Senator Mobina Jaffer, along with Mr. Bill Siksay, M.P. will kindly host an event introducing Bill C-447 and Motion-463 to Members of Parliament and Senators with an opportunity to discuss the principle and mandate of a Department of Peace in a way that corresponds to Canadian context and needs. The event will involve a presentation by chairs/ key members of the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative and question/ answer session.

Date: May 26, 2010

Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Location: Room 308, West Block, Parliament Hill

MPs and senators are asked to RSVP to Senator Mobina Jaffer at (613) 992-0189.

We ask that supporters of a Canadian Department of Peace request the presence of their MPs at this event to discuss the opportunities and challenges that this initiative offers for domestic and international conflict resolution and its relationship with government plans involving the economy, military expenditures and peace-building projects.

UPDATE:
AS OF DEC. 3, 2009, THE ALLOWABLE 20 SECONDERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACE BILL HAS BEEN REACHED, MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE NPD AND LIBERAL PARTIES. THE MOVER, BILL SIKSAY, NDP, HAS INDICATED THAT THIS IS A VERY RARE ACHIEVEMENT.

THERE IS NOW AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MPS TO SIGN ON TO MOTION M-463 TO ENDORSE THE PRINCIPLE OF THE BILL. THE MOTION READS:

M-463 — November 2, 2009 — Mr. Siksay (Burnaby—Douglas) — That the House endorse the principle of the establishment of a Department of Peace as part of the structure of the federal government and cabinet with a mandate to advocate for the non-violent resolution of conflict at home and abroad, the professionalization of peace work by Canadians, and the development of a culture of peace in Canada and internationally.

M-463 — 2 novembre 2009 — M. Siksay (Burnaby—Douglas) — Que la Chambre appuie le principe de la création d’un ministère de la Paix au sein du gouvernement fédéral et du Cabinet avec pour mandat de promouvoir la résolution non violente des conflits au Canada et à l’étranger, la professionnalisation du travail de paix accompli par les Canadiens et le développement d’une culture de la paix au Canada et à l’échelle internationale.

To read in full Bill in English or French, please go to:

<http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4116951&Language=e&Mode=1>

CDPI -CPSC MEDIA RELEASE: 30th Sept. 2009

For an interview with the proponents of the Bill, for the English version, please go to:

http://cid-9ed012460ecdafc3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/DEPARTMENT OF PEACE – RCI – THE LINK – OCT 15 2009.mp3

Pour la version française, voir:

http://cid-9ed012460ecdafc3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/MINISTÈRE DE LA PAIX – RCI – TAM TAM CANADA – 19 OCT 2009 .mp3

Private Members Bill for Department of Peace by Hon Bill Siksay , MP (Douglas-Burnaby)

The first ever legislative Bill for a Department of Peace in the Canadian Parliament, BILL C-447,  was tabled on Sept. 30 in the Parliament as a Private Members Bill by the NDP MP Bill Siksay (Douglas-Burnaby), and seconded by the Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis (Scarborough-Agincourt). The Bill calls for a Federal Department of Peace, headed by a Cabinet level Minister.

The proposed Department in the Bill is along the lines of a Model legislative Bill proposed by the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative(CDPI) . Since 2004, CDPI has been promoting a strategic focus for sustainable peace within the Federal Government, working towards a Culture of Peace at home and abroad and through its Minister provide the Prime Minister with advise and recommendations on effective conflict transformation through nonviolent means. (more…)

 For additional information on the Summit, please go to: <www.gasummit.org>.

 COMMUNIQUÉ

September 21, 2009

 4th Global Alliance Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace

San Jose, Costa Rica, Sept. 17-21, 2009

 The 4th Global Alliance (GA) Summit was a resounding success with 200 participants attending from more than 40 countries, enhanced by a live streaming video link to the world. The Summit was inspired by Costa Rica’s declaration, earlier this month, of a Minister of Justice and Peace, making it the third country in the world to have such a Ministry. The President of Costa Rica, Dr. Oscar Arias, addressed the opening of the Summit, and told us that:

 “The task is only just starting; the creation of a Ministry for Peace…is not the final achievement, merely the making of a road to achieve sustainable order that would allow resolution of human conflicts without violence.”

