[Kosova / Kosovo] Ottawa M.M. letters to Jean Chrétien [Peaceweb Home Page]

Letters to Jean Chretien from Ottawa Monthly Meeting


That was then ...

This statement by Ottawa Monthly Meeting was sent to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in March, 1999


Ottawa Monthly Meeting
of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
91A Fourth Avenue
Ottawa ON K1S 2L1 Canada

phone: (613) 232-9923

March 7, 1999

Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Dear Jean Chrétien,

We write, on the eve of the new millennium, to commend you and your Minister of Foreign Affairs for seeking to develop and to put in place a foreign policy based on the concept of human security.

We also congratulate you on the many initiatives already undertaken by your government, in the name of human security, including the following:

We urge you to strengthen and deepen these initiatives for human security by:

  1. Urging the nuclear weapons states to immediately de-couple all nuclear warheads from their missile carriers, thus reducing the danger of accidental nuclear war at the close of the year;

  2. Re-examining present Canadian policies for the sale and export of light weapons systems and parts, a policy which is inconsistent with current efforts to limit the use of such weapons;

  3. Disassociating Canada from current NATO nuclear weapons policies, in particular the policy which opposes that of No First Use;

  4. Recognizing that human security depends on our right relationship with the whole of creation.

We recognize the difficulties inherent in establishing and carrying out policies which differ sharply from those of the United States on such sensitive issues as the “nuclear umbrella.” We remind you, however, that a great majority of both the Canadian public (92%) and the US public (87%) have expressed through public polls their wish that nuclear weapons be abolished.

We ask you to trust the Canadian people: to accept whatever negative effects there might arise from out taking a bold, clear stand on nuclear weapons, now. By doing so, you would signal to the rest of the world that Canada is preparing to help usher out the culture of peace so badly needed by the world today.

Thank you for considering these proposals. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Anne Thomas
Clerk, Ottawa Monthly Meeting

c.c. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs
      Canadian Council of Churches


This is now ...

This statement by Ottawa Monthly Meeting was sent to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in April, 1999


Ottawa Monthly Meeting
of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
91A Fourth Avenue
Ottawa ON K1S 2L1 Canada

phone: (613) 232-9923

April 1, 1999

Jean Chrétien
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Dear Jean Chrétien,

We, the members of the Quaker community in Ottawa are strongly opposed to the action the Canadian government has taken in participating in NATO’s military intervention in Kosovo. Quakers have long opposed violence as illustrated by one of a number of historic statements to governments on the occasion of war:

We are a people that follow after those things that make for peace, love and unity; it is our desire that others’ feet may walk in the same, and do deny and bear our testimony against all strife, and wars. . . . And speak the truth in plainness, and singleness of heart.

to Charles II of England, June 1660

We believe that Canada should withdraw its forces immediately from the NATO intervention and focus on re-establishing Canada’s role of mediation and peace-making. This role has been severely damaged by the government’s recent actions, but is one which is vitally needed and in which Canada has up to this time earned a worthy reputation. We do not believe that bombs will serve to reconcile Serbs and Albanians. Indeed, NATO’s intervention seems to be hardening attitudes and dehumanizing everyone involved, both the combatants and refugees on the ground and the military personnel who add to the terror and destruction. We fear for the fragile stability of the whole region and a further undermining of the role of the United Nations when coalitions such as NATO establish their own rules.

Instead of adding to the violence and chaos at enormous monetary expense, we strongly urge that the government of Canada put equivalent financial resources towards helping those who are now refugees.

In our recent letter to you of March 7 (attached), we commended your government on the many positive initiatives it has taken in the name of human security. We are sorely disappointed by this change of spirit and policy. It is becoming increasingly obvious that war cannot resolve such situations as we are witnessing in the Balkans today. Please withdraw your support for the NATO initiative and renew our role as a mediator before more lives are lost.

We are holding all involved in the Kosovo situation in the Light. We know we cannot solve this alone and pray that you will be supported in taking the right decisions.

In Friendship,

Anne Thomas, Clerk

c.c. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of External Affairs,
      Art Eggleton, Minister of Defence


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