MP introduces Private Members Bill to create Dept. of Peace
By Alex Atamanenko MP
Alex Atamanenko, MP (BC Southern Interior), was joined at a press conference today by fellow peace advocates, along with Elizabeth May of the Green Party and Liberal Jim Karygiannis to herald the introduction later in the day of his Private Members Bill to create a federal Department of Peace. May and Karygiannis are co-seconding the Bill.
Atamanenko’s bill is a slightly amended version of retired NDP MP Bill Siksay’s bill from the last parliament, notable for the non-partisan support it had gathered.
Karygiannis says this is one issue where party politics should not get in the way.
“It is time for Canada to serve the global constituency by committing to the creation of a Department of Peace,” he said.
Elizabeth May stressed her party’s continued support of this initiative.
“Peace is more than the absence of war. Non-violent solutions, ‘waging peace,’ requires a focused investment and shift in consciousness. Even talking about a Department of Peace helps in that shift,” she said.
Representatives for Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI) at the press conference described the bill as exemplifying a global movement in 30 countries promoting infrastructures of non-violent peace within governments, with Peace Ministries and Departments in three countries, most recently Costa Rica.
“The bill illustrates the need to prepare for peace in the same way as we prepare for war – with adequate resources and expertise,” said CDPI Co-founder Bill Bhaneja.
“This is an opportunity to unify the millions of voices expressing a will to follow a new path where our road markers are not fear, anger and vengeful killing but rather prevention, empathy and justice for all of humanity,” said Theresa Dunn, co-chair for CDPI.
Doukhobor writer and historian Koozma J. Tarasoff said the need for the architecture for peace is urgent at a time when nuclear and robotic weapons are posing a threat to the world community.
“As Canadians, let’s regain our status not only as a peacekeeping nation, but also as a non-killing one.”
“The notion that there can be peace in the world may be a utopian ideal but each generation owes it to the next to make a dedicated attempt to get as close to it as humanly possible.” concluded Atamanenko.
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