(more…)

The 17^th Annual Mahatma Gandhi Peace Festival & Peace Walk (Hamilton, Canada)

From: The Centre for Peace Studies, McMaster University

Phone: (905)-525-9140 ext. 23112; peace@mcmaster.ca; www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/gandhi

Hamilton, ON.—Saturday October 3^rd hundreds will gather to celebrate the 17^th Annual Mahatma Gandhi Peace Festival and participate in a peace walk downtown at McMaster University, Down Town Centre (DTC) (50 Main Street East, Hamilton). In celebration of the 100^th Anniversary of Gandhi’s seminal book “Hind Swaraj (Home Rule)”, the theme of this year’s festival is “Swadeshi: Gandhi’s Economics of Self Reliance.” A special panel discussion will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church at 1140 King St West, Hamilton. (more…)

PEACE FESTIVAL 2009 IN OTTAWA

September 21 – October 03, 2009 

The Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI), together with the United Nations Association of Canada – NCR Branch and other Ottawa peace organizations invites you to take part in a 13-day Third Annual Festival of Peace.  All events are without admission fee, and subject to change due to weather/unforeseen circumstances.

*Monday Sept. 21: 11.00 – 12.30 pm:   Pacifest – UN’s International Day of Peace at Victoria Island with Circle of the All Nations. The event will commence with a Peace Walk at the Peacekeeping Monument on Sussex Drive and end at Victoria Island where Proclamations on the International Day of Peace and Ottawa as a City of Peace will be read. (Peter Stockdale, cityofpeaceottawa@rogers.com , 613-852-4527 and Anita Rizvi,  arizvi@rogers.com, 613-841-9785). (more…)

The Costa Rica Congress has passed the Bill creating the Ministry of Justice and Peace and becomes the third country to have such a Minister. The others are Nepal and the small Pacific island nation of the Solomon Islands. The Nepalese Minister  of Peace and Reconstruction will speak at the Global Alliance Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace, September 17-21, 2009 and it is anticipated that the new Costa Rica Minister of Peace will also speak. Canada will be represented at the Summit by a large delegation of 9 persons.

Congratulations are due to Rita Marie Johnson, Founding Director, and her team at the Rasur Foundation, the principal NGO voice for the Minister of Peace, who worked for 3 years on this project. She has particularly noted that holding the Global Alliance Summit in CR accelerated and added impetus to the passing of this Bill. The  Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace has shown its ability to assist in moving forward our objective to create ministers of peace in all nations. 

In Japan, where the 3rd Summit was held in September 2007, that Summit assisted in the further strengthening of the threatened Article 9 in the Japanese Constitution, the article that prevents Japan from acting as a belligerent against any other nation and renounces war as a vehicle of resolving conflict. To date, despite considerable pressure from the US and the wishes of the conservative parties in Japan, Article 9 remains intact as a model clause for every nation’s constitution.

Department of Peace Initiative Launched

Thursday, 06 August 2009

By Carolyn Girard

Published in the Catholic Register

 A private members’ bill to establish a Canadian Department of Peace will soon be before Parliament, perhaps as early as the fall.

British Columbia MP Bill Siksay jumped on board the six-year-old campaign advocating for a Department of Peace just a few years ago, and recently volunteered to write the legislation for the private members’ bill he hopes to table in September. (more…)

The following statement was delivered by NDP MP Bill Siksay on April 21st, 2009 during the parliamentary question period. Mr. Siksay has volunteered to prepare legislation regarding the implementation of a Canadian Department of Peace Initiative that is to be tabled as a Private Members Motion. (more…)