We have carefully examined the Mandate for the new Canadian War Museum. The Mandate states: "The CWM...is a living memorial to those men and women who served in Canada’s armed forces...

The website states that the new museum "is designed to show how war has shaped Canada, and to present the personal, national and international dimensions of our military history. Its mission will be to Remember, Preserve and Educate..."

We concur with the mandate that the CWM should be primarily a living memorial to those men and women who served in Canada’s armed forces. However, the more than 800 Canadians who responded to our survey are questioning whether this new Museum will remember, preserve and educate about, not only Canada’s military history, but also the major role Canadians have played, and continue to play, in the prevention of war. For the purpose of such a living memorial, we believe, should be faithful to the oft repeated pledge, made by Canadian men and women in every violent conflict: "Never again war!." This purpose, then, combined with the will, never to glorify war itself, should determine the major themes, stories and components of the museum.

The current war museum, and presumably its successor, focuses mostly on specific wars and battles in which Canadians have been involved. These are, as presented in the Visitors’ Guide: the War of 1812; the Rebellion; WWI; WWII; the KoreanWar and civil wars, such as Kosovo involving Canada’s peace-keepers. Interspersed with them are connecting links, such as "New France", "The New Dominion", "Mobilization" (WWI) and "NATO."

The Mandate continues: "It is also a centre for research and the dissemination of information and expertise on all aspects of the country’s military past, from the pre-contact era to the present... and advances the professional study of Canadian military history, including the effects of war and conflict on the nation and all its citizens."

The Museum should be able to present, not only the positive outcomes of many of the military engagements (including the sacrifices made at Queenston Heights, Ypres and Vimy Ridge, Canadians in the Battle of Britain, the liberation of Holland, etc) but also a critical look at aspects of the war periods which have not been so positive. Two examples are the treatment of Chinese during and after the First World War, and the treatment of Japanese Canadians during WWII. More fundamentally, it should explore in what ways, and to what extent, do the death and destruction to armed forces and civilians in any war, sow the seeds for the next one (eg World Wars I & II)?

We expect that some Canadians would oppose showing our wartime treatment of Japanese Canadians, just as some Japanese today are opposed to their own Museums in Osaka and Kyoto portraying Japanese military atrocities in China, Burma and Indonesia. Many other Canadians, however, would welcome a Museum which showed the defects as well as the strengths of our military history. When Wing Commander Giff Gifford, DFC, the Lead Navigator in the fire bombing of Dresden, took a group of Canadian RCAF crew back to that rebuilt city 40 years after they had destroyed the city they were received with warmth by the local residents. It was an act of both penitence and strength by Canadian flyers and it did our country proud.

We find the current War Museum, as we understand it, lacking in a long range perspective. War is hell, as many of the exhibits in the current War Museum clearly demonstrate. A great many Canadians, individually, in government and through NGOs have made, and are making, serious attempts to prevent war and violent conflict. Their efforts, successes and failures alike, should be known to the Canadian people. That is why we feel so strongly that the prevention of war should be included in, and integral to, the new Museum.

4. Some examples of initiatives which could be displayed in the new Museum.

Here are examples of such efforts which might be included. We believe it should not be difficult to turn these examples into audio-visual exhibits of compelling interest to the general public.

i) Educate the public on the dangers of nuclear war and the need to ban nuclear weapons. Initiatives taken by the Canadian government and/or civil society have included the "Strategy of Suffocation" proposed by Trudeau at the UN Special Sessions on Disarmament in 1978, 1982 and 1988; the nuclear weapon treaties, including the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the NonProliferationTreaty and its Review Conferences; the promotion of nuclear weapon free zones; vigils and other public demonstrations; many major conferences, and initiatives by the UN in which Canadians played, and continue to play, essential roles. Show the role, for instance, played by the Voice of Women in Canada and elsewhere, which contributed, together with Pugwash and others, to the signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963 forbidding nuclear testing in the atmosphere.

