by Paul Weinberg
published in NOW Magazine, December 2005

Citizens in 11 countries are lobbying for government departments dedicated to nurturing conflict resolution.

Lowering our defences:
Instead of keeping peace, how ’bout making it with harmony brigades?

You can count the minutes before calls for more military spending join the general clatter in the current election. But what if there were a countervailing set of pressures? What if instead of demanding a boost for defence, pols felt obliged to press for the diversion of funds to a Department of Peace? (more…)

by Metta Spencer (interviewer)
published in Peace Magazine, October-December, 2005

METTA SPENCER: It was your idea to create a department of peace within the Canadian government. Tell me about it.

BILL BHANEJA: In meetings of the Canadian Peacebuilding Coordinating Committee (CPCC), I’ve been representing Science for Peace in Ottawa. When we discussed the organizing of federal peace programs, it was obvious that a cause of problems being discussed was lack of a clear peace mandate — a coherent mission.

SPENCER: Well, great. And you’re not the only person with such ideas. In the US there’s a similar movement underway. (more…)