Announcement - Third Annual
Canadian Peace Award Recipients and Canadian Peace Hall of Fame Inductee
November 11, 2002
Introduction
This year, Awards will be presented in 10 major
categories for Canadian achievements in building a Culture of Peace and
Non-violence, at home and abroad. The presentations also
culminated in the second induction into the Canadian Peace Hall of Fame housed
at the Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace and on its web site at http://www.peace.ca/peaceawards.htm
. The Award categories include peace achievements in government,
business, the media, education, peacekeepers, peacebuilders in civil
society, peace philanthropy, and youth, to name a few.
The
Award will be in the form of an engraved, soapstone 'Inukshuk'. For
millennia, massive stone figures built in the image of a human have stood
silhouetted on the treeless Arctic horizons. Created by Inuit people,
these Inukshuks serve as guides to point out a journey or a safe passage.
The Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace believes this is a fitting Canadian
symbol of the journey to safe and caring communities and world.
Our vision is for the Canadian Peace Awards to
take a prominent place among Canadian celebrations, fitting of the importance of
the topic. In these violent and rapidly changing times, what could be
more important than to celebrate the building of a Culture of Peace at home and
abroad, for current and future generations?
The Annual Canadian Peace Awards are hosted
by the Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace. The Awards, in the form of an
engraved soapstone 'Inukshuk', have been crafted by the Inuit of Nunavut and
supplied by the Nunavut Development Corporation.
Canadian Peace Hall of Fame
The Canadian Peace Hall of Fame ("CPHF")
honours people and institutions who represent the best in the peacebuilding
profession. The Hall of Fame exists to recognize the prominent and the unsung
heroes of our country - the people who influence our most worthwhile cause,
Peace. Initially, as a virtual Hall of Fame, the web site will
provide you with information about the Canadian Peace Hall of Fame's members.
The goal of recognizing exemplary peacebuilding is to be accomplished through
honour, recognition and building awareness.
Peace Hall
of Fame - William Epstein 1913 - 2001
During 2001, the global community lost one of its long-time champions with
the death of William Epstein, a Canadian. He was 88 when he died. Epstein
was one of the first UN staff members. He worked with the preparatory commission
planning the organization in London in 1945, joined the secretariat in 1946 and
worked with Ralph Bunche on the Special Committee on Palestine in the months
leading up to the proclamation of the state of Israel. He then moved to
disarmament - and that remained his passion for the rest of his life. As
Director of the UN Disarmement Division he was involved with such negotiaitons
as the Partial Test-Ban Treaty (1963), the Seabed Arms Control Treaty (1971) the
Nonproliferation Treaty, the Biological Weapons Convention and the Treaty of
Tlateloco, to name only some of his areas of contribution. He officially
retired in 1972 but continued as a senior fellow with UNITAR and as a
disarmement and arms control consultant to the secretary general. He was
Canadian, recognized for his accomplishments with membership in the Order of
Canada. Following is the statement of Secretary-General Kofi Annan,
delivered on his behalf by Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs
Jayantha Dhanapala, at a memorial service for William Epstein in New York on 14
February, 2001: "I learned with great regret of the passing of
Bill Epstein, a former staff member and a man who was well known to all seven
Secretaries-General of the United Nations. He was indisputably one
of the world's leading advocates of global nuclear disarmament, having devoted
both his entire professional career and his long retirement to this noble cause.
He will perhaps best be remembered for his important contributions to the
negotiation of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin
America and the Caribbean and for his long advocacy of a Comprehensive
Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the subject of his celebrated book, The Last Chance.
Though his long-standing goal remains to be achieved, his efforts will surely
inspire others to carry on his work." Read an excellent article on
William Epstein at http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ciw-cdm/Epstein-en.asp
Some 80 years ago there was inscribed in the Peace
Tower, that magnificent symbol of peace which gives world-renowned character to
Canada's Parliament, the words from Proverbs: "Where there is no vision,
the people perish." As we move into a new century and a new
millennium, we should think deeply about this scriptural admonition. What
is our vision? What do we see for Canada; a bounteous land blessed with space,
industry, resources, technological advancement, and immense human energies?
How do we see Canada related to the world at this pivotal moment in world
history where human beings have in their power the means to fashion human
security for everyone on God's planet, and the power to blow it apart?
Leadership is key to effective team building, community building, nation
building and peace building. We elect our government leaders to
provide visionary leadership. While it is easy to be critical of
government, this award celebrates what has been done, rather than what has yet
to be done or done differently in future.
Government - Hon. Stephen Lewis
Formerly
Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, Canada's Ambassador to the United Nations,
a prominent labour relations arbitrator and government leader, Stephen Lewis is
a respected advisor and commentator on public issues. Speaking on topics that
include human rights, the environment, education, health care and children's
advocacy, Lewis challenges and inspires his audiences. Currently UN
Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Mr. Lewis has had extensive experience as
a politician, diplomat and humanitarian. A passionate advocate of the rights and
needs of children, since leaving UNICEF in 1999 he has been raising his voice in
support of various humanitarian causes around the world.
