Resolution Number: A210
Subject: International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Moved by: Ms. Phyllis Creighton Diocese of Toronto
Seconded By: The Rt. Rev. Susan Moxley Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island
Note: The mover and the seconder must be members of the General Synod and be present in the House when the resolution is before the synod for debate.
BE IT RESOLVED:
That this General Synod:
- Commit the Anglican Church of Canada, through its Ecojustice Committee, to support the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons in its efforts to raise political will for the achievement of a Nuclear Weapons Convention. This convention would forbid the development, manufacture, testing, deployment, stock-piling, transfer, threat or use of nuclear weapons, lead to their reduction and elimination, and provide for verification of the same.
- Request the chair of the Ecojustice Committee (or its successor) to direct a letter to ICAN expressing our support for the demands of ICAN:
- Negotiation of Nuclear Abolition
- No new Nuclear Weapons
- Reduction of the likelihood of nuclear weapons use by
- a No First Use policy
- a No Launch-on Warning policy
- development of more Nuclear-Weapons Free Zones (including one in Canada) - Canada must call on NATO to revise its nuclear policy. Canada must promote No-Launch-on Warning and make sure adequate resources are directed toward nuclear disarmament.
EXPLANATORY NOTE/BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
- The use of nuclear weapons is inherently inimical to the Spirit of the Creator,
immoral, (and according to the International Court of Justice in almost every circumstance illegal) and should never again be contemplated. The possession of nuclear weapons, ostensibly for deterrence, makes the world less, not more secure.
- The Clock of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists now stands at five minutes to midnight because:
- There are still about 25,000 nuclear weapons on the planet, about four thousand on high alert
- The Nuclear Weapons States have reneged on their unequivocal commitment at the 2000 NPT Conference to nuclear disarmament, and some are trying to develop new nuclear weapons, are threatening First Use, abandoning Negative Assurances to non- nuclear states
- There has also been actual or threatened horizontal proliferation to India and Pakistan, North Korea , Israel,and Iran, and other states are coming to regard nuclear weapons as essential to political power
- The abandonment of the ABM Treaty and development of Ballistic Missile Defense, and recent Chinese use of ASAT weapons threaten a nuclear arms race and weaponization of space
- Present conflicts are being handled more by use of arms than diplomacy, peace-building and humanitarian efforts, and could lead to nuclear war
- The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty has not been ratified by the US or India or Pakistan or Israel.
- North Korea has withdrawn from the NPT.
- Shortages of world resources and problems caused by climate change may cause conflicts which could also lead to nuclear confrontation.
- There is much unsecured nuclear material still in the world
- Canada's membership in NATO, which regards the retention of nuclear weapons as essential to its policy, is incompatible with Canada's long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament.
- Former high level figures of the US government such as Henry Kissinger and George Shultz are calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
- The Blix Commission calls for a world summit on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and terrorism.
- The Vatican has warned that we are sleep-walking toward a world in which more states feel obliged to acquire nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear terrorism grows.
- References: www.ippnw.org www.ICANW.org www.pgs.ca
- It is planned to launch the campaign April1/Palm Sunday weekend – “Don't be a nuclear fool” – and to involve as much of civil society as possible, including faith groups, Mayors for Peace, etc. The campaign plans to use a mixture of horror, humour, and hope to get the message across.
Source: EcoJustice Committee
(name of committee, diocese, etc.)
Submitted by: EcoJustice Committee
A) Does this motion contain within it any financial implications?
Yes ______ No ______
B) If yes, has the General Synod Expenditures Committee considered the implications?
Yes ______ No ______