Non-violence and Civil Society Working Group
The Non-Violence and Civil Society Working Group, which has been meeting since May of 2015, spent its first few years studying the theory of non-violence resistance and the nature of successful social movements. We did this this largely by way of documentaries, video lectures, presentations by WG members, and a two-day symposium with guest speakers from the International Centre on Non-Violent Conflict.
In 2018, however, our WG, inspired by a proposal by Richard Sandbrook, made a move in an entirely different direction. In an attempt both to connect with relevant grass-roots campaigns, and to reach out to students, we hosted a November forum at U of T entitled Politics of the Possible: Effective Activism for a Peaceful and Sustainable World.
The thinking that guided the planning of this afternoon of panels and discussion was a desire to highlight best practices in movements for change – thus we instructed panelists to emphasize the strategies that most clearly moved their campaigns along.
The Forum was organized by a core of about six SfP members including some from our U of T group, through a series of regular and highly-focused meetings.
The event featured a wonderful keynote by Ray Acheson on the mechanics of ICAN’s Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and presentations were made by Emmay Mah (on building an effective climate justice movement), Glenys Babcock (on taking human rights initiatives in the Congo to the internet), Louis March (on community organizing against gun violence), Andrea Bastien (on indigenizing relations in the climate movement), Jack Poulson (on campaigning for ethics in the world’s largest tech firms), and Gord Perks (on what he’s learned in decades as an environmentalist, municipal councillor, and progressive animator).
While the Forum was an amazing educational experience, full of insight and inspiration, the attendance was disappointing, pointing to the fact that the WG obviously has some things to learn (like, for instance, Friday afternoon meetings are a no-no.)
But we are trying again. We have been meeting to plan another U of T-based Forum for the fall of 2019 along the lines of Climate Emergency: Confronting the Challenges or perhaps Climate Crisis and Conflict: Confronting the Dangers. It’s all in progress as we speak. In general, I think there’s a hope in the WG that we will be able to make the hosting of educational events featuring civil society campaigns a regular activity.
Ellie Kirzner, elliekirzner@gmail.com
Nuclear Weapons Working Group
Half a century after the Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of destruction, we again find ourselves at a time of deeply disturbing nuclear threats and dangers of nuclear war. These threats are considered by most experts to be as high as they have ever been.
Tensions continue to run high between the US and Russia, the US and China, Israel and Iran, India and Pakistan, and, the situation in North Korea is far from resolved. Getting nuclear weapons out of the equation in these conflicts is paramount. However, with the US withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) with Iran, from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and expressing little interest in pursuing talks with Russia on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) which expires in 2021, it leaves the future of even these hard-fought deals in question. Meanwhile, the nuclear weapons states are spending new billions of dollars on the modernization of their nuclear arsenals.
The Science for Peace Nuclear Weapons Group meets on the third Monday of each month for encouragement and collaboration on dealing with this continuing existential threat. We are a small but active group that patiently and persistently works to raise public awareness and to change our government’s position. We collaborate with other groups across Canada through the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (CNANW) and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
We continue to call on the Canadian government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and to show international leadership in addressing the deterioration of the nuclear armed states resolve to rid the world of these weapons. In addition to our own efforts Science for Peace has co-signed an open letter to Prime Minster Trudeau sent to all MPs and Senators from CNANW.
Another initiative that shows promise is the ICAN Cities campaign. Since cities are the targets of nuclear weapons it is incumbent on them to call on their federal governments to support the TPNW without delay. Toronto was the first in Canada to do so and more recently Victoria and Saanich, B.C. Internationally, hundreds of cities are putting out the call, even in the nuclear armed states. In the US about a dozen including Washington DC, Los Angeles and Baltimore. In France, Paris. In the UK, Manchester. In Germany Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich and more. In Japan: Hiroshima and Nagasaki and more. In Australia, over twenty including Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. There is much more work to be done but it is encouraging to see these municipal councils speaking up against nuclear weapons.
