VOW Endorses #StopArmingSaudi with Labour Against the Arms Trade on International Day of Peace

September 21st is the International Day of Peace. Rather than a commitment to peace, Canada has lifted the moratorium on issuing arms exports for weapons destined for Saudi Arabia, and Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) continue to be manufactured in London, ON. Saudi Arabia has used these LAVs to suppress peaceful protests and there is mounting evidence that Canadian-made LAVs are being deployed in the war in Yemen. Canadian arms exports just don’t line up with Canada’s legal commitment under the Arms Trade Treaty or a feminist foreign policy. Ending arms exports doesn’t have to mean the loss of good jobs – the call for conversion of arms industries to socially useful production must be loud and clear. 

Join us on September 21st for a day of action to #StopArmingSaudi. If you are in or near London, ON, you can join a physically-distant vigil outside the General Dynamics Land Systems Factory (1991 Oxford St. E., London): https://fb.me/e/18akoKBJv

Or join physically-distant demonstrations outside of Liberal Member of Parliament constituency offices in the following cities:-Hamilton, ON, 1pm at MP Bob Bratina’s office (42 King St. East, Stoney Creek)
-Mississauga, ON, 6pm at MP Gagan Sikand’s office (6990 Financial Dr. Unit 8)
-Montreal, QC, 6pm at MP Marc Miller’s office (3175 Rue St Jacques)
-Toronto, ON, 6pm at MP Arif Virani’s office (1596 Bloor St. W)
-Waterloo, ON, 6pm at Waterloo Public Square (75 King St.)
-Winnipeg, MB, 6pm at Jim Carr’s office (611 Corydon Ave.)-Vancouver, BC. September 20 at 330pm outside the VPL at 350 West Georgia St.

NOTE: This event is an International Peace Day Rally. No matter where you are, you can join us for a simultaneous virtual protest to show your solidarity and hear from speakers on the ground and at the forefront of the movement to #StopArmingSaudi. Join us for the virtual protest: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZAlfuiqrjouGNJArTNk3nFXVFQ6j…

*** This event will be bilingual ***Speakers will be announced in the coming days. TAKE ACTION If you can’t join, the virtual protest, ways to take part in the day of action from home will be announced in the coming days. 
This day of action is jointly organized by: Labour Against the Arms Trade, People for Peace London, Council of Canadians London Chapter, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Amnesty International Canada, Amnistie Internationale Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, World Beyond War and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. 

Le 21 septembre est la Journée internationale de la paix.Plutôt que de s’engager en faveur de la paix, le Canada a levé le moratoire sur les exportations d’armes à destination de l’Arabie Saoudite, et des véhicules blindés légers (VBL) continuent d’être fabriqués à London, en Ontario.L’Arabie saoudite a utilisé ces VBL pour réprimer des manifestations pacifiques et il y a de plus en plus de preuves que des VBL fabriqués au Canada sont déployés dans la guerre au Yémen. Ces exportations d’armes canadiennes ne sont tout simplement pas conformes à l’engagement juridique du Canada dans le cadre du traité sur le commerce des armes ou à une politique étrangère féministe. Mettre fin aux exportations d’armes ne doit pas nécessairement signifier la perte de bons emplois – l’appel à la conversion des industries de l’armement à des productions socialement utiles doit être fort et clair.Joignez-vous à nous le 21 septembre pour une journée d’action contre la vente d’armes à l’Arabie saoudite #StopArmingSaudiSi vous êtes à London (Ontario) ou dans les environs, vous pouvez vous joindre à une vigile physiquement éloignée devant l’usine de General Dynamics Land Systems (1991 Oxford St. E., London). Veuillez contacter peopleforpeace.london@gmail.com pour plus de détails.Où que vous soyez, vous pouvez vous joindre à nous pour une manifestation virtuelle afin de montrer votre solidarité et d’entendre des orateurs sur le terrain et à l’avant-garde du mouvement #StopArmingSaudi.Rejoignez-nous pour la manifestation virtuelle : https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZAlfuiqrjouGNJArTNk3nFXVFQ6j…*** Cet événement sera bilingue ***Les noms des orateurs seront annoncés dans les prochains jours.AGIRSi vous ne pouvez pas vous joindre à la manifestation virtuelle, participez à la journée d’action sur les médias sociaux :
Faites part de votre opposition et appelez le Canada à arrêter la vente d’armes avec le hashtag #StopArmingSaudi. Taggez General Dynamics Land Systems (@GD_LandSystems), Justin Trudeau et François-Philippe Champagne, ainsi que votre propre député (retrouvez-les sur www.ourcommons.ca) pour leur demander d’agir maintenant. Des exemples de tweets seront publiés dans les commentaires ci-dessous.
Agissez dès maintenant :
Signez la pétition d’Amnistie Canada francophone : https://agir.amnistie.ca/page/17954/petition/1
Signez la pétition d’Oxfam Canada : www.oxfam.ca/armsdeal
Signez la pétition d’Oxfam-Québec : https://oxfam.qc.ca/petitionyemen/
Signez la pétition en d’Amnesty Canada anglophone : https://takeaction.amnesty.ca/page/35358/action/1…Cette Journée d’action est organisée par : Labour Against the Arms Trade, People for Peace London, Council of Canadians London Chapter, Amnistie Internationale Canada francophone, Amnesty International Canada English-speaking, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, Canadian Voices of Women for Peace, Peace Brigades International Canada, Oxfam Canada, World Beyond War and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. 

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