Click here to view NSVOW Caravan Launch on CTV/ATV News May 6, 2024
The cross-Canada “On to Ottawa Peace Caravan 2024”
The cross-Canada On to Ottawa Peace Caravan 2024 is a positive action to lift us out of helplessness and overwhelm in the face of so many wars. We see their disastrous impact on people and Earth. We don’t believe the false promise that billions spent on war and militarization will bring us security. We do believe that peace is not a dream. It is an achievable reality, demanding more effort.”
The message the Caravan carries across Canada to Parliament Hill is: DEMILITARIZE. DECOLONIZE. DECARBONIZE.
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- May 12 (Mother’s Day) the West Coast Peace Caravan departs from Vancouver
- May 25 the East Coast Peace Caravan departs from Halifax
- May 28 the On to Ottawa Peace Caravan will converge in Ottawa for a peace rally and teach in, just in time for the huge CANSEC military weapons trade show.
- May 29-30 a broad movement of activists, will protest and focus attention on CANSEC, Canada’s largest weapons trade show, held annually in Ottawa, and the need to demilitarize domestic and global economies.
Continue reading “The cross-Canada “On to Ottawa Peace Caravan 2024””
Engaging the Public in the Global Day of Action on Military Spending
It was a cold and windy April day, when NSVOW members and supporters engaged the public in an activity about public spending where people passing by in front of Halifax Central Library put four quarters (supplied by NSVOW) into jars labeled:
- ARTS & CULTURE
- ENVIRONMENT
- HEALTH & EDUCATION
- MILITARY
- PEACE
- WOMEN & CHILDREN
It was evident that people took the exercise very seriously as they contemplated how to distribute their quarters.
They were then invited to fill out a poster “If I had 1.75 trillion dollars (the approximate amount of world-wide annual military spending) I would #movemilitarythemoney to _____.”
Results:
- Health and Education: 73
- Environment: 64
- Environment: 64
- Women and Children: 52
- Arts and Culture: 36
- Peace: 36
- Military: 2
One area that several people mentioned that was not covered by our jars was affordability of living (housing and food). We will take that into account when we design next year’s action for the Global Day of Action on Military Spending.
For more information check out https://demilitarize.org
GDAMS 2019
Global Day of Action on Military Spending: Halifax Votes!
GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION ON MILITARY SPENDING (GDAMS)
Held annually in April, NSVOW joined thousands of people around the world in calling for reallocation of Military budgets to social and humanities needs.
The local event was held outside the Central Library and provided the public with an opportunity to choose where they want their tax dollars spent by placing a provided quarter in the jar of their choice. Here’s how people voted:
Health & education: 31%
Environment 24%
Women & Children 18%
Peace 13%
Arts & Culture 11%
Military 3%
Since 1997, the Canadian military budget has climbed from $8 billion to $23 billion. The federal government spends more on DND than any other department. (See Public Accounts graph below.)
Source: Public Accounts of Canada, 2015: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/recgen/cpc-pac/2015/pdf/2015-vol2-eng.pf
See more event photos in Gallery.
NS VOW Delegation to UN Commission on the Status of Women
Eight NS VOW members of all ages are planning to attend the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission of the Status of Women in New York in March.
They work in different fields – journalism, academia, community engagement, and students – and are all passionate about creating a world where women have equitable opportunities to their male counterparts.
Their goals in attending CSW60:
*Learn from workshops hosted by NGOs from around the world
*Bring their knowledge back to their communities in Halifax
*Take action to create a more equitable future for women and all marginalized communities