Ocean Frontiers Working Group
Chair: Venilla Rajaguru
In line with the educational mandate of the Ocean Frontiers Research-Working Group, activities for the year 2018 centered on research discussions, guest lectures, and an annual workshop on maritime-space security nexus. The host institution for this working group remains York University, Toronto. Activities of this working group are supported by a small fund from 2 significant research units at York: York Center for Asian Research ($1, 800) and the Robarts Center for Canadian Studies ($500). The working group comprises of students, professors, diplomatic professionals, government officials, and heads of research and advocacy organizations based in Canada.
The Peace Research Guest Lectures on interconnected maritime-space frontiers, initiated and launched at York University in 2016, continued well into 2018: these lectures are organized twice a year, one guest lecture every academic term, Winter-Fall 2018. Additionally, the signature event of the ocean frontiers research-working group, organized as an annual workshop on maritime-space security nexus, was scheduled 14-15 Nov 2018. The theme for the 2018 workshop focussed on the Indo-Pacific nuclear-risk frontiers. This was attended by Senior Diplomatic Officials in Toronto and from Ottawa, Senior Policy Advisor for Security Relations from Global Affairs Canada, Heads of Research and Advocacy organizations in Canada, junior and senior research scholas from Univ of Ottawa, Halifax, Waterloo, Univ of Univ. of Toronto, Ryerson University and York University. This workshop was structured as a roundtable, and chaired by former Ambassador for Disarmament, Amb. Peggy Mason, who is now the current President of the Rideau Institute. A grant of $500/- from Science for Peace towards working group annual activities covered Mason’s accommodation at York’s Schulich Conference Center on 14 Nov, and part of her travel costs from Ottawa to York, Toronto.
The 2018 workshop ended with a policy dialogue on security cooperation and peace governance. The theme for the upcoming 2019 workshop was also decided at the end of the 2018 workshop, collectively by the workshop participants. In 2019, the workshop theme is to focus on security risks and peace governance mechanisms, i.e. national and international mechanisms for governing the interrelated maritime-space frontiers that are within national jurisdiction as well as Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). As such the 2019 theme does not limit itself to any region, and instead offers the scope for security experts on the Arctic, Atlantic and Indo-Pacific frontiers to come together to discuss comparative perspectives on national and international governance policy measures for curbing and controlling nuclear as well as other destructive military threats.
‘Frontiers’ as an epistemic category has indeed caught the attention of a wide range of scholars across York, University of Toronto, Ryerson, Dalhousie and Ottawa – just to mention the academic networks in Canada. ‘Ocean Frontiers’ as a working group, since its inception in 2015, has steadily emerged as a policy research and educational group engaging in interdisciplinary research. In the academic year 2016-2017, the dynamics of the group saw a boost with undergraduate students wanting to know more, and wanting to be engaged in interdisciplinary readings. The term ‘Ocean Frontiers’ as an epistemic category has now come to signify both transboundary as well as trans-domain spaces that are interconnected by peace governance issues across maritime, airspace, outer space and cyber-domains – primarily because it is the maritime boundaries of nation-states that determine and outline the scope of national airspace and interrelated air defence, other types of militarization as well as demilitarization of ocean-space and airspace. With increasing cyber-control of both maritime, air and outer-space based weaponized satellites, ocean frontiers as critical spaces of national, regional and global governance have evolved as prime areas of policy making for security cooperation and peace governance. ‘Ocean Frontiers’ as a metaphor of spatiality of ocean space governance and maritime security has also now begun to signify inter-continental/trans-domain ballistic security/insecurity – this is a sub-branch of research inquiry in Peace and Security Studies, i.e. an interdisciplinary research inquiry on peace and security issues that interconnect the geostrategic spaces of the Arctic, Indo-Pacific and Atlantic frontiers and the space above these weaponized oceanscapes.
This report is also available separately as a PDF: Annual Report 2018 – Ocean Frontiers.
Propaganda, Terrorism and Security Working Group
Chair: Adnan Zuberi
Updates:
Established a website: https://ptsworkinggroup.wordpress.com/
Total of 13 Science for Peace members
First major event is with Amb. James Bissett who will discuss NATO’s initiation of the new Cold War. Will be hosted at UofT in October. Details TBC.
Tamara Lorincz agreed to be spokesperson.
Future plans include expanding interns under a professor serving as a mentor (i.e., 1-2 hrs biweekly) for SfP article publication. Sample areas include critical terrorism studies.
