Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Cheers to Jennie for sending us this report on the World/Labour Peace Forums, held recently in Vancouver. For more information about these events visit worldpeaceforum.ca and vdlc.ca.

Blogging on the World’s First Peace Forum in Vancouver BC, June 23-28, 2006by Jennie Chu, BC EO rep for PSAC-Agriculture Union

I was one of 4500 delegates registered for the World Peace Forum (WPF) and truly was grateful to Vancouver District Labour Council (VDLC) for organizing the 2-day Labour Peace Forum (LPF).

Patty Ducharme (NEVP, PSAC), Jennie Chu (AGR EO Rep, BC) and Yves Ducharme (National President, AGR).

The LPF was made possible through the generous financial support from CUPE National, PSAC, BCGEU, CUPW, BCNU, CEP, HAS, CUPE BC, HEU, CAW, COPE 378, BCFED, ILWU 500, CUPE METRO, IUOE 963, CUPE 402, MWBIU 1, UFCW, BCNU Shaughnessy Heights, CAW 2200, IBEW 258, Saskatoon Labour Council, and Campbell River Labour Council.

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As part of the World Peace Forum in Vancouver from June 23 to June 28, the Vancouver and District Labour Council will be hosting a Labour Peace Forum on June 25 and 26.

The Vancouver & District Labour Council is sending up to 10 delegates to the Labour Peace Forum - there are a few seats left.

If you are interested in attending, please contact the VDLC office as soon as possible so that they may register you. By email: office@vdlc.ca or by phone: 604-254-0703.

The World Peace Forum and the Labour Peace Forum will be an important opportunity for the international labour movement to meet to discuss and debate our collective position on the issues of war and peace and the effects on working families. Visit vdlc.ca for more information.

For immediate release, via Vancouver & District Labour Council: After receiving hundreds of citizen emails, letters and telephone calls in support and hearing from a broad-based delegation of citizens speaking in favour of the World Peace Forum 2006, Vancouver City Council voted last night to continue financial support for the event scheduled for June 23 – 28, 2006. The key portion of the multifaceted motion, moved by Councilor Peter Ladner, read “given the international nature and topical significance of the World Peace Forum 2006 that City Council provide a one-time special grant of $50,000 to the World Peace Forum Society in support of this event”. It was supported unanimously by the full Council and Mayor. The resolution also makes available “a further $50,000 to the World Peace Forum Society subject to raising $584,000 in cash donations”.

World Peace Forum Executive Director Jef Keighley expressed the organizers’ satisfaction with the outcome saying “we are grateful for the support from the City of Vancouver and appreciate the fact that Council members were clearly moved by the strong support we received from citizens across the city, around the Lower Mainland and around the world. We have always wanted the City of Vancouver’s support and we hope that Mayor Sullivan and City Councilors will play an important role by helping to welcome our guests and by participating in key sessions on the role of cities in pursuing peace.”

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