By World BEYOND War, November 12, 2020
The Vancouver, Canada, chapter of World BEYOND War has begun a campaign for divestment from weapons and fossil fuels in Langley, British Columbia, (something World BEYOND War has had success with in other cities), as well as supporting a resolution on nuclear abolition in Langley, in light of the recent achievement of the 50th nation ratifying the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Brendan Martin and Marilyn Konstapel presented at the council for the City of Langley on November 2 and the council for the Township of Langley on November 9th urging divestment from weapons and fossil fuels. (They city and township are two completely separate governing bodies, one for the city itself, and the other for the surrounding region).
The presentations used this Powerpoint, also available as a PDF.
The City Council will also vote at their next meeting (later this month) on a related antiwar motion brought forward by a councillor, the Cities Appeal for the Treaty On Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This resolution will endorse the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and urge Ottawa to sign and ratify the treaty without delay. The full text follows:
Langley City Resolution to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons (looks promising that this will pass in about a week)
Because the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is a landmark global agreement calling for national and local governments to abandon nuclear weapons of war.
Because the TPNW global agreement was adopted in 2017, and the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has acknowledged this initiative as providing the best pathway towards a world without nuclear weapons.
Because nuclear weapons threaten every nation’s security and would cause catastrophic humanitarian and environmental harm.
Because cities are the main targets of nuclear weapons, municipalities have a special responsibility to their constituents to speak out against any role for nuclear weapons in national security doctrines.
Because municipal governments form a close and active link with their constituents and local social movements.
Because a national awareness is needed to advance the standard determined by the TPNW against nuclear weapon states and their military alliances with countries that have nuclear weapons.
Because the time has come to end decades of deadlock in disarmament and moving the world towards the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Because there is no winner in an exchange of nuclear weapons.
Be it resolved that Langley City support the Mayor’s For Peace Appeal and send a letter to the Government of Canada to break the unacceptable status quo regarding a tolerant nuclear weapons policy by taking decisive steps toward the global elimination of nuclear weapons of war.