ii) Build respect for, and strengthen the institutions of international law, including the principles and precepts of the UN Charter, the international humanitarian laws of war, the International Criminal Court and the Treaties mentioned above.

iii) Strengthen democratic governance systems and support in many countries through programs of sustainable development, scholarship, student & professional exchanges of personnel (CUSO, MCC, CIDA, RCMP training of police, etc)

iv) Help to lessen the traumas of civil wars through support for rehabilitation, training, emergency assistance, peace education and rebuilding programs (Canadians’ involvement in a host of countries including Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Congo, Uganda, Nicaragua, Guatemala, East Timor and Rwanda).

v) Recognizing the large number of school children who visit the museum, and the opportunity to inspire and demonstrate to them the peacebuilding efforts of Canadians, feature the theme of Children as Victims of War, together with Senator Landon Pearson’s leadership at the UN on this theme. Involve the leaders of War Child Canada (Dr. Eric Hoskins, President, Dr. Samantha Nutt, Executive Director). Present these with a backdrop of the Treaty on the Rights of the Child, as well as other steps taken by Canadian youth to oppose war.

vi) Feature the many Canadians who have contributed to international initiatives which were honoured by receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. They include

- John Polanyi, a Canadian leader in the Pugwash movement and its major role leading to the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963 (Peace Prize 1995);

- James Orbinski, President of Medecins Sans Frontieres and its continuing humanitarian assistance in civil wars today (Peace Prize 1999);

- Canadian members of the Physicians for Global Survival and their leadership in International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (Nobel Peace Prize 1985).  Dr. Mary-Wynne Ashford, for instance, together with other colleagues visited both Indian and Pakistani political leaders (including the President of India) as the nuclear crisis deepened between both countries.

- Mines Action Canada and its leadership, instrumental in the development of the Ottawa Process and the founding of the International Campaign to Ban Land Mines, which, together with Jody Williams, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.

vii) Demonstrate the positive roles played by sustainable development and conflict resolution initiatives in the South in supporting the peaceful resolution of ethnic, religious and political conflicts. Examples include:

- the role of the South Asia Partnership with inter-communal initiatives during the civil war in Sri Lanka and Nepal;

- the role of several Canadian NGOs in the ongoing rehabilitation of Sierra Leone; and that of Peace Brigades International in Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Indonesia and Colombia;

- the role of both the Canadian government and NGOs in supporting Nelson Mandela, Bishop Tutu and other leaders in the restoration of democracy in Souh Africa and consequent avoidance of a major civil war.

We have two proposals which we have reason to believe would be supported by a majority of Canadians today and would contribute to the educational aspects of the Canadian War Museum’s mission:

   1) that the longer run plans for the Canadian War Museum include not only Canada's military history but also Canadians' numerous involvements in the prevention of war, in disarmament initiatives and the peaceful resolution of violent conflicts, and

   2)  that space for at least two such exhibits be considered for display next May, assuming they meet the Museum's professional standards. One of these could reflect government and diplomatic initiatives (Pearson & the Sinai, or the landmines Ottawa Process). A second could show Canadian contributions to humanitarian and educational initiatives (Peace Brigades International, or the work of Physicians for Global Survival), in which specified NGOs would have input.

Submitted by the Committee for an Expanded Mandate of the CWM: Debbie Grisdale (Chair); Penelope Sanger; Richard Levis; Adchara Moorthy; Carroll Holland, Angela Beale, Murray Thomson

*. Major General Len Johnson (retd);

* Squadron Leader Andrew Clarke, RCAF (retd);

* Captain Ray Creery, RCN (retd);

* Commodore Robert Cocks, RCN (retd);

* Lt. Commander Gordon Fairweather, RCN (retd) and former Member of Parliament;

* Lt. Commander William Hall, RCN (retd);

* Lt. Commander James George, RCN (retd) and former High Commissioner to India;

* Flight Lieutenant Monty Berger, RCAF (retd;)

together with several other retired veterans from the three services, including Jordan Bishop, Vernon Mullen, Norma Walmsley,Walter Josephy, Elizabeth Doe, John Maxwell, Dr. David Morgan, Gilbert Levine, Finlay MacKenzie, Cecil Muldrew, Dr. Alan Phillips, Kenneth Antoft and Murray Thomson.

