OS Se es eS ee ee

Coalition takes a

By BRIAN ENG

n May 23, one of
Canada’s largest
trade shows will
open in Lansdowne
Park, Ottawa. The
three-day event is
called ARMX — a
high-powered affair
that allows the coun-
try’s arm manufacturers to show off their
wares to weapons buyers from around the
world.

Although details of this year’s event are
still scant, one can expect ARMX 89 will
closely resemble its predecessor, ARMX 87.
That exhibition covered 100,000 square feet
of the park, filled the hockey arena, three
exhibition halls and a large part of the fair-
ground.

Algoma Steel’s armoured plating, Bom-

_ardier’s all-terrain vehicles and the latest

high tech from IBM, Litton Macdonnell-
Douglas were among the hardware dis-
played by 161 Canadian companies and 100
exhibiters from 13 other countries.

Over 10,000 delegates attended ARMX
87, but unlike other trade shows, a list was
never published. However in the opening
statement to the show, organizers thanked “

; representatives of Chile, South Korea
and Taiwan for coming from so far away to
make this event a success.”

ARMxX is one of a series of international
trade shows where the weapons of the
industrial nations are paraded in front of
third world buyers. Canadian companies
represented at ARMX 87 have sold wea-
pons to Argentina, Brazil, Chad, Chile,
Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Israel, South Korea, Pakistan, Philippines,
Taiwan, and Uruguay. It seems unlikely
they would participate if their potential
buyers were not present.

Since its first show in 1983, the ARMX
theme has been “Training and Simulation.”
Canada’s weapons industry is considered to
be in the forefront of this technology. Pratt
and Whitney flight simulators are popular
with the regimes of Chile, Honduras and El

Salvador.
The size and growth of the show is an

CPA maps

Miguel
Figueroa

FROMTHE
MARITIMES

HALIFAX —_ Steering committee
members of the Canadian Peace Alliance
emerged from their weekend-long meeting
here Feb. 12 to announce broad agreement
for three major campaigns demanding the
cancellation of the nuclear sub program, the
proposed low-flight NATO base at Goose
Bay, Labrador and the controversial testing
of the U.S. stealth cruise missile over Cana-
dian soil.

The unanimous consent of all 32 repre-
sentatives for this ambitious program of
activity, together with the high spint of
unity generated during discussion, reflects a
definite revitalization of the Alliance, whose
full steering committee has not met since the
CPA convention last June. f

“We've met here in Halifax with renewed
strength,” said Yvonne Stanford, a spokes-
person for the meeting. “And we leave here
convinced that we are stronger than ever
and ready to mobilize public opinion and
change government policy. :

The first of the three campaigns is an
action plan — Stop the Subs — whichis
designed to generate maximum pressure on

Canada

indication of this government’s commit-
ment to making the arms industry a major
and permanent feature of the Canadian
economy. It is worth noting that between
1969 and 1985, the top 15 beneficiaries of
the Defence Industry Productivity Program
received over $1 billion in outright grants
from the Canadian government. Thirteen
of the 15 were represented at ARMX 87.

The Tory government is not a passive
observer of ARMX. During the
‘87 exhibit the White Paper on Defence was
released. Visitors were provided with
copies, and government officials granted
photo opportunities during their visited to
the site. The then Minister of Defence, Per-
rin Beatty, sent his personal greetings and a
gala dinner was hosted by his department.
_ The fact that ARMX 89 stands asa signif-
icant indication of Canada’s permanent war
eee sty has attracted community atten-

ion.

Peace activists are concerned about the
participation of such companies as Cana-
dian Marconi, General Electric and Litton
Systems who produce parts for nuclear

at arms C

weapons. Solidarity groups have protested
the possible presence of high-ranking mil-
itary and police officials from such notor-
ious human rights violators as Israel, El
Salvador and Indonesia. Trade unionists
are alarmed by the growing militarization of
such industries as Algoma Steel and Gen-
eral Motors.

Social welfare and anti-poverty groups
will oppose the participation of federal min-
istries, including External Affairs, the
departments of Regional Industrial Expan-
sion and Defence.

Already a number of groups and individ-
uals have organized in response to ARMX
89. Ad hoc coalitions have been formed in
Ontario and Quebec. A large rally is
planned for May 22, and throughout the
show’s duration a series of smaller rallies
and civil disobedience actions will take
place at Lansdowne Park.

The Alliance for Non-Violent Action,
which laid charges to prevent the leaders of
seven industrial nations from attending last
June’s Economic Summit, are planning
similar action around ARMX.

The case is based on the Crimes Against
Humanity Act (Bill C-71) passed in Sep-
tember 1987. The bill was originally drafted
to deal with the furore created by revela-
tions of suspected Nazi War criminals living
in Canada. It also amended the Immigra-
tion Act in order to empowered the
government to refuse entry to “... persons
who there are reasonable grounds to believe
have committed an act or omission outside
Canada that constituted a war crime or a
crime against humanity ... “*

The tremendous secrecy regarding partic-
ipants to the show makes laying charges
difficult. Breaking the secrecy will be the
organizers first target. Since 1986 ARMX
has been organized by a private company
— Defence Publishers Ltd., a division of
Baxter Publishing.

