Principles of Peace gain broader recognition

October 16, 2009

-Deborah Froese

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — What if peace were held as the organizing principle for society? What if non-violent conflict resolution, rather than defence and offence, shaped national and international strategies for peace? What if military “boot camp” for soldiers focussed on intensive training in violence prevention, mediation, and reconciliation instead of physical prowess, aggression and weaponry?

Mennonite Church Canada is taking an active role in promoting a culture of peace, including non-violent conflict resolution, within Canada and abroad. A Private Members Bill tabled in the Canadian House of Commons on Sept. 30, 2009 (Bill C-447) calls for the creation of a Canadian Department of Peace, headed by a Cabinet-level minister. This, in part, results from efforts of the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI), a grassroots organization with whom Mennonite Church Canada has partnered in this initiative.

Under the concept of peace as an organizing principle in society, the mission of the Department lists a myriad of actions and principles ranging from non-military peace-making to the development of human potential and the promotion of justice, and the development of a peace-keeping, peace building and peace-making Canadian civil peace service.

Tabled by MP Bill Siksay (Douglas-Burnaby) and seconded by the MP Jim Karygiannis (Scarborough-Agincourt), Bill C-447 447describes the intended department’s work as that which is “dedicated to peace-building and the study of conditions that are conducive to both domestic and international peace.”

“It is a long, long way from being passed in the House of Commons,” says Janet Plenert, Executive Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada Christian Witness – though she is encouraged by the bill. “We know from the experience of the Conscientious Objection to Military Taxation bill that such a bill will likely need to be reintroduced multiple times over many years.”

Despite her pragmatic view of Bill C-447’s potential in its current form, Plenert is hopeful that it will initiate ongoing discussions about peace as a viable alternative to war and a fundamental approach to societal behaviour and response. She says that a strong and vocal grassroots movement supporting the principles of the bill will give it more weight and increase the potential for future implementation.

Bill C-447 arrives at a time when Mennonite Church Canada is taking deliberate steps to bring concepts of non-violent peace into the public arena. Over the past year-and-a-half, General Secretary Robert J. Suderman has addressed the Canadian Council of Churches twice on the topic of “Peace in the Public Square” to favourable response. Delegates to Mennonite Church Canada’s Annual Assembly in June 2009 voted to support a proposal of the same name, which encourages congregations across the country to share the message on a larger, more public scale.

In response to that vote, Mennonite Church Alberta is poised to offer messages of peace on billboards and Light Rapid Transit posters beginning in mid-November 2009. Other tools of communication suggested by Mennonite Church Canada include writing letters to the editors of local newspapers, engagement in Remembrance Day activities that communicate peace as a viable alternative to war, and supporting conscientious objection to military taxation (www.consciencecanada.ca).

“If each congregation initiates one act of peace in the public square over the next four years,” says Suderman, “we will have 1,000 acts of peace.”

Additionally, a new Mennonite Church Canada web site to share ideas and news about making biblical peace a reality is under development.

CDPI is a member of the global movement known as Global Alliance for Department of Peace/Ministries for Peace, with citizen groups in 40 countries, including the USA, UK, Australia, Japan, India, Israel and Palestine who are seeking Peace Ministries. In recent years Nepal, Soloman Islands and Costa Rica have established Peace Departments. Mennonite Church Canada and CDPI hope to see Canada, with its rich peacekeeping tradition, follow in their footsteps.

For more information on Peace in the Public Square, search www.mennonitechurch.ca

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.

In a world that is being devastated by wars, violence, conflicts and violations of human rights, we urgently need leadership that can meet the challenge through wisdom, goodwill, compassion, respect for others and loyalty to the fundamental principles of human rights, justice and dignity without discrimination and political considerations.

Canada, with its diversity, history of accommodation and respect throughout the world, is ideally suited to participate in this exercise, and indeed to take a leadership role. We need a professional institution within Canada that will enable Canada to boldly assume the leadership in treating the root causes of frustration, despair, hopelessness and ultimately conflict. We have to build a culture of peace, justice, mutual respect, dignity and trust as an intrinsic part of our democratic principles and practices within Canada and abroad. We have to build a better world for ourselves and our coming generations. We have to replace despair with hope.