* Hon. Flora MacDonald, former Minister for External Affairs;

* Hon. Walter McLean;

* Senator Douglas Roche; and former Ambassador for Disarmament;

* Senator Landon Pearson;

* Geoffrey Pearson, former Ambassador to the Soviet Union;

* Peggy Mason, former Ambassador for Disarmament;

* Newton Bowles, former Director of Programs, UNICEF, United Nations, NYC

* Marion Dewar, former Mayor of Ottawa

* Clive Doucet, Councillor, City of Ottawa

* Elizabeth Barot, Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

* Dr .Michael Oliver, former President of Carleton University;

* Dr. Peter Meincke, former President, University of PEI;

* Dr. Budd Hall, Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Victoria;

* Dr.John Polanyi, Univ. of Toronto; Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1986;

together with many distinguished professors from universities across Canada, including: Cranford Pratt, Anatol Rapoport, Derek Paul, John Sigler, Norma Walmsley, Alan Slavin, Marjorie Wesche, Douglas Anglin, Neil Agnew, James Gripton, Mary Valentich, Eric Schiller, Colin Stuart, Walter Dorn, Peter Stockdale, Darlene Clover, Elizabeth Whitmore, Gerhard Stroink, Mel Watkins Wilma Van der Veen and Metta Spencer.

* From the United Church of Canada: Very Revs. Lois Wilson and Ann Squire, former Moderators; Rev. Patricia MacDonald, Rev. Colin MacDonald, Rev. James Christie and Rev. S.K. Moore.

* From the Anglican Church of Canada: Rev. Wes Maultsaid, Canon Bernard Barrett, Rev. David Yue.

And from a variety of inter-faith churches and communities, including: Sister Mary-Ellen Francoeur (Roman Catholic); Rabbi David Powell (Jewish); Adchara Moorthy (Hindu); Farid Ahmed (Moslem); Carroll Holland (Buddhist); Peter Harkness and Dana Mullen (Quakers); William Janzen (Mennonites); Bonnie Lee and Helmut Kuhn (Unitarians).

* Physicians and psychiatrists include: Dr. Joanna Santa Barbara; Drs. Ed & Vivien Abbott; Dr. Alan Phillips, Dr. Alan Connolly, Dr. Diane Twemlow, Dr. Shayna Watson, Dr. Charles King, Dr. Mary-Wynne Ashford, Dr. David Swann, Dr. Sheila Zurbrigg, Dr. Linda Hauch, Dr. Eric Hoskins, Dr. Samantha Nutt, Dr. James Orbinski, Dr. Nancy Covington.

* Others in the public health field include Margaret Hilson, Jack Shapiro, Margaret Sanders and Sharon Rogers.

* Tim Brodhead, President, The McConnell Foundation, Montreal;

* Dr. Jennifer Simons, President, The Simons Foundation, Vancouver.

* Includes Clyde Sanger, Tim Creery, Victor Suthren, Penny Sanger, Ted Schmidt, Michael Clugston and Penney Kome.

* The following are among those professionals in the field of international development, with CIDA and elsewhere: Evelyn Voigt, Gordon Breedyk, Denise Labelle, Ellen Hagerman, Bohdana Dutka, Kate Reekie, Paul McGinnis, Solveig Schuster, Peggy Florida, Romeo Maione, Natalie Zend, Barbara Brown, Saida Belas, Calvin Piggott and Stephanie O’Leary.

