What: War is Not Essential – Kitchener-Waterloo
When: Thursday, 11 June 2020 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Where: In front of office of the Hon. Bardish Chagger, MP for Waterloo
Location: 100 Regina Street South, Waterloo, Ontario Map
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1322887947904895/
In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has lifted the moratorium on issuing arms exports for weapons destined for Saudi Arabia, and Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) continue to be manufactured in London, Ontario under the label of an essential service.
Saudi Arabia has used these LAVs to suppress peaceful protests and there is mounting evidence that Canadian-made LAVs are being deployed in the war in Yemen. Canadian arms exports just don’t line up with Canada’s legal commitment under the Arms Trade Treaty or a feminist foreign policy. Ending arms exports doesn’t have to mean the loss of good jobs. As we confront the twin crises of COVID-19 and climate change, the call for conversion of arms industries to socially useful production must be loud and clear.
Join us on June 11th for a day of action to #StopArmingSaudi.
If you are in or near Kitchener-Waterloo, you can join a physically-distant protest outside MP for Waterloo Bardish Chagger’s constituency office (360-100 Regina St. South, Waterloo). Please respect public health directives, maintain physical distancing and wear masks.
No matter where you are, you can join us for a simultaneous virtual protest to show your solidarity and hear from speakers on the ground and at the forefront of the movement to #StopArmingSaudi.
Join us for the virtual protest on Zoom
TAKE ACTION
If you can’t join the virtual protest, take part in the day of action on social media:
Share your opposition and call on Canada to #StopArmingSaudi. Tag General Dynamics Land Systems, Justin Trudeau and François-Philippe Champagne, along with your own Member of Parliament (find them at https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/addresses) to ask them to take action now.
Take action now:
Sign Oxfam Canada’s petition: https://www.oxfam.ca/armsdeal
Sign Amnesty Canada’s English petition: https://takeaction.amnesty.ca/page/35358/action/1
Sign Amnesty Canada’s French petition: https://agir.amnistie.ca/page/17954/petition/1
This day of action is jointly organized by: KW Peace, Labour Against the Arms Trade, People for Peace London, Council of Canadians London Chapter, Amnesty International Canada, Amnistie Internationale Canada, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, Canadian Voices of Women for Peace, Peace Brigades International Canada, Oxfam Canada, World Beyond War and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.