Future research topics include the role of Western governments in Syria (i.e., media and professional inattention to the OPCW engineering team contracting OPCW chemical weapons narrative on Syria), Venezuela, and Iran.
Chemical Weapons Working Group
Mandate
To work for preventing the re-emergence of “Chemical Weapons”, our vision is to increase awareness about “Chemical Weapons” among the general public.
Group Leaders
Dr. Nivedita Das Kundu, Chair, nivdk@yahoo.com
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) membership remains at 192 States Parties since Angola’s accession on 16 October 2015.
In 2017, significant progress continued to be made in destroying the remaining declared stockpiles of chemical weapons, enhancing industry verification, expanding international cooperation and assistance, addressing counter terrorism and broadening education and outreach.
In the process of destruction of declared chemical weapons in 2017, the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) verified the destruction of 1,620.889 metric tonnes (MT) of Category 1 chemical weapons. Between entry into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”) and 31 December 2017, the Secretariat verified the destruction of 67,877.6661 MT of declared Category 1 chemical weapons, representing 96.29% of the declared total amount. Destruction operations in the Russian Federation at the only remaining facility at Kizner were completed on 27 September 2017. The United States of America continued to work towards its target date of September 2023 for the complete destruction of its remaining chemical weapons stocks. Progress was also recorded in the destruction of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan on the territory of China. During the year, the Secretariat conducted 11 inspections regarding abandoned chemical weapons (ACW) and seven inspections concerning old chemical weapons (OCW).
The full and effective implementation of the Convention continued to underlie the OPCW’s contribution to global counter terrorism efforts. The Council’s Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism, and its more technically oriented sub-working group on non-State actors, continued to explore a number of areas in which the OPCW could advance this contribution.
During the last two decades of its journey, the OPCW has performed work and its responsibilities with the utmost sincerity, however, there’s a long way to go and we all need to remain vigilant to save the world, maintain peace and reduce the risk to humanity.
Selected issues for inclusion in the Working group discussions and study could be:
Universality — The fact that four countries remain outside of the CWC (Egypt, Israel, North Korea, and South Sudan), along with two regions (Palestine and Taiwan). National Implementation — Many countries still have not fully implemented the CWC domestically (e.g. establishment of a National Authority and criminal legislation for CW use). Victims’ support — It continues to be very important to help with the needs of victims of chemical warfare and use, including in Iraq and Iran. Illegal use of chemical agents & weapons — The importance of determining any illegal use of chemicals, e.g. by Syria, Islamic State, North Korea, Russia, et al, in violation of the CWC, and supporting FFM (Fact-Finding Mission) efforts. The importance of addressing non-state actors and terrorism. Accountability — Determining accountability for any illegal use of CW *Transparency and inclusiveness*— The ongoing need to promote transparency and inclusiveness at the OPCW, including availability of documents and support for non-governmental experts and organizations. Interagency cooperation — The importance of working with other relevant multilateral organizations such as the BWC, UN, WHO, et al. Public outreach and education — The need to reach out to the larger public in a comprehensive way, including social media, to make both experts and the general public aware of the importance of the CWC and its universal implementation. Included here should be industry and academia. The ABEO (Advisory Board for Education and Outreach) is key here. International cooperation and assistance — Implementation of Article X of the CWC, especially to those in need of advice and support for protection against any use of toxic chemicals. Program for Africa — The importance of reaching out to help development of technical assistance and advice, as well as education and awareness, throughout the continent. Science and technology — The importance of the SAB (Science Advisory Board) for continuing to assess the impacts of S&T on the OPCW’s work and the non-proliferation of CW. Organizational strength — The importance of maintaining and developing helpful and supportive personnel policies, maintaining expert staff, and reassessing the 7-year tenure policy of the OPCW. Organizational budget — Reassessing the annual budget which has dropped over the last decade. *Expert inspectorate*— Reassessing the adequacy of an OPCW inspectorate which is now tasked with ongoing Syria inspections under very difficult conditions.