* Susan Russell, Executive Director, Canadian Federation of University Women

* Gerry Barr, President & CEO, Canadian Council for International Cooperation;

* Richard Harmston, Executive Director, South Asia Partnership;

* Susan Walsh, Executive Director, Unitarian Service Committee;

* Nola Kate Seymoar, Executive Director, International Institute for Sustainable Cities;

* Pat Mooney, Executive Director, ETC;

* Dr. Adele Buckley, Chair, Canadian Pugwash Group;

* Ernie Regehr, Director, Project Ploughshares;

* Bev Delong, President, Lawyers for Social Responsibility & Chair, Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons;

* Nicole Hurtubise, Executive Director, Peacefund Canada;

* Fergus Watt, Executive Director, World Federalists of Canada;

* Lawrence Cumming, Consultant & former National Secretary, OXFAM Canada;

* Hans Sinn, President, Peace Brigades International (Canada);

* Patti Willis, Resource Officer, Pacific Campaign for Disarmament & Security;

* Paul Hannan, Executive Director, Mines Action Canada

* Dr. Hanna Newcombe, Director, Peace Research Institute (Dundas);

University students from many Canadian colleges and universities endorsed the proposal including:

*Brandon Gallant (Student Pugwash); Alexandra Thomson, Kiya Kelley and others (McGill); *Maria Gruending, Jonathan Rausseo, Eric Faussurier, Pascale St. Germain, Neil Fletcher, Valerie Langlois, Annie Bourbonnais and Reita Devin (OttawaU);

* Sera Blake (Trent); Kris Kshonge & others (Carleton U); Alex Walls (Algonquin);

Lynda Matsumoto & others (Queens); Kelly Shinkaruk (Univ. of Alberta).

Selected Comments:

"It is important to give institutional importance to war prevention, peaceful resolution and disarmament at least at the same level as one honours the history of military activity, (and) to do it in the same place...How can we work to rid the world of war - and thus honour the fallen - without understanding how it can be avoided?" - Marjorie Wesche, Ottawa U.

* "I'd love to sign onto this. I think, too, that the idea of humanitarianism in war should also be explored..." - James Orbinski, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Toronto

* "Le dialogue est plus que important pour resourdre les problemes, les differences sont normaux si on les utilise positivement! Je soutiens votre idee surtout que les gens comme moi qui ont vecus le genocide au Rwanda (Avril ’94) n’en vivent plus ailleurs! La paix pourrait et peut tout remplacer! Merci."" – Olive Mugeni

* "I'd like a focus on successful non-violent conflict resolution methods and examples, such as wars prevented, not just wars being fought... Also hands-on exhibits where people can see how conflict prevention methods can be universally taught in basic education to all children..." -- Ardith Molson, Gatineau, QC.

* "We could contribute to a youth component to the museum, a section on the impact of war on children, and the involvement of Canadian music artists in helping to alleviate the impact of war on children." -- Dr. Eric Hoskins, President and Dr. Samantha Nutt, Executive Director, War Child Canada, writing from Uganda and Toronto

* "This is a good project." -- Senator Douglas Roche, Edmonton

* "Not only do I favour an expanded mandate, I would insist on it. My greatest pride as a Canadian is our history of peaceable relations in the world, our peacekeeping reputation, and our humanitarian approach to global conflict... I would be stunned and gravely disappointed if this project went ahead without inclusion of our peacekeeping, disarmament & conflict resolution roles in the world."-- Rev. Sunny Marriner, Ottawa

* "You have my full support." -- Commodore Robert Cocks (ret), Mohane Bay, NS

* "I am in favour of expanding the role of the CWM. Peacekeeping forces were also risking their lives. To a much lesser degree, I served with the External Aid Office in West Africa, have had bouts of malaria ever since, and lived through modest revolutions in Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria." -- Allen R. Wells, Sarnia, ON.

