through Quaker meeting). He said,

"We sought a number of things, mainly:

1) that nuclear weapons be put on the Agenda of the upcoming NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting April 26-27;
2) that the Canadian government publicly end support for, or acquiescence in, NATO's nuke weapon policies, as they are contradicting and weakening the Non Proliferation Treaty and its 13 Steps (see attached). "

Murray also gave me a list of things that we can do:

1) become familiar with the NPT and its 13 Steps to nuclear disarmament;

2) talk to friends and relatives about the danger posed by nukes today and advocate that they be banned;

3) seek a greatly changed federal budget in which military defence ceases to get the lion's share of the human security funds.

Please consider calling (613 992-6022 or 902 863-7005) on Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and asking him to be proactive in eliminating nuclear weapons through our involvement in NATO. The letter sent on behalf of the Canadian Pugwash is available as a pdf. Canada is legally bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which commits the 188 signing nations to a step-by-step process of nuclear disarmament. It is time to revise NATO's Strategic Concept which declares nuclear weapons to be "essential", NATO revise the NATO nuclear weapon policy to be in line with the NPT.

OpenConcept has worked with a number of peace groups over the years including the Physicians for Global Survival and Project Ploughshares both have an interesting papers on the NPT PGS's Report on the NPT Reporting Roundtable & Ploughshare's Canada, NATO, and Nuclear Weapons are both good background reading on this subject.