Community Sustainability Working Group (COSWOG)
Chair: Lloyd Helferty
I don’t have much of a “formal” report from the Community Sustainability Working Group (CoSWoG) since we have not met as a complete group [in person] to have formal discussions about all of our sub-projects for quite some time, however certain key members of the original CoSWoG sub-group are still attempting to move forward with:
the “CSV Gardens” sub-project, which includes a “second iteration” (alternate vision) for,
the RNUP sub-project, and with it,
the next phase of the “CSF Programme* (sub-project), which is now being done in cooperation with Energime University (New York), but is also effectively “on hold” until such time as we are able to successfully “launch” our latest project, which is linked to the Drawdown Initiatives through the CSF Development Group and “ Drawdown Markham, which is a satellite project of *Drawdown Toronto [which was developed in partnership with Dr. David Burman through Unify Toronto].
DD Markham is attempting to develop the framework for the establishment of what are being called “Community Climate Action Hubs” (CCAH), starting with a ‘pilot’ project in the City of Markham where Lloyd Helferty, the Chair of CoSWoG, resides. This work is also being done in collaboration with an organization called WE-Energime-Global Cooperation Turtle Island, which is an organization that is focused on “Life value” Peace Education, a concept that was developed as a result of discussions within the Science for Peace discussion group (with various Science for Peace members like Dr. David Burman, Dr. John McMurtry, Dr. Bichara Sahely, Ruben Nelson (Foresight Canada), Rex Weyler, Dr. Derek Paul and many others who are considered to be “co-founders” of WE-Energime-Global Cooperation).
note: Both the “Musical Biofilter” sub-project and the original RNUP Project were “closed” a while ago.
Some of the original members of CoSWoG who are still involved in some of the discussions and actions related to the Mission of CoSWoG include:
Dr. David Burman, who remains as the (effective) Co-Chair of SfP CoSWoG (more below)
Dr. Brad Bass (UToronto), who is now also the Associate Executive Director of the Foundation for Student Science and Technology, and who remains on as an ‘Advisor’ to the group from time to time
Harry Ha, Independent Project Developer, who has also been actively involved with Drawdown Toronto and a related project that is attempting to prove/pilot a “Community bio-energy” [AD] concept with a Developer in the City of Markham, but which has now effectively become a separate “R&D project” that does not seem to have any formal ties to the CoSWoG
Joan Kerr from FBSC, who continues to develop the CSV Gardens project, and is now making significant progress toward implementation of a related website and an international program (and which is being managed almost entirely through her Foundation). Joan continues to work closely with Kaileigh Nichols, Country Coordinator (CC) for the Climate Smart Ag Youth Network Canada (CSAYN-Canada), which was the organization that inspired the original (first phase) of both the CSV Gardens and the CSF Programme
Ian Chow (UToronto), MDP (Masters of Development Practice), H.B.A, co-founder and Communications, Publicity, Media and Outreach Coordinator for CoSWoG continues to contribute his ideas from time time even though he has moved to Ottawa and is kept busy in his job with the UN Association, overseeing their Western Canada projects.
A new team has been established in Markham under the auspices of “Drawdown Markham”, which includes:
Steven Law, P.Eng, Renewable Energy Engineer and expert
Dr. Martin Bush, Climate Change Science and Solutions expert
Stuart Cumner, retired teacher and concerned citizen
Andre Chin, data and finance specialist
Aaron Leung, DD Markham Youth Task Force leader (interim)
Joken Chiu, youth advocate
We are also in discussions with some high-level members of the Climate Reality Project Canada including their National Campaign Coordinator in Montreal and their GTHA Regional Coordinator, and have a formal and informal “Advisory Committee” that includes people from the local community, from the Sustainable Development Association and the Sensorica.co Open Value Network (Montreal), the Universal Citizens Media Network (California) and bEMA International (Washington DC). We are also in the process of moving forward with some informal discussions with the Markham International Trade Centre (MITC) in order to have our CCAH program included within the framework of their “Twin City” efforts, which requires that we launch several related sub-projects simultaneously, including:
the creation of a Youth Task Force (YTF) and Youth Clubs (DDYC)
the development of a CCAH Human Resource Catalogue (HRC)
the coordination of a Global Cooperation Day Event on October 4, 2019
running a “Go Local” Campaign for community resilience and adaptation, which will ultimately support the Agenda for the creation of a Climate Smart Education and Training Centre (and Institute) , which is intended to support the DD CCAH over the long term (so that the ‘Hubs’ will not forever be reliant on volunteers)
organization and coordination of a CLIMATE SMART Global Youth Forum (in 2021) — in cooperation with the Earth Focus Foundation (London [UK], Geneva)
becoming the coordinating body for a Collaborative Exchange Project (CEP) under the CCAH PPCSP framework
Obie Agusiegbe, Principal Consultant at EnvironFocus Incorporated (Mississauga), is also peripherally involved with the CCAH project through discussions with a new organization that is being created called “bEMA Canada”, which is itself a ‘satellite’ of bEMA International (Washington DC), and which will likely support the expansion/creation/duplication of the CCAH (hubs) across Canada and North America (and perhaps also globally).
