Welcome to WILPF Canada!

WILPF Canada’s goals are to bring together women of different political beliefs and philosophies who are united in their determination to study, make known and help abolish the causes and the legitimization of war; and to work toward world peace; total and universal disarmament; the abolition of violence and coercion in the settlement of conflict and their substitution in every case of negotiation and conciliation; the strengthening of the United Nations system; the continuous development and implementation of international law; political and social equality and economic equity; co-operation among all people; and an environmentally sustainable development.

About us: We are a small (about a dozen or more), diverse group of activists, ranging in age from 20-something to 81. We were born in Canada, the Caribbean, the US., the South Pacific, India, and Europe.  We have worked or are working as teachers, librarians, public administrators, doctors, and politicians. As individuals, outside of WILPF, our interests include influencing prostitution policy, bringing refugees to Canada, educating girls in Africa, and strengthening women’s voices in local politics. Our meetings are devoted to finding ways to influence government policy on militarism, indigenous affairs and other public issues. If you would like to sit in on one of our monthly meetings, please contact Tejal Barde at wilpf.canada@gmail.com.

For more about WILPF, its history, goals and activities, visit WILPF International.

NEWS:

Canada refuses to attend First Meeting of the Nuclear Ban Treaty

Because of Canada's membership in NATO, a nuclear-armed military alliance, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not send any diplomats to attend and observe the first meeting of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in Vienna in June and is also refusing to sign and ratify the TPNW. Canada is on the wrong side of the nuclear divide. Follow WILPF's disarmament program 'Reaching Critical Will' for updates ...
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WILPF Calls on Parliament to Conduct a Public Inquiry into Risky Fighter Jet Procurement

WILPF Canada sent a package to every member of the Standing Committee on National Defence and the Senate Committee on Security and National Defence to conduct a public inquiry into the planned purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. Canada's plan to buy 88 new F-35s for $19 billion is the second most expensive federal procurement in Canadian history. The U.S. Congress has conducted hearings on the F-35 but Canada has not. WILPF Canada is demanding that our elected officials in the House of Commons and our appointed Senators do their due diligence and study the social, climate, environmental and financial risks of the fighter jets before any contract is signed. Under legislation, the federal government is supposed to conduct consultations with Indigenous communities to ensure free, prior and informed consent and a gender-based analysis to understand the impact of procurement and policies on women in Canada - these requirements have not been done and released to the public. We sent each member a copy of our report "Soaring: The Harms and Risks of Fighter Jets and Why Canada Must Not Buy a New Fleet." Read our letter to Standing Committee chair John McKay and our letter to Senate Committee ...
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WILPF protests CANSEC Arms Fair in Ottawa

WILPF members protested the CANSEC, the largest arms fair in North America, that takes place in Ottawa every spring. Canada needs to invest in a green care economy not the military-industrial complex. Read the report and see photos below. WILPF Canada members participated in the "Cancel CANSEC" protests in Ottawa from June 1-2. CANSEC is the largest arms fair in North America and takes place every spring in Canada's capital. CANSEC is organized by Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), which lobbies the federal government for more military spending. CANSEC was attended by the biggest manufacturers in the world, such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon and BAE among many others to peddle their weapon systems. We welcomed them with signs "Arms Fairs: Not in Our Name, Not with Our Money" and "Warmongers not welcome!" held by activists dressed in grim reaper costumes.
On the first day of CANSEC, we blocked the roads and slowed down the cars coming into conference to hear Defence Minister Anita Anand give her opening address. In her speech, Anand stated, "Through our government's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, Canada's defence spending is once again on an upward trajectory. We are raising defence ...
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Read ‘Fighter Jets, Airforce Bases and Military Contamination on Indigenous Land in Canada’

This submission to the Secretariat of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights examines some of the past and present militarization of Indigenous land by fighter jets and air forces bases and the resulting contamination that has been caused. Read the full submission here: Fighter jets, Air Force Bases And Military Contamination On Indigenous Land In Canada ...
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It’s CSW week!

It's CSW week! The 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66), is kicking off today and ends on 25 March. This year’s priority theme "Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes" will provide an opportunity to further WILPF’s advocacy about the devastating toll of militarism on our planet, and the impacts of conflict and ecological crisis on human rights.

Over the past months, WILPF submitted a statement for CSW, and held an informal workshop with members to develop a list of WILPF priorities on gender and environment.

The Young WILPF Network is also one of the co-contributors to the CSW66 Global Youth Recommendations: Youth, Gender, and Climate. The Young WILPF's recommendations centred on the impacts of militarism and armed conflicts on the environment as gendered and racialised were incorporated in the full text, merging with the aspirations and demands from feminist youth-led voices from all around the world. Summaries are available in English, Spanish, and French. Read more about the role of the Young WILPF Network in CSW66 Global Youth Recommendations ...
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