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DISARMAMENT

7,000 in peace walk {o legislature

The rain cleared and the sun shone
just in time for Victoria’s biggest
peace march as 7,000 wound their
way through city streets Saturday to
demand disarmament and no Cana-
dian involvement in Star Wars.

Across the province rallies in
dozens of urban centres marked what
has become almost a national yearly
day for Canadians to voice their sup-
port for a growing peace movement.

. Rallies and marches also took place in

Edmonton, Toronto, and _ several
other large and small Canadian
municipalities.

Banners reading “No Star Wars,”
“Trustees for Peace” and “Nuclear
Freeze Not Nuclear Fried” dotted
Victoria’s annual Walk for Peace
which moved from Centennial Square
at city hall to the lawn of the provin-
cial legislature.

The walk, organized by the Greater’

Victoria Disarmament Group and
consisting of trade unions, religious
groups, community organizations
and others from the city and other
parts of south Vancouver Island,
heard Vancouver peace activist Helen
Spiegelman call Star Wars, the Rea-
gan administraiton’s Strategic Defence
Initiative, a “lunatic fantasy.

“History is being made in small
nations like New Zealand, Australia,
and Norway,” said Spiegelman, a
volunteer worker with End the Arms
Race, of nations that have refused
involvement in nuclear weapons test-
ing and deployment.

“Canada can-join with them and
say, “We don’t need nuclear wea-
pons,’ ” she declared.

“We march because we have to
show those in power we won’t stand
for this nuclear madness, for Star
Wars. It will do nothing to help us on
the road to peace,” said United
Church minister George Morrison.

Participants voted for and signed
telegrams to New Zealand Prime
Minister David Lange, in support of
his country’s no nuclear weapons
stance, and to Prime Minister Brian
Mulroney protesting the treatment
and eviction of the Parliament Hill
peace camp members.

Up-island, 400 area _ residents
marched in the annual peace event
organized by the Comox Valley
Nuclear Responsibility Society.

The event, which drew participants
from Comox, Courtenay and:‘Camp-
bell River and several of the north
islands, marched from the Labor
Centre in Campbell River to Fore-
Shore Park.

Keynote speaker Stanley Bright-
well, a retired Canadian Armed For-
ces Lieutenant-Colonel and an expert
in Star-Wars technology, warned
against Canadian involvement in the
Star Wars scheme, citing economic
Consequences and warning against the
Mentality of “dehumanizing the
enemy,”

Provincial NDP leader Bob Skelly
also addressed the rally before flying
off to attend another peace event in
nearby Powell River.

In Prince Rupert, some 300 braved,
a blizzard to march in the city’s first~

annual peace walk, Jim Rushton of
the United Fishermen and Allied
Workers Union reported.
At the 80,000-strong Walk for
€ace rally in Vancouver, former End
the Race vice-president led the crowd
in a “Peace Now” chant in support of
Tallies taking place in Dawson Creek
and New Denver,
Peace rallies were also reported
from Grand Forks, Trail, Vernon,
*'mon Arm and Prince George.

Marchers make their way down Victoria’s Douglas Street to the provincial legislature.

Victoria
Peace Council
For a peaceful world.

727-2751

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STAVUAVEVUDUVUVUUELULECATAUAEHEAEUEA ELE EUEETE REET TELAT EEL

Solidarity on May Day

to workers
of all countries

Southern Africa Action Coalition
2524 Cypress Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6J 3N2
(604) 734-1712

PUL

MAY DAY
GREETINGS

‘Say no to Star Wars’

Mid-Island
Disarmament :
Coalition

GREETINGS ON MAY DAY
to workers in struggle everywhere, for
Jobs, peace and national independence
VANCOUVER PEACE ASSEMBLY

MAY DAY GREETINGS
to all our friends and supporters

DISARMAMENT SPELLS JOBS
NO TO STAR WARS
YES TO NUCLEAR FREEZE

B.C. Peace Council
712, 207 West Hstings Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1H7

SSS

May Day Greetings

#

FOR

JOBS

NOT
: BOMBS

FORA
NUCLEAR
WEAPONS

FREE CANADA

Fraser Valley Peace Council
594-0539 531-1009

_ PACIFIC TRIBUNE, MAY 1, 1985 « 9

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