Finally, we are in discussions also with Seeds of Hope Pinakbet International (Toronto) a small business that aims to develop a program (and related Foundation: “Home of Hope”) that will implement their community food and health support initiatives for Overseas Foreign Workers in Canada through an Arts, Entertainment and Cultural support system and programme that includes a collaboration with the “Unification for Peace Foundation”, the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of Rizalista and others.
We are in discussions with them in order to implement our CSV Gardens program under a cooperative agreement that will help us to pilot and disseminate the CSV Gardens projects and concepts across the GTA and Canada (and perhaps beyond).
Proposal for a Drones Working Group
Working Group Structure, Focus and Activities Submitted to the AGM June 2019
Working Group Structure
Chair: Mohamad Elyasi, M.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering), University of Alberta Advisor: Michel Duguay, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Université Laval
Website description
Debating Armed Drones
Drones have become ubiquitous and low-cost. They can be as small as birds, carry high resolution cameras, and be remotely piloted with great accuracy. Drones are mostly used for surveillance, but the Canadian Royal Air Force has requested that the Trudeau government purchase and develop armed drones. Armed drones will profoundly alter the conduct of war. International Law does not authorize governments to do targeted killings abroad in peacetime. The U.S. has been enormously stretching the right to self-defence in its use of armed drones. Many people think that an open public debate is necessary before the Canadian government authorizes armed drones, whereas others believe think that lethally armed drones should be banned.
This purchase raises many questions around what the armed UAV (Unmanned Arial Vehicle) will be used for and in which theatres.
Given the levels of integration between Canadian and American armed forces and purchasing American UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) such as MQ-9 Reaper, which is designed for targeted killing, will the targeted killings of individuals or groups in other lands during peacetime be authorized, as the U.S. government now does, despite the fact that unintended casualties occur among civilians?
Will the use of armed drones be limited to Canadian soldiers, under command engaged in direct combat?
Given the increasing precision of drones, could self-defence of Canadian soldiers be carried out by using drone-mounted nonlethal arms?
Would it be possible that utilizing UCAV might develop to the point that its proliferation imposes threats to international peace similar to nuclear weapons? In that case, would it lead to the expansion of Anti UAV Defence Systems (AUDS) among nations including Canada?
Non-military applications of UAVs is rapidly expanding in different sectors of Canadian industry such as agriculture. Drone imagery has become a strong tool helping business owners to assess and gather valuable information quickly and cheaply. However, using drones close to residential areas bring serious concerns regarding violating privacy, trespassing, public safety etc. In addition, easy access of the public to advanced drone technology raises the risk of the performance of criminal acts using drone capabilities. New governmental and provincial regulations such as Canadian Aviation Regulations, however, impose various limits on flying drones and enforce drone pilots to obtain certificates.
The drone market will hit $4.2 billion by 2025 according to Research and Markets, a global market research store. The Commercial and Military Drone Market assessment mentions North America as a leader in the technology and market in various applications, owning 1.4 million operating drones. Considering the rapid growth, drones have huge potential environmental impacts as they replace conventional vehicles and instruments. For instance, drones have the potential to take control of applying pesticides much more efficiently than conventional methods and reduce the excess pesticides significantly. They can also preform fast and accurate surveillance and gather information about various parameters of farm lands and livestock. They can significantly save on gasoline, pesticides, and fertilizers by replacing and advancing agricultural machinery. However, as the use of the drone technology among public and industry is still quite new, analyzing methods of controlling the risks and transition of the technology to peaceful purposes is one of the interests of the Drone Workshop Group.