Given the continued conflicts in the world, and poverty, misery and environmental degradation we have to work vigorously for nuclear disarmament and the elimination of all means of mass destruction. We must foster cooperation among professional, peace activists, human rights workers, various governmental departments and the common people throughout Canada under the creative leadership of a Canadian Department of Peace.

Canada must not fail our coming generations, and the world.

Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan, President

Muslim Coordinating Council of the National Capital Region

By Patricia Philip

Campaigning for a Department of Peace

Little media attention has been

given to the Harper government’s

massive rebuilding of the Canadian

military, outlined in its

Canada First Defence Strategy,

which will allocate $490 billion to

military spending over the next

20 years.

That’s the message delivered

by well-known author and journalist

Linda McQuaig to the

national annual general meeting

of the Canadian Department of

Peace Initiative (CDPI), April

17–19 in Hamilton, Ontario.

In her keynote address, After

Afghanistan: Reinvigorating

Canada’s Role as a Global Peacebuilder,

Ms. McQuaig presented

a chronology of events and facts

to demonstrate just how far Canada’s

government has moved in

recent years from being a world

leader in global peacekeeping to

a nation that has bought into the

U.S. doctrine of war.

The conference, with its theme

this year of Building a Culture of

Peace in Canada and the World,

attracted 40 participants, including

several from the Quebec

Chapter of CDPI, Citoyennes

pour un Ministère de la Paix

(CMP). The CDPI is a federation

of chapters, each having local

autonomy within the framework

of the agreed-upon goal of promoting

a Canadian Department

of Peace.

The conference featured status

reports on various CDPI projects

under way for the past year. An

important session brought delegates

into conversation with MPs

from all political parties (except

Conservatives) on the theme of

Building a Culture of Peace in

Canada and the World. We also

heard from the current initiative

for a Hamilton Culture of Peace

Commission. There is strong

interest at Hamilton’s City Hall

in working actively with peacerelated

groups.

Participants considered CDPI’s

strategic planning and action

plan for 2009-10. While the longterm

goal remains the establishment

of a full Department of

Peace, an interim step will be to

lobby for the creation of a secretary

of state or junior minister

for peacebuilding and conflict

prevention at the federal level.

The conference heard encouraging

news from each region of

Canada that inroads are being

made. Plans are under way to

set up a CDPI branch in Halifax.

One of the biggest challenges is

to engage and increase youth

participation by developing

peacebuilding as a professional

career path. More outreach initiatives

need to focus on electronic

communications as a way of

getting out the message.

Patricia Philip is a member of

the Executive of WFMC Montreal Branch

Published in the National Post, October 1, 2009

OTTAWA — A federal New Democrat has teamed up with a Liberal to propose the creation of an army of peace professionals within a new federal department to resolve violent conflicts within Canada and around the world.

The idea was introduced through new legislation tabled Thursday by NDP MP Bill Siksay, seconded by Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis. Siksay said the proposed department of peace could change the role of the Canadian military, but not necessarily replace it.

“In a utopian vision of our world, maybe that will be possible some day but certainly we see this as an area that hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves,” said Siksay at a news conference.

“The inclination to seek a non-violent solution to conflict isn’t always the first action that people take in our society and around the world.”

Siksay’s private member’s bill was modelled after a proposal by an advocacy group that suggests Canada needs more trained experts to promote peace in its diplomatic corps as well as in the military.

Bill Bhaneja, a co-chair of the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative, said the proposed department could employ hundreds of professionals who would promote a culture of peace in the government’s policies and actions, as well as help to resolve conflicts in a non-violent way.

“These peace professionals would be different from the diplomats and from the soldiers,” said Bhaneja. “Right now we have suits and boots on the ground, but we don’t have people who are trained to resolve conflicts at the cutting edge where the problem is taking place.”

