Strategy Meeting of Supporters of the Department of Peace Initiative

Date and Time:
April 2, 2007, 8:45-17:00

Venue: St. Paul University, 223 Main Street, Ottawa.

Objectives:

Further the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative among national parties and parliamentarians leading up to and during the next election by:

collaborating with existing supporters and other invited parties to increase the effectiveness and reach of this initiative; and
developing a coherent and consistent strategy to this end, with our chapters, supporters and youth.

The meeting intends to further develop the DoP concept and to encourage all participants to actively pursue this idea, through the political process, the media and their memberships,. With a federal election likely in the next 6 months to a year, it is timely to build a strategy that will make this idea highly visible both nationally and in each constituency in the lead-up and during the election. Parties are now refining their platforms and there is an opportunity to influence them. The current debate on Afghanistan and the absence of a national debate prior to the dramatic changes in Canadian foreign and defence policy should create openings for different approaches to peacebuilding and conflict transformation. Canadian participation, more generally, in the motivation and prosecution of the endless and unwinnable “war on terror” mat give us additional leverage with opposition parties.

At this point in time, we have received the endorsement of many prominent individuals and most prominent peace and justice NGOs in Canada and some from abroad. The current list of supporters is appended to the end of this proposal. Additional organizations will be invited including Polaris Institute(Steve Staples) and the Canadian Peacebuilding Coordinating Committee.

DoP chapter members in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Hamilton, London, Ottawa and Montréal are invited to invited to attend along with peace workers from youth organizations.

All delegates are invited to attend Professor Johan Galtung’s Keynote Presentation: Peace as a Profession in the 21’st Century; Characteristics and Implications at the opening of the Peace Professionals Conference, April 3, 7.00 –8.30 pm at St. Paul University. There is a $20 registration fee for this event.

Proposed Program:

THEME: BUILDING MOMENTUM AMONG PARLIAMENTARIANS AND NATIONAL PARTIES FOR A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE

8:45-9:00 Registration
9:00 -9:30 Welcome and Introductions
9:30 -9:45 Orientation and Objectives for the Day
9:45-10:30 Background and Milestones of the Initiative to Date
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:30 Strategy Discussion-comments by delegates
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-14:30 Strategy Discussion Resumes: Moving Toward Agreement
15:00-16:30 Enunciating a Coherent Strategy Towards Parliamentarians, and Parties
16:30-17:00 Next Steps and Wrap-up

Logistics: In order to facilitate logistical arrangements, your REGISTRATION BY MARCH 10 IS REQUESTED. Our intention is to have a maximum of 2 delegates from each supporting group. Please RSVP to Saul Arbess sarbess@shaw.ca with the names of your delegates or, if you are an individual supporter, your intention to participate. Members of DoP chapters across Canada are welcome to attend.
There is no fee to attend this event. We regret that we are unable to offer any subsidies to delegates.

Conference Conveners:
Saul Arbess sarbess@shaw.ca and Bill Bhaneja billbhaneja@rogers.com

“Conflict Transformation by Creative and Peaceful Means”