Topics for interns to work on:
Are current treaties and agreements such as MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) measures adequate to stop proliferation of UCAV advance technology for targeted killing?
Whether new governmental and provincial regulations (starting June 1st) would be successful in helping to protect civilians from potential threats of UAVs and at the same time let the technology grow toward peaceful use?
Would drone technology and targeted killing become the next military race and become the most common military way to perform untraced and highly successful assassinations?
Upcoming Lectures/Debates:
Proposed Speakers
Alexander Donald Meinzinger Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force Interviewed by Canadian Press on the UAV program and its defence purpose Involved in a UAV mission in Afghanistan Supportive of upcoming purchase of UCAV
Errol Mendes University of Ottawa professor and an expert in international law Wrote on Should Canada’s military buy armed unmanned drones? On CBC he was quoted “Trudeau government should start now to develop a framework of transparency and accountability for the use of those weapons system”
Dates: TBD Topic: TBD
Submitted by Mohamad Elyasi, M.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering), University of Alberta
Reports from Representatives
2019 Report of the Science for Peace representative to the United Nations
Dr. Walter Dorn (dorn@rmc.ca), 18 June 2019
Highlights
Published over a half-dozen articles on peace, especially UN peacekeeping
Served as the UN’s Innovation and Protection Technology Expert for a one-year term (2017 – 18), with funding from Canada’s Peace and Stability Operations Programme.
Taught electives on “Peace and Stability Operations” in the Command and Staff Programme at the Canadian Forces College
Served as President of World Federalists Movement Canada, and on the Board, Science for Peace; Board, World Federalists of Canada; Advisory Council, Rideau Institute; Advisory Council, TechChange (Washington, DC)
Presentations: Nationally in Kingston (PeaceQuest), Niagara-on-the-Lake (St. Mark’s church), Ottawa (Canadian Pugwash Group), Toronto (Armour Heights Presbyterian Church, International Peace Bureau, Ryerson University, World Federalist Movement – Toronto branch, Toronto French School), and Vancouver (Congress/UBC)
Internationally in Kyiv (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy), Oslo (Norwegian Defence University College), Stockholm (Stockholm Security Conference)
Testified before Parliamentary Standing Committees on National Defence and on Foreign Affairs on UN peacekeeping
Governmental consultations
“Counter-Proliferation Verification and Compliance,” Counter-Proliferation Dialogue with Academic Experts (organized by Public Safety Canada), Toronto. And input by phone.
“Non-Proliferation, Arms Control, Disarmament and Space,” Forum at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Ottawa
Meeting with CDS about Cdn contributions to UN operations, NDHQ
US Institute of Peace, PeaceTech Lab, DC, meeting
US Army War College, “2019 Peace and Stability Operations Training and Education Workshop” (PSOTEW), Carlyle Barracks, Penn.
Media interviews (about 50) for print (Globe & Mail, National Post, Toronto Star), television (CBC, CTV, Global), radio (incl. Voice of America, and CBC The World at Six), and international media (Voice of America)
Publications
Refereed journals and book chapters:
“Maple Leaf and Blue Beret: The Rise, Fall and Promise of Canadian Peacekeeping” in L’histoire du maintien de la paix : Nouvelles perspectives / History of Peacekeeping : New Perspectives, Magali Deleuze (ed.), Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal (PUM), Montréal, 2019. (in press)
“UN Peace Operations and the Four Facets of Air Power: Precedents and Progress,” Steven Paget (ed.), Multinational Air Power, University Press of Kentucky, 2019 (in press)
Papers in other journals, magazines and newspapers(2)
“Peacekeeping Promises: Kept or Broken?” in John Trent (ed.), The United Nations and Canada: What Canada Could and Should Do at the United Nations 2018: A Question of Leadership, World Federalist Movement – Canada, 2018. (unitednationsandcanada.org) (pdf: Dorn paper| entire booklet.
Defence Report, 23 July 2018.