He said his group has also submitted its proposals to the Harper government which replied it was satisfied with existing policies and practices.

Siksay said it was unlikely that the legislation and its proposals would get adopted in the near future in Parliament since it is a private member’s bill. Government legislation gets priority for debates in Parliament while opposition bills are debated in order based on a random draw.

But Bhaneja said he was encouraged by recent meetings with Liberals and New Democrats who appear to be more interested by the establishment of a ministry of peace, following other countries such as Nepal, Solomon Islands and Costa Rica.

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.The Bill advocates through the creation of a Civilian Peace Service a specialized cadre of peace professionals, a new form of capacity building trained in prevention, mediation, and reconciliation at cutting edge of problems, instead of current sole reliance on “suits” and “boots”. Diplomats and Soldiers are not generally trained to work on dealing with the problems of root causes of conflicts at the ground level. Additional elements of the Bill seek within this Department a special profile on important issues such as Nuclear Disarmament, Human and Economic Rights, Peace Education and Prevention of Violence in Canada.

CDPI is a part of the world wide movement of Global Alliance of Departments/Ministries for Peace with civil society representation from 40 countries. Its fourth Summit was held this month in San Jose, Costa Rica where President Arias announced the establishment of a Ministry for Justice and Peace making Costa Rica the third country with a Peace Department. Nepal and Solomon Islands are other two countries with Ministries for Peace. This is a tremendous progress for the Global movement in having convinced in five years the governments in three countries the usefulness of a Peace Ministry in the government.

We see the Canadian Private Members Bill as an important initiative that will revitalize Canada’s role as a global peacebuilder.

CDPI has currently 10 active chapters (and additional 2 without chairs) across Canada and has been endorsed by over 30 prominent peace and social justice organizations. For more information, please visit: www.departmentofpeace.ca or contact CDPI National Co-Chairs: Dr. Saul Arbess (250-383-5878) and Theresa Dunn(613-897-5055), and in Ottawa CDPI Co-founder Dr. Bill Bhaneja (613-244-1979)

For more information on Civilian Peace Service Canada (CPSC) visit the web-site www.civilianpeaceservice.ca, or contact CPSC Co-Chairs Gordon Breedyk (gbreedyk@rogers.com and 613-721-9829) or Hans Sinn (hans1nn@xplornet.com and 613-264-8833).

 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.”

The mission of the GA is to support the establishment of Ministries and Departments of Peace in all nations. The Summit, in order to prepare itself to work with governments to build national infrastructures for peace, heard from experts in the fields of : Unarmed Civilian Peace Services and Youth Engagement in Peacebuilding; Academies for Peace, Restorative Justice Practices; Peace Economics; Innovation in the Use of Media; Nuclear and General Disarmament; Civil Society and Government Cooperation; and, Networking with the UN and Business.

 The GA also established strategic direction and an action plan for its next phase and formed a dynamic Leadership Council, with membership from 6 continents, to carry its mission forward, partner with other international sister organizations and plan its next Summit.

 Rita Marie Johnson of the Rasur Foundation in Costa Rica, Summit convener, summed up the achievement of the Summit, stating, “The GA members embodied peace as they took a quantum leap toward national peace infrastructures by presenting a detailed picture of hope for the world. We know what to do and we will do it – together in the name of peace.”

 The Summit concluded with a determination to witness the formation of at least 2 more Ministries or Departments of Peace by the time of the next Summit to be held in 2011.

 Contact: Dr. Saul Arbess

Email: saul.arbess@departmentofpeace.ca ,

Phone: 250-383-5878 in Canada

<www.gasummit.org>

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.
 

While promoting non-violence, peace and social justice the festival will offer the unique opportunity to explore connections between peace and the economics of self reliance and sustainability. The festival will also mark the International Day of Non-Violence (October 2) as declared by the United Nations in 2007. The day corresponds to Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and will recognize Gandhi’s important contributions to building peace and the continued relevance of his philosophy today.