* "I've become increasingly concerned by the way Canada's war past is represented in the Canadian education system, museums and other cultural markers of the Canadian nation and identity... To excise from official history the fire-bombing of Dresden, for instance, does a great disservice to future generations. Similarly, I am deeply disturbed by the way in which Canada's participation in colonial wars, such as the South African war, have been incorporated into a narrative of Canadian peace-building. I strongly support the proposition that the new War Museum have a broader mandate to interrogate and explore the horror of war, as experienced by Canadians as well as (by) the human beings Canada fought against..." -- Dr. David Jefferess

* " An excellent initiative… We have never had a family outing to the War Museum. Any inclination I did have ended after my eldest boy came back (from a field trip to the War Museum) saying how neat the WWI gas mask was and how cool the uniforms and weapons were. I was very concerned about the images and values he absorbed on that trip. Thus a museum that celebrates our efforts to build peace and engaged Canadians in ways to resolve conflicts in peaceful ways would be a more attractive place to visit and learn from." -- Beth Woroniuk, Ottawa, ON.

* "Marvellous idea; good luck!" -- John Polanyi, Toronto

* "I do not believe we should be spending money on a war museum. War is a terrible scar on the face of humanity. A museum, I am afraid, would glorify war. What we need is a museum to celebrate peace." -- Agnes Wiley, Medicine Hat, AB.

"Congratulations on your work. I was under the impression that the museum of war was just another way to glorify war… I see now that the museum could play another role by bringing forward alternatives to armed conflicts, and how Canada, with other nations, has been a leader in that effort." – Mirelle Gelinas, Gloucester, ON.

"A great idea. Canadians played a major role in the establishment of the UN. I would like to see a prominent UN display showing Canada’s roles."-- Margaret Tyson, Ottawa

* "If the mandate is not expanded to embrace Canada's historical and continuing role for peace in the world, memorialization of war will always teeter on the edge of its glorification. This is the double bind that I believe many of us experience each Remembrance Day. And while we're at it, I would like to add a plea for raised awareness of the atrocious effects of war on women and children. Thank you for your important efforts in this regard." -- Gail Taylor, St. John, NB

* "Yes, the CWM should provide an opportunity to showcase peace building. If it doesn’t, then we will promote the creation of a Canadian Peace Museum." -- Robert Stewart, Director, Canadian Peace Education Foundation

"To properly educate our children it is crucial that we integrate a section dedicated to war prevention, disarmament and peaceful resolutions… Teach our children the truth and not lie to them by omitting the most important lesson: how to prevent war!" -– Catherine LeBel, Ottawa

"Our War Museum should show our contribution, not only by sending soldiers to war torn countries, many of whom died and should be honoured, but also our vision of how to take the next evolutionary step in the prevention of war, showing it is also honourable to say no to war as being the only solution." – Joan Wallace, Nanaimo, BC,

* "We need a national museum that would tell us why, during the Second World War, Japanese Canadians were put into internment camps and their property confiscated… And that would show how Chinese immigrants gave so much to the building of Canada on the railways… but made their way to full acceptance as Canadians over a barrier of bias that included a government ‘head tax’ on Chinese newcomers", - Victor Suthren, Ottawa

"I welcome the idea of exhibits on child soldiers and other children affected by armed conflicts, including the role of children in peacebuilding and conflict resolution…" -- Natalie Zend, Ottawa

"Thank you for this initiative. We cannot slide from commemorating and honouring the fallen to glorifying the means used. A full picture (of the impact of war) must be given." – Bruna Nota, Toronto

"I urge you to include peace aspects in this Museum. Large groups of (Canadians) have opposed war… They have contributed to efforts to ban nuclear weapons.. through the Pugwash movement and many more such examples." -- Gerhard Stroink, Chair, Physics, Dalhousie University, Halifax

"I have great appreciation for the men and women who served and gave their lives in combat… However, I would like to see this new Museum reflect Canada’s role in war prevention, disarmament and peaceful resolution of violent conflicts. Then I might consider visiting it." – Paula Werk, Kanata, ON.

"I would demand that the mandate be expanded as you have outlined." -- Dr. E. Wilma Van der Veen, River John, N.S.

"Surely, in an age when we are overwhelmed with weapons that could wipe us all out, we need to think about a museum dedicated to peace. Our mentality needs to change. And, of course, making peace more profitable than war! -- Elizabeth Whitmore, Carleton University, Ottawa

16 August 2004 -- mothom@cyberus.ca