Consultant to the Munich Security Conference for preparation of article on “Canada: Maplelateralism” in Munich Security Report 2019
Scholarly Presence Online
Online availability of recent publications is a way to contribute to the dissemination of scholarship. Many of Dorn’s papers were added in 2018 – 19 to the main website: www.walterdorn.net/pub
Invited presentations 2018 (July-Dec)
“Attack Helicopters and other Crucial Technology for Peace Enforcement,” Conference on Using Force in UN Peace Operations, Norwegian Defence University College (NDUC), Akershus Fortress, Oslo, August 30 and workshop, August 31.
“The global state of peacekeeping,” World Federalist Movement – Toronto branch, Metro Hall, September 16.
“Emerging technologies and UN peace operations: developments and progress since the report of the Expert Panel,” Stockholm Security Conference, Stockholm, September 20.
“Science for Peace: A Career Exploring Peacekeeping Technology,” Toronto French School, September 26.
“Attack Helicopters and Other Crucial Technology for Peace Enforcement,” Research Roundtable, Canadian Pugwash Group, Ottawa City Hall, Ottawa, September 30.
“Using science for peace: The Activities of the UN Representative of Science for Peace,” Ryerson University, Toronto, October 25.
“Pursuing Peace and World Order in the Time of Trump,” Armour Heights Presbyterian Church, Toronto, October 27.
“World Federalism and the Lessons of World Wars,” PeaceQuest, Kingston City Hall, Kingston, November 10.
“Soldiering for Peace: Canadian Contributions to UN Peacekeeping,” St. Mark’s church, Niagara-on-the-Lake, December 1.
“Conflict in the World, in the Community and in our Lives at Advent,” St. Mark’s church, Niagara-on-the-Lake, December 2.
2019 (Jan-June)
“Emerging Causes of Armed Conflict,” Strategic Leadership Program in Security and Defence Sector of Ukraine, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Business School (KMBS), Kyiv, Ukraine, January 31.
“Transnational Security: Threats and Responses,” KMBS, Kyiv, Ukraine, February 1.
“Counter-Proliferation Verification and Compliance,” Counter-Proliferation Dialogue with Academic Experts (organized by Public Safety Canada), Ryerson University, Toronto, March 25.
“Forum on Non-Proliferation, Arms Control, Disarmament and Space,” Global Affairs Canada, Ottawa, March 28.
“Integrated Campaigning to Prevent Instability,” Subject Matter Expert, 2019 Peace and Stability Operations Training and Education Workshop (PSOTEW), Carlyle Barracks, Penn., April 2 – 5.
“Nuclear Weapons: Global Threats and Personal Links,” introductory remarks and lauding of Douglas Roche at the forum “Nuclear Weapons: The Untold Story,” sponsored by Canadian Pugwash and the International Peace Bureau, Chelsea Hotel, Toronto, April 25.
“Cyberpeacekeeping: An Introduction,” World Federalists Movement Canada, Toronto Branch, Toronto, April 28.
“Cyberpeacekeeping: Technical Exploration,” World Federalists Movement Canada, Toronto Branch, Toronto, May 26. (scheduled)
“Cyberpeacekeeping : New Ways to Prevent and Manage Cyberattacks,” Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vancouver, June 6. (scheduled)
Of particular note: address in Oslo at a conference on The Use of Force in UN Peace Operations and workshop paper in Oslo on the subject of “Attack Helicopters and Other Technologies in UN Peace Operations.” Also address at the Stockholm Security Conference on ““Emerging technologies and UN peace operations”. Plus course delivery for CFC at Strategic Leadership Program in Kyiv
Media work (as a public intellectual and peace activist) (over 50 interviews)
June-July-August 2018: interviewed by Voice of America on the temporary ceasefires in Afghanistan. He was interviewed about Canada’s deployment to Mali by CTV News Channel, The Globe and Mail, Global News, Canadian Press, and Canadian Military Family Magazine. He was quoted about Canada’s participation in UN operations (at the time, the lowest since 1956) by the Ottawa Citizen. He was interviewed by CBC on Canada’s pledge to deploy a C130 unit to Entebbe (Uganda), by CTV News Channel about the promised dismantlement of NK missile site, and Global TV on drone wars and the use of UAVs (UN and rebel) in Mali.