All are welcome to attend the celebrations from 10:00am to 3:00pm that brings together peace, social justice and community organizations from the Hamilton community in a demonstration of solidarity. There will be entertainment, guest speakers, a peace walk downtown and a free hot vegetarian lunch.

Keynote speaker Rajmohan Gandhi, historian, scholar and Gandhi’s grandson, will provide valuable insight into living in harmony with local produce and environmental sustainability. Rajmohan will deliver the twelfth Annual Gandhi Lecture on Friday, October 2, 2009 at McMaster University from 7:00-9:00 pm as well make a brief presentation at the festival on Saturday.

Admission is free and participants are encouraged to bring banners that support the Economics of Self Reliance, peace and “local before global” as they join the peace walk.

In addition to the Festival, MAC Peace Week will complement the festival with a series of events about peace and self reliance that span form September 28th to October 2nd .These events run by McMaster University students to increase peace education, build solidarity among collaborating campus organizations and foster a culture of peace. More details can be found on the Gandhi Peace Festival website.

Festival Activities:

Location: McMaster University, Down Town Centre (DTC) (50 Main Street West, Hamilton)

Saturday October 3, 2009

10:00am-11:00am – Peace and Justice Fair of Community Organizations

11:00am-12:00pm – Welcome and Greetings – Mayor Eisenberger

Keynote Speaker – Rajmohan Gandhi (Historian, Scholar, Gandhi’s grandson)

12:00pm-1:00pm – Peace Walk Downtown Hamilton

1:00pm-3:00pm – Free hot lunch (Indian Food), and Entertainment

The Gandhi Peace Festival is co-sponsored by the Centre for Peace Studies (McMaster University), The India-Canada Society (Hamilton), and the City of Hamilton.

For more information, please contact the Gandhi Peace Festival coordinator at

Gandhi.peace.festival@gmail.com or visit http://www.humanities.mcmaster .ca/gandhi/

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).

*Tuesday Sept. 22: United Nations Association of NCR to launch ‘Dear United Nations Secretary-General Writing and Art Contest’ for secondary students (Grades 9-12).  (Pino Buffone, Pino.Buffone@ocdsb.ca, 613-596-8211/ext 5211).  7.00 – 9.30 pm: Civilian Peace Service Canada Forum, Amphitheatre, Saint Paul University, 223 Main Street. Program will have peace songs, poetry and a presentation on CPSC. (Gord Breedyk, gbreedyk@rogers.com, 613-721-9829).

*Wednesday Sept.23:  7.00 – 9.30pm:  A Forum: ‘How can our world religions promote/advocate for peace?” Saint Paul University Auditorium, 223 Main Street. (Qais Ghanem, dialoguewithdiversity@rogers.com, 613-265-4654 and Brian Strom. edcicr@ustpaul.ca, 613-235-5800)

*Thursday Sept.24:  7.00-9.00pm: Forum on ‘Corporatism and Peace’ hosted by ‘No War-Paix’. 150 Isabella Street (just south of the Queensway, corner of O’Connor), 9th Floor, Executive Boardroom, National Component, PSAC. (Larry Rousseau, rouslar@gmail.com , www.no-war-paix.ca, 613-565-1915).**  6.30 – 9.30 pm: A Music Concert for Peace at Amphitheatre, Saint Paul University, 223 Main Street.  (Daniel Mauro, peacefest@sympatico.ca, 418- 934-2661).

*Friday Sept.25: 6.00– 9.00pm: 35th Annual General Assembly Trade Show, Crowne Plaza Ottawa Hotel, 101 Lyon Street. The show in support of ‘Sisters in Spirit’ features work of a wide range of Aboriginal female artists and artisans.(Deborah Chansonneuve, chansonneuve@travel-net.com ).

*Saturday Sept.26: 3.00 – 5.00 pm:  Forum: “Buddhism In Action – A Proposal for Peace” at 237 Argyle Street. (Monica Bachmann, monicabachmann@rogers.com , 613-232-1100). **1.00-5.00 pm: An Exhibition of ‘Meditation as Art’ paintings at TRIKArts851 Gallery on 1390 Clyde Ave., Room 206 (near crossing of Clyde and Merivale Rd). (Shiban Raina, shibanraina@trikarts851.com , www.TrikaArts851.com, 613-224-9179). 

