Canada, out of NATO! No War in Ukraine!
The Canadian Chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS-Can) supports the calls for protests at the NATO-Canada gala on March 15. The NATO Association of Canada/ Association Canadienne pour l’OTAN will hold a banquet at its office at 60 Harbour Street in Toronto. The purpose is to celebrate former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
On the same day, Ukraine’s President V. Zelensky will speak remotely to a sitting of the Canadian House of Commons to address our Parliament, having been invited by Prime Minister Trudeau. This appearance is inappropriate in the first place and outrageous in that it lays open the alliance between fascist Ukraine and the Canadian government, who is doing 110% its duty to NATO. ILPS-Canada firmly objects to the arrangement for Zelensky to present himself at a meeting of our government.
We demand that Canada withdraw from NATO! NATO is an aggressive military alliance serving the elite and the arms trade of Western capitalism. It is based on the phony idea of “deterrence”; anyone can see that it is not about defense, but aggression—stirring up conflict and acting aggressively to rivals and movements or states that do not toe the imperialist line. It has exacerbated and perpetuated the wars such as those in the Ukraine and Syria, propped up the Israeli occupation of Palestine, set up Commands in Africa and Asia, and directly intervened in Afghanistan and Serbia, just to name a few recent examples. As well, it has supported Saudi Arabia’s and the United Arab Emirate’s horrendous assaults on Yemen.
Its membership in NATO has been draining Canadian tax-payers funds for increased military spending, committed Canada to production and trade in military fare such as light armoured vehicles, armed drones and fighter jets, complied it to engage in threatening military exercises in the Caribbean, Europe and East Asia, and made it a party to the wars in Syria and Ukraine. It has obligated the Canadian government to join in coercive economic measures against many countries, and illegally so, such as Iran, Venezuela, Syria, Yemen and so on. It makes Canada subservient to US foreign policy and aggression. Thus, participation in NATO has steered the Canadian administration away recuperation from the pandemic, social spending and nation building, and climate action measures.
As a former PM, Jean Chrétien has been a major player in the atrocities and violations of the laws and rights of the people around the world. He has been a servant of US-led aggression and exploitation, to the detriment of the Canadian economy and culture. This legacy is nothing to celebrate.
The NATO countries-backed government of the Ukraine is the result of a right-wing coup orchestrated by the US to (1) punish the President ousted in 2014 for defying NATO and the IMF requirements, (2) militarizing the Ukraine against the people’s democracy and independence struggles, and (3) carrying out NATO’s objective of setting up NATO’s shop in the Ukraine and completely surrounding the Russian Federation militarily.
The Canadian government and NATO have created the conditions for armed conflict in Ukraine. Canada has been a party to escalating the crisis by continuing to send lethal aid to Ukraine, training Ukrainian nationalist militias and promoting NATO membership for Ukraine. Like all the NATO states, Canada is sanctioning Russia economically, which has disastrous outcomes for the people there. For genuine and lasting peace, Canada must end Operation UNIFIER and Operation REASSURANCE and bring all soldiers home. We also call for Canada to end arms exports and unjust economic and diplomatic sanctions.
No to imperialist wars of aggression and counter-revolution!
Canada, out of NATO!
Oppose the NATO meeting in Toronto on March 15!
Oppose Zelensky’s presence in the Canadian Parliament!
Dismantle NATO!
All out to oppose the NATO Summit in Madrid in June 2022!