September-October-November 2018: interviewed by Voice of America twice about Afghanistan: on security conditions for parliamentary elections, and on subsequent offensive operations by Afghan security forces. The Iran Labor News Agency (ILNA) also interviewed him on the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan. He was interviewed by the CBC about Canada’s pledged tactical airlift (C-130) for multiple UN missions in Africa, and by The Hill Times on Canada’s peacekeeping mission in Mali.
December-January-February 2019: interviewed live by CTV News Channel live about the fatalities of Chadian peacekeepers in Mali. The channel also interviewed him about US withdrawal from the INF treaty and about the RCAF’s plan for armed drones. The Iranian newspaper Sharq interviewed him about attacks in Afghanistan and the emerging peace negotiations. Dr. Dorn provided commentary for Post Media on the Canadian mission in Mali and on peacekeeping in general. The Globe and Mail quoted him on the low number of Canadian police in UN operations, for a story also covered by L’actualité. And CBC interviewed him about a Canadian C130 deployment for UN missions in Africa. He also did background interviews for CBC Radio about the mass demonstrations in Haiti and for Global News on elections in D.R. Congo.
March-April-May (partial list): CBC on Veterans Affaris video on VE Day; CBC News on Canada’s non-extension of mission in Mali; Canadian Press on Canada’s promise of a transport plane to the UN; Canadian Press [?] on Canadian evacuation of French counter-terrorism troops in Mali; Hill Times on Canada’s deployment in Mali
Other interviews (academic/practitioner):
Podcast interview at the release of the publication “Canada and the United Nations”
Online interviews about working on peace and arms control issues
Interview by the United Nations Technology Innovation Lab (UNTIL), a body created at the proposal of the Expert Panel on Technology and Innovation in UN Peacekeeping, on which Dr. Dorn served.
Submitted by Walter Dorn
2019 Report of the Science for Peace representative to the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (CNANW)
The Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (CNANW) is a coalition of organizations working for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Since 1996 CNANW has conducted seminars, consultations and meetings with the public, government officials and politicians in Canada and abroad. The member organizations meet a couple of times a year in Ottawa. Science for Peace is represented by Rob Acheson who also serves on the steering committee of CNANW.
On April 1st, Earl Turcotte, a veteran Canadian diplomat and arms control specialist, was appointed Chair of CNANW, succeeding Bev Delong, who held the post for more than twenty years. Turcotte served as Director and Senior Coordinator for Mine Action with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and also United Nations Development Program Chief Technical Advisor to the Government of Lao in the Unexploded Ordnance Sector. In 2014, he became an advocate for nuclear disarmament and conventional arms control, working with the CNANW and the Group of 78. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from Carleton University and a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from the University of Ottawa. A resident of Ottawa, he has also been a television host, producer and writer.
We are entering a new period in history when the architecture of nuclear disarmament is threatened by increased international hostilities and nuclear weapons states backing out of long-standing treaties. CNANW’s most recent conference “Canadian Leadership for Nuclear Disarmament” brought together civil society and academic experts with Canadian government representatives to dissect the current nuclear weapons context and identify opportunities for civil society engagement and Canadian government leadership on disarmament and non-proliferation. Key points from the discussion emphasize the combination of crisis and opportunity:
We face a global nuclear crisis that threatens to undo years of progress on non-proliferation and disarmament and
NATO’s nuclear posture is an affront to disarmament and contributes to this crisis;
Current Government of Canada positions on NATO and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) are complicit in this crisis;
Canada has previously played a positive role in advancing peace and disarmament internationally;
Canada’s emphasis on a feminist foreign policy and desire for greater international prominence including a seat at the UN Security Council provide an opportunity to encourage renewed leadership;
There is a desire from both civil society and Parliamentarians for Canada to resume a leadership position on nuclear disarmament, not least within NATO;
Better relations with Russia are critical for progress on both non-proliferation and disarmament;
Practical options are available to initiate change in NATO’s nuclear posture and reduce tensions with Russia;
Civil society is critical for both maintaining pressure on governments and as a source of guidance and knowledge;
To raise the public profile of nuclear abolition, current civil society efforts must reach more broadly to engage new movements and issues with which we share common interests in peace, survival, and an alternative future.
CNANW has also issued an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau challenging him to take up the cause of nuclear disarmament and work with the United Nations Secretary General in a renewed effort to rid the world of this existential threat.
Submitted by Rob Acheson