What's New

On April 14, 2014, people around the world are marking the Global Day of Action against Military Spending. Check out the GDAMS Hand-out for Canada.

See the latest Why Canada Needs to Demilitarize: Facts and Figures on the Defence Budget. Last year, Canada spent a record $22.9 billion on the military budget and only $1.5 billion the environmental budget. Did you know that last year Canada ranked dead last among wealthy nations for environmental protection according to the Center for Global Development? See the results here.

My article Steering Toward Conflict in the Arctic? has been published in the January 2014 Space Alert newsletter.

Front cover of the Herald was my Access to Information request Memo: Shipbuilding costs could face 'major' increase in 2013.

Read report: Blank Cheque: National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy Puts Canadians at Risk by Michael Byers and Stewart Webb published December 2013.

My article Wednesdays against Warships is published on page 11 of the Ecology Action Centre's "Between the Issues" summer edition 2013.

On July 27, 2013, the Halifax Media Coop wrote an article about the high school essay contest.

Welcome to DEMILITARIZE.ca!

I have created this web site to challenge the building of new navy warships under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy. I will compile information about the NSPS and blog about my weekly protests Wednesdays Against Warships.

This is a breakdown of the $35 billion for the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.

Combat (Navy Large Ship)	Non-Combat (Navy Large Ship)	Non-Combat (Small Ship)
Royal Canadian Navy’s Arctic Offshore Patrol ships and Canadian Surface Combatants ships (warships) Irving Shipbuilding Inc. in Halifax has been selected to build the combat vessel work package (new destroyers and frigates).	Royal Canadian Navy’s non-combat vessels – Joint Supply Ships (3 ships) Seaspan Shipyards Co. Ltd. In Vancouver has been selected to build the non-combat vessel work package (Coast Guard’s heavy icebreaker and offshore science vessels – 4 ships).	Small ship construction, an estimated value of $2 billion, for competitive procurement amongst Canadian shipyards other than the yards selected to build large vessels. Regular maintenance and repair, valued up to $500 million annually, will be open to all shipyards through normal procurement processes.
21 vessels	7 vessels	116 vessels
$25 billion over 20-30 years	$8 billion over 20-30 years	$2 billion

I want to know why our precious Canadian tax dollars are being wasted on warships that we do not need? Warships are not a national priority. What Canada needs is a National Green Jobs Strategy to increase renewable energy and tackle climate change. This country also needs a National Affordable Housing Strategy, and a National Municipal Infrastructure Strategy. For over 20 years, parents have been calling for a National Early Learning & Childcare Strategy. Canada is one of the only developed countries without one.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer got a briefing about the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy on December 17, 2012. The presentation is here and provides the federal government's overview of the NSPS.

Learn the 10 reasons why I oppose warships.

In January, I went to Ottawa to protest the warship contract on Parliament Hill and then I delivered letters to the leaders of all the political parties (Conservatives, NDP, Liberals, and Greens) to get them to reverse their support for the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). I'm awaiting their replies and will post them when I get them.

Thanks to Koozma J. Tarasoff, a peace activist in Ottawa, for doing a blog about my trip to the capital and taking pictures. Thanks too for the assistance of Andrei Conovaloff. Read the Spirit-Wrestlers Blog

Thanks to the Halifax Media Coop for doing an article and audio about my protest.

Great to have the support of Ceasefire. Check out their Facebook

So glad to have the solidarity of the Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. Read their blog posting about my warship protest.

The International Peace Bureau is happy to announce that the date of the 4th edition of the Global Day of Action on Military Spending has now been fixed: Monday, 14 April 2014.