This company produces Canadian De-
fence Quarterly, which is primarily a trade
magazine for the military industry and is
highly integrated into the war economy.
For this reason direct pressure will have to
be brought to bear on the magazine to pub-
lish the list of participants.

Vigils at its Toronto offices are planned.
As well, concerned groups and individuals
can lobby their MPs, responsible cabinet
ministers and the prime minister to provide
information about the invitees to ARMX
89. Only with this list can the courts and
ANVA investigators probe the background
of those people coming into Canada for the
weapons show.

A major public response is required to
expose the truth about‘ARMX. There is no
doubt that it will show just how deeply the
war economy is part of our life and how
much Canadian military industries are
involved in the suffering and repression of
millions of people throughout the world.

As Richard Sanders of ANVA noted:
“Driven by the profit motive, no considera-
“tion is given to moral or humanitarian
issues ... The bottom line is the arms indus-
try is big business, and they’re making a
killing.”
Brian Eng is the representative of the
Toronto Disarmament Coalition in the Ad
Hoc Coalition to Disarm ARMX.

campaign against N-subs, cruise

the Mulroney cabinet to drop the nuclear
sub program. Over the next month, groups
and organizations of every nature will be
approached to pass resolutions against the
$16-20 billion program. A post card cam-
paign and a representative lobby to Ottawa
and other local actions will also be organ-
ized.

In presenting the proposal, David Kraft
of Greenpeace noted that the cabinet shuffle
is a Clear indication that the sub program is
in bi g trouble. Tory worries over the level of
deficit and the unpopularity of the nuclear
attack submarine program may force its
cancellation.

Kraft noted, however, that the cancella-

. tion is not assured, and that cabinet may

attempt to shift over funds from the sub
proposal to some new conventional military
program. The CPA-facilitated campaign
will demand that the sub proposal be
dropped entirely and not replaced by new
defence spending elsewhere.

The steering committee also endorsed the
launching of the “NATO Out of Nitassi-
nan” campaign which will be directed to
stopping current low-level military. flight

training over Labrador and north-eastern °

Quebec, as well as preventing the approval
of a full-scale NATO fight base at Goose
Bay. “Nitassinan” is the Innu word for “our
land.” :

The campaign will build toward a
national week of action, April 1-8, when ads
will be carried across the country and local
groups will be encouraged to organize vig-

ils, fasting and other actions to draw public
attention to the issue.

The April 1-8 action week coincides with
the resumption of low-level flights by the
West German, British and Dutch air forces.
Innu leaders arrested in last fall’s protest
occupations in Goose Bay are also sche-
duled to appear in Newfoundland courts
during this period.

This campaign is designed to comple-
ment the Innu Campaign Against the Mil-
itarization of Nitassinan which has been
endorsed by Native groups across Canada
and internationally.

The third action project will organize
protests when the U.S. tests its controversial
stealth cruise missile in Canada next month.
Peace organizations in all major and smaller
centres are encouraged to prepare their
responses to the test, for which there will
likely only be 48 hours notice.

“We are outraged by the government’s
decision (to approve the tests), and we plan
to show the breadth of Canadian opposi-
tion to the stealth decision,” the CPA
declared in a release.

The steering committee meeting also
focussed-a great deal of attention on some
contentious questions relating to the CPA’s
structure, level of organization and financ-
ing.

Much discussion centred around a review
of the Peace Pledge campaign held prior to
the federal election. Many delegates pointed
to objective factors which tended to weaken
the campaign.

The emergence of free trade as the over-
whelming election issue, together with the
“conspiracy of silence” by all three major
parties on peace and defence issues, ham-
pered the effectiveness of the Pledge. The
duration, relatively inflexible structure and
insufficient financing of the campaign also
detracted from its impact.

Despite these drawbacks, however, many
organizations felt that the pledge campaign
made a positive contribution to the election
debate. It helped launch. peace groups in
some centres and strengthen existing groups
in other localities. __

Delegates continued discussion on ways
to improve CPA structure to ensure that the
440-member alliance gives timely, dynamic
leadership on peace issues, while also ensur-
ing more democratic control by member
groups.

A proposal was made to form a Peace
Action Network (PAN) under the auspices
of the CPA which would allow for the quick
mobilization of peace organizations when
necessary. Although no fina] agreement was
reached on PAN’s function, the delegates
decided to establish an interim mechanism
which will be reviewed at the next meeting.

The organization’s finances were also
scrutinized with a view to improving the
CPA’s financial base and avoiding cutbacks
to members’ services. The steering commit-
tee next meets in October, while the date of
the next full convention of the Peace
Alliance will be decided following a mem-
bership referendum.

Pacific Tribune, February 27, 1989 « 7

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