[van-announce] Ongoing actions to protest war on Lebanon

[Derrick O'Keefe]

In this email:

1)Vigils, protests all this week
2)Contact Parliamentary committee members today! Stop the war on civilians 
now
3)Statement from Canadian Peace Alliance: No to NATO/UN forces in Lebanon! 
Cease-fire now!

***

1)Ongoing vigils and protests this week to stop attacks on Lebanon & Gaza

Today there is a picket and leafleting of Conservative MP David Emerson's 
Constituency office, ongoing now, Tuesday August 1, at 2148 Kingsway.

Tuesday and Wednesday there will again be vigils at the Vancouver Art 
Gallery (Robson side), 6p.m. to 8p.m. Bring signs, visuals and leaflets to 
hand out to the public.

There will be a picket Thursday, 12:30p.m. at the U.S. Consulate (Pender and 
Thurlow), organized by the Palestine Community Centre.

On Saturday, there will a protest at 4p.m. at the Art Gallery (Robson side).

There will be a meeting of the StopWar.ca coordinating committee this 
Wednesday, August 2. Our next general meeting is Wednesday, August 9. Both 
meetings start at 5:30p.m. at the Maritime Labour Centre (111 Victoria Dr.)

2) STOP THE WAR WAR AGAINST CIVILIANS IMMEDIATELY

"NEVER AGAIN"
APPLIES TO LEBANESE AND PALESTINIANS ALSO

Contact Parliament today!

The Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and International
Development will hold an emergency debate August 1., at the House of
Commons, on "The current Middle East Crisis and the evacuation of
Canadians from Lebanon - Request pursuant to Standing Order 106(4)"

The meeting will be held in room 237 C Centre Block, from 10 am-12 pm
and 1 pm to 5 pm. Often such hearings are open to the media and the
public.

CPAC schedule is at cpac.ca.

The members of the committee are listed below and all can be contacted
by e-mail, fax, and
phone.

CHAIR

Kevin Sorenson, Conservative
Telephone: (613) 947-4608
Fax: (613) 947-4611
E-Mail: Sorenson.K at parl.gc.ca

VICE-CHAIRS

Francine Lalonde, Bloc
Telephone: (613) 995-6327
Fax: (613) 996-5173
E-Mail: Lalonde.F at parl.gc.ca

Bernard Patry, Liberal
Telephone: (613) 992-2689
Fax: (613) 996-8478
E-Mail: Patry.B at parl.gc.ca


MEMBERS

Diane Bourgeois, Bloc
Telephone: (613) 947-4789
Fax: (613) 947-4879
E-Mail: Bourgeois.D at parl.gc.ca

Bill Casey, Conservative
Telephone: (613) 992-3366
Fax: (613)
992-7220
E-Mail: Casey.B at parl.gc.ca

Peter Goldring, Conservative
Telephone: (613) 992-3821
Fax: (613) 992-6898
E-Mail: Goldring.P at parl.gc.ca

Albina Guarnieri, Liberal
Telephone: (613) 996-0420
Fax: (613) 996-0279
E-Mail: Guarnieri.A at parl.gc.ca

Keith Martin, Liberal
Telephone: (613) 996-2625
Fax: (613) 996-9779
E-Mail: Martin.K at parl.gc.ca

Alexa McDonough, NDP
Telephone: 613) 995-7614
Fax: (613) 992-8569
E-Mail: McDonough.A at parl.gc.ca

Deepak Obhrai, Conservative
Telephone: (613) 947-4566
Fax: (613) 947-4569
E-Mail: Obhrai.D at parl.gc.ca

Peter Van Loan, Conservative
Telephone: (613) 996-7752
Fax: (613) 992-8351
E-Mail: VanLoan.P at parl.gc.ca

Bryon Wilfert, Liberal
Telephone: (613) 992-3802
Fax: (613) 996-1954
E-Mail: Wilfert.B at parl.gc.ca



3) Canadian Peace Alliance Statement

NO TO NATO OR UN FORCES IN LEBANON
CEASE-FIRE NOW
July 31, 2006
The US/UK proposal to send international forces to southern Lebanon, on 
their conditions, will only escalate this war. Deploying more firepower that 
is clearly 100% on the side of Israel will not stop this violence but will 
worsen the conflict. The immediate need is for Israel to stop its attacks.

George Bush said that the international deployment will provide a "different 
strategic direction for the whole of that region". We have heard this 
rhetoric before. In the context of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which are 
based on the US need to maintain dominance in the region, we must conclude 
that any US-endorsed force will be part of this larger agenda to control the 
Middle East.

Israel has not been able to rout Hezbollah and the US/UK proposal is 
designed to give more military support but with the illusion of 
multilateralism. The destruction of Hezbollah and Hamas, two groups that 
enjoy popular support, is the goal of the Israeli actions in Lebanon and 
Gaza. In fact, the attacks are part of the same Israeli strategy to crush 
all opposition to their aim of domination in this region. For the Israeli 
government, the electoral success of these groups was the last straw. Israel 
and the US are set on complete destruction of any democratic opposition that 
is against the rule of the US puppets.

The call for a NATO or UN force is merely an attempt to bring international 
legitimacy to those goals. The Canadian Government, led by Stephen Harper 
has given its complete support to the Israeli massacres of the defenseless 
Lebanese population, and to the US/Israeli agenda to ensure that all 
opposition in Lebanon will be crushed mercilessly.

Across the country on August 12, 2006 there will be thousands of people 
marching to demand that the Harper government exert all its efforts to 
achieve a cease-fire and an end to the Israeli aggression. The CPA calls on 
all organizations and individuals to participate in these demonstrations, in 
order to save innocent lives and move towards a real peace in the Middle 
East.

Canadian Peace Alliance