*Sunday Sept.27: 2.00 – 4.30 pm:  Celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s 140^th Birthday and UN International Day of Nonviolence, Kailash Mital Theatre, Carleton University. Free parking: Lot P1. (Jagmohan Humar, email: Jag_humar@carleton.ca, 613-736-0783). ** 1.00-5.00 pm: An Exhibition of ‘Meditation as Art’ paintings at TRIKArts851 Gallery on 1390 Clyde Ave., Room 206 (near crossing of Clyde and Merivale Rd).(Shiban Raina, shibanraina@trikarts851.com , www.TrikaArts851.com,  613-224-9179). 

*Monday, Sept.28:  5.00 – 8.30 pm:  A self-discovery playshop entitled: “Can we be both rich and free of war?” 91A, Fourth Ave., Quaker Centre, Doors open at 5.00, supper at 5.30, playshop begins at 6.30. (Gianne Broughton, qpasc@cfsc.quaker.ca, 613-798-8182).

*Tuesday Sept.29: 7.30 am – 9.00 am:  Murray Thomson, O.C. to speak on “What have Ottawans been doing to prevent Nuclear War? What can you do?”  NCPC Breakfast speaker series, Donna’s Express cafe, 322 Churchill Avenue, North on the corner of Scott St & Churchill Ave. (Daniel Stringer, thestring@rogers.com, 613- 792-1431). ** 5.00 – 8.00 pm: “Arctic Future Forum : Cooperation or Confrontation”. Hosted by Rideau Institute with Friedrich Ebert Foundation at National Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street (Steven Staples, sstaples@rideauinstitute.ca , 613- 565-9449).

*Wednesday, Sept.30: 7.00-10.00pm: A Seminar: “This precious Life–My Conscious Creation”. The importance of the knowledge of the principles of the creative process. Public Library, Emerald Plaza, 1574 Merivale Road ( Vesna Scott: vesna@sympatico.ca, 613 224 5489).

*Thursday, Oct. 01: 6.00 – 9.00 pm: Screening of NFB film ‘The Strangest Dream’ on Nuclear Disarmament Movement, Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe Street. (Iman Ibrahim, imanibrahim@rogers.com, 613-276- 6764)

*Friday Oct. 02: 5.30 -7.30pm: Panel Discussion and Book Launch on “Afghanistan and Canada: Is There an Alternative to the War?” by Rideau Institute. Colonel By Room, City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West. (Steven Staples, sstaples@rideauinstitute.ca , 613- 565-9449).

*Saturday, Oct. 03: 10 am – 4 pm:  7th Annual Friends for Peace Day at City Hall. A full day program of music, speeches, food and display tables, and presentation of peace awards. (Ian Prattis, 613-726- 0881, iprattis@cyberus.ca , www.friendsforpeace.ca);   ** 11 am – 5 pm: Islamic History Month Canada  launch of  Multicultural Expo, Canada Science and Technology Museum. (Iman Ibrahim, imanibrahim@rogers.com,613-841-6764)

During Festival,  visit two peace Exhibits:  *Sept.15 – 30: An Exhibit on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. collated by National Capital Peace Council at Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe St. (Daniel Stringer, thestring@rogers.com, 613 792-1431). Also, *Sept.21- Oct03: “No War-Paix Conceptual Art” An outdoor Peace Exhibit, 250 Range Road, Sandy Hill (Terry Stavnyck, terry.peace@gmail.com, 613-565-1915).                                                        

For further information, contact Festival Convenors: Bill Bhaneja, billbhaneja@rogers.com , 613-244-1979 and Peter Stockdale, globalbridge@rogers.com, 613-863-4527, and for individual events, respective coordinators identified in the program. Program also posted on www.departmentofpeace.ca, www.civilianpeaceservice.ca, and www.cicr-icrc.ca/