WILPF Canada and Canadian Voice of Women for Peace member, Tamara Lorincz, went on a week-long trip to British Columbia in June. She spoke on “The Climate Impacts of War and Militarism” at the annual peace conference organized by the Boundary Peace Initiative in Grand Forks.
She also gave presentations entitled “Making Space for Peace to end the War in Ukraine” in Vancouver, Nanaimo and Victoria.
At each speaking engagement, Tamara collected signatures on letters to the Prime Minister Trudeau and Defence Minister Anand calling on them to support “ceasefire & negotiations to end the war in Ukraine” and “to cut military spending for urgent social needs and climate action.” She passed out buttons “No to NATO, Yes to Peace and Cooperation” and took photos with the new banners “We Want Peace!”
In Vancouver, Tamara joined members with the Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO) for a rally outside of Liberal MP Hedy Fry’s office to call on her to end the war in Ukraine, stop sending weapons and support negotiations. Tamara and other peace activists talked with MP Fry’s staff and presented a letter with our concerns and requested a meeting. They also discussed the fact that MP Fry is Canada’s representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and should be promoting diplomacy and disarmament and the reduction of military spending for human needs. Over the past two years, VOW has sent several letters to MP Fry to request a meeting because not only is she the OSCE representative but she is also on the Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament.
Text and images: VOW Peace