Ottawa,
ON –Alex Atamanenko, MP (BC Southern Interior), was
joined at a press conference today by fellow peace advocates, along with
Elizabeth May of the Green Party and Liberal Jim Karygiannis to herald the
introduction later in the day of his Private Members Bill to create a federal
Department of Peace. May and Karygiannis are co-seconding the Bill.
Atamanenko’s bill is a slightly amended version of
retired NDP MP, Bill Siksay’s bill from the last parliament, notable for the
non-partisan support it had gathered.
Karygiannis says this is one issue where party
politics should not get in the way. “It is time for Canada to serve the global
constituency by committing to the creation of a Department of Peace.”
Elizabeth May stressed her party's continued support of
this initiative. "Peace
is more than the absence of war. Non-violent solutions, 'waging peace,'
requires a focused investment and shift in consciousness. Even talking about a
Department of Peace helps in that shift," she said.
Representatives for Canadian Department of Peace
Initiative (CDPI) at the press conference described the bill as exemplifying a
global movement in 30 countries promoting infrastructures of non-violent peace
within governments, with Peace Ministries and Departments in three countries,
most recently Costa Rica. “The bill illustrates the need to prepare for peace
in the same way as we prepare for war – with adequate resources and expertise,”
stated CDPI Co-Founder, Bill Bhaneja.
“This is an
opportunity to unify the millions of voices expressing a will to follow a new
path where our road markers are not fear, anger and vengeful killing but rather
prevention, empathy and justice for all of humanity,” declared Theresa Dunn,
co-Chair for CDPI.
Doukhobor writer and
historian Koozma J. Tarasoff said the need for the architecture for peace is
urgent at a time when nuclear and robotic weapons are posing a threat to the
world community. “As Canadians, let’s regain our status not only as a
peacekeeping nation, but also as a non-killing one.”
“The notion
that there can be peace in the world may be a utopian ideal but each generation
owes it to the next to make a dedicated attempt to get as close to it as
humanly possible.” concluded Atamanenko.
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For more information:
Alex Atamanenko, MP - 613 996 8036