he peace movement

5 it beginning

to wane?

by Cathy McDonald National Features Writer Canadian University Press

emonstrations express political ambitions before the poli- means necessary to realize them have been created. on‘strations predict the realization of their own ambitions thus contribute to that realization, but they cannot

selves achieve them.

— John Berger, British philosopher

alf a million people ched in Brussels today,” speaker announced to t cheers. “Two hundred usand marched in London, ,000 in Rome ...” he ked out over the 5,000 cc protestors assembled in . t of the Parliament ldings. “I guess we can’t ch those numbers, but for awa-I-Iull, this is pretty d.,’ or the 50,000 Canadians o protested the arms race Oct. 22, singing and ting down the main streets 45 municipalities across country, spirits were up, the feeling of strength - purpose was beginning to e. - fter all, their main mes- e, “refuse the cruise”, . an improbable demand. Canadian government - already agreed last July test the American cruise sile in Alberta, despite a r of building protest. A long with the Pershing II, ' cruise is the target of in- singly large and militant test in Europe. One and a f million people demon- ted over the weekend of . 22, International Dis- ament Day, culminating~ eek of protest actions. - movement is determined stop the development of of the nuclear armed siles in Europe, scheduled egin this December. It Ottawa, the march was et. A few chants and songs led down the column of pie, and soon after ving on Parliament Hill to n to speeches, _the crowd ipated. ‘ This is one of the most powering marches I've to in my whole life," participant Derek mussen later that after- n in his home. “I came. of it totally. depressed.” We’re not going to e anything if we keep ching to'Parliam'ent Hill Pierre Trudeau l))’i"(not—"t'o_ test, the

‘ e’rc farting around." said.

the streets. The media are downplaying it, but since when do you see thousands

getting arrested? They’re filling the jails in West Germany. - People aren‘t writing (letters) politely anymore ...”

Rasmussen is part of a small but steadily growing movement in Canada that is frustrated with traditional forms of protest and is looking to more militant ways of making its voice heard. He belongs to the Alliance for Non-Violent Action, an Ontario-based coalition of peace groups.

The group has organized many acts of civil _.dis- obedience, including a Remembrance Day, 1981,

blockade of Litton Industries _

plant in Toronto. Rasmussen’s first arrest occured at that sit-in, where he and 22 others were dragged away from the plant where cruise missile guidance systems are pro- duced.

The alliance repreated the event last year, where 150 were arrested in front of 1,000 supporters. This year, three days of actions are planned for the week fol- lowing Nov. 11.

' Civil disobedience has also become popular in Montreal. For two days after the Oct. 22 demonstration, protestors set

up blockades at the American '

and Soviet embassies and successfully closed the Canadian Armed Forces recruitment centre for a day.

McGill University student Normand Beaudet, one of 45 people arrested, said he parti- cipated because demonstra- tions are not effective.

“When you get 20,000 people .

out on the street in Montreal demonstrating against nuclear buildup and the government doesn’t listen, you have to take further steps

that are still non-violet! ,” he ‘ m, Isa) disobea'mce .

isone of them.” _ _ echoed that He said, the

_ _ agreement

. late M)! Show the ‘. futility of ' though a December

Gallup poll showed 56 per cent “of Canadians opposed "

testing ofthecruisenheissue

_was decided by cabinet with- out parliamentary debate. and was endorsed by both

flfLook , at; lithe l,uthe Liberal and Conservative 5 a

Dean, They hit‘ I parties. Trudeau’s office

“In Europe, and in pockets in Canada, people are taking power over their ' destiny through civil disobedience ...”

reported receiving second-largest number of letters on any single Canadian issue.

People are outraged the government can thumb its nose at popular opinion, Rasmussen says, yet the peace movement will not admit that their tactics may educate people, but are not effective in achieving political

’TheCanadianpeacemovea

-‘mentseemstohaveadmitted

for Torontm where .350“) people have ' create'dfthe biggest march city’s”

history.- the size of‘theiOct.

22 demonstrations from anticruise protests last year. ' _

In Vancouver, NDP MP 1? ...vmdtocoa- thin "to the fight toreverse

the

._T.Ir,udeau . e t»! mum u «manpmtefii. 15:3“. 09¢“...

Canada’s cruise agreement. But spokesperson Helen Spiegelman said that march of 4,500 was purposefully downplayed by organizers, and in fact was merely a show of support for the European struggle. The previous April, 600!) Vancouverites matched against the cnrise.

And a peace camp erected last year at Cold Lake, Alberta where the cruise will be tested, has closedfor lack of popular support.

With the cruise issue gone by the wayside in Canada, so has ’ a more fundamental question ignoredby the peace mm Canada's cal sovereignty. American pressure to test its missile was quiet. but no doubt played an integral role in Canada’s decision. ' gountcred anti

letter to Canadians” last spring, placing the decision in the context of Canada’s com— mittment to the North American Treaty Organiza- tion. The peace movement argued the testing agreement does not fall under the NATO charter, but shied away from talking about Canada’s relationship to

NATO and to the United.‘ I y _ major Canadian city, Even the NDP, whose platform :is

States. _,

Oppose Canada’s member- ship in NATO, Would not voice: that. politically un-

popuh!” position, in ‘Parlia‘,

ment.’ . t i V Aside from opposing the cruise missile, the peace movement protests the arms race in general, emphasizing the horror of nuclear war. And to an extent, the mes-

i3age has hit its mark. One

to,

participant at the Ottawa

Oct. 22 rally expressed the

fear that moved him to march.

“We’ve got to do some- thing or we’ll get blown up,” said Dan Miller. “If everyone takes the attitude that nothing can be done, no- thing’s going to happen.”

The movement has grown rapidly in the last two years, , with coalitions I forming in

and representing a wide range of public opinion. ‘

But the size of the October rallies could be a sign that

‘ momentum is being lost.

Rasmussen says the peace movement has grown largely because of a successful death scare 'warning of the imminent destruction of the planet. And he predicts a movement based on fear will

cotinued on page” "

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