On June 1, 2001, Stephen Lewis was appointed as
Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa by the United Nation's Secretary-General
Kofi Annan. Mr. Lewis' work with the UN has shaped the past two decades of his
career. In the Autumn of 1999, Stephen Lewis returned to Canada after four years
in his appointment as the Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF at the
organisation's global headquarters in New York. Mr. Lewis was first appointed as
Special Representative for UNICEF in 1990. In that capacity, he spoke and
travelled regularly, acting as a spokesperson for UNICEF's passionate advocacy
of the rights and needs of children, especially children of the developing
world. In 1993, he became coordinator for the international study (known as the
Graca Machel study) on the "Consequences of Armed Conflict on
Children". The report was tabled in the United Nations in 1995. In 1997, in
addition to his work at UNICEF, Mr. Lewis was appointed by the Organization of
African Unity to a Panel of Eminent Personalities to Investigate the Genocide in
Rwanda. The report was issued in June of 2000. From 1984 through 1988, Stephen
Lewis was Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations. In this capacity, he
chaired the Committee that drafted the Five-Year UN Programme on African
Economic Recovery. He also chaired the first International Conference on Climate
Change, which drafted the first comprehensive policy on global warming. In the
1960s and 1970s, Stephen Lewis was an elected representative to the Ontario
Legislature, becoming leader of the New Democratic Party and leader of the
Official Opposition. He holds 15 honourary degrees from Canadian universities
and is a noted radio and television commentator and labour relations arbitrator.
Before his most recent appointment, Mr. Lewis worked as consultant to a number
of UN agencies, including UNAIDS, UNIFEM (the UN Development Fund for Women) and
the ECA (the Economic Commission for Africa). He is married to Michele Landsberg,
feminist columnist with the Toronto Star; they have three grown
children; Ilana, Avi, and Jenny.
Other related articles for reference:
Conflict can be considered the meat and potatoes of
journalism and the media. Conflict is both the common experience of humanity as
well as its opportunity for progress. But disputes in the media are often
reported as if the parties were boxers in a ring or horses running a
steeplechase. Much present day journalism LEAVES OUT the most important
part of the story -- how a conflict might be transcended. Besides
reporting the immediate facts of a conflict, the task of the peace journalist is
to look beyond the question of who wins, to how the situation might be gradually
transformed. What is the conflict about? Who are the parties? What are their
real goals? What are the deeper roots of the conflict in structure and culture,
including the history of both? Undue focus on the violence, for instance, only
serves to hide the underlying conflict and nourishes more violence. The peace
journalist needs to report on those who are working to prevent further
destruction by asking about their visions of conflict outcomes, their methods,
and how they might be supported. Missing facts are as important as reported
facts. The task of the good journalist is not only to report what IS, but also
to highlight what is MISSING from the story. (Thanks to Ray Cunnington for
edited summary.)
Media - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ("CBC"),
as the national public broadcaster, provides radio and television services
incorporating a wide range of programming that informs, enlightens and
entertains. The programming provided by the Corporation is predominantly
and distinctively Canadian, reflects Canada and its regions while serving the
special needs of those regions, actively contributes to the flow and exchange of
cultural expression, is in English and in French, contributes to shared
national consciousness and identity, is available throughout Canada and
reflects the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canada. Canada is
fortunate to have a major media venue that is not controlled by private
interests. At the same time, and despite government control, the CBC has
done a very good job of bringing news to Canadians in an unbiased way. For
this we must be grateful, and we must be vigilant not to lose such
"freedoms of the press".
Other related articles for reference:
Civil Society Award
This new century calls for new ways of thinking and
doing. The evolution of organized civil society is as significant as the
invention of the nation state. Central to any discussion of suggestions for
reform or new initiatives must be the role of civil society as a partner in the
deliberations and implementation of the new social order. For it is us, mere
mortal civilians, who are on the ground. More people are waging peace today than
ever before. The new movement is powered by more than 20,000 civilian
organizations around the world, up from just 985 in 1956, and their work is
beginning to bear fruit. “There is a growing influence of civil
society,” says Tamara Malinova, political affairs officer of the U.N.’s
Department of Disarmament Affairs. “No doubt about it.” Civilian peace
organizations have achieved some impressive results of late. For example,
the campaigns that resulted in an international treaty banning land mines and
the creation of an International Criminal Court. To quote Canadian
Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only
thing that ever has.”
Civil Society
- Canadian Peace Alliance
The Canadian Peace Alliance is a
coalition of groups working on peace issues with membership from coast to coast
to coast. CPA membership ranges from fully-volunteer local groups with
half-a-dozen members to large trade union federations and peace NGOs with
several full-time staff. The CPA offers direct services to members,
services to all people concerned with peace issues (which members may want to
use and support) and a national voice in key peace issues (most important to
smaller or regionally-based members). Member groups give the CPA its
dynamism, its political perspective (though individual member groups are not
bound by CPA positions they certainly shape them) and its credibility. The
CPA helps peace groups across the country to communicate and sometimes to plan
joint actions or campaigns. The Canadian Peace Alliance works to build
support for goals that include:
- redirecting funds from military spending
to human needs;
- working toward global nuclear
disarmament;
- making Canada a consistent leader for
world peace;
- strengthening world institutions for the
peaceful resolution of conflict;
- protecting the rights of all people to
work for peace, social & economic justice.
The Canadian Peace Alliance was founded in
1985 and is Canada's largest umbrella peace organization.
Other related articles for reference:
Canada's
Largest Umbrella Peace Organization
One of the current misconceptions in Canada is the
role of peacekeepers in a Culture of Peace and human security (as versus the
"scourge of militarism"). Peacekeepers (e.g.. the military,
police, security guards, etc.) have a legitimate, necessary and positive role to
play in building a Culture of Peace (some would say 'unfortunately', but it is a
reality of the human condition). Often they are called upon as a threat
against violence, or after the fact to control violence. We should
Remember the peacekeepers who served (and serve) our country and future
generations to maintain law, order and freedom. However, as was the
message in the movie 'Saving Private Ryan', remembering the dead is not
sufficient ... each of us must honour our inherited commitment to those who
served and died, in order that we may live, by doing as much as we possibly
can to prevent violence and wars, at home and abroad.
 |
 |
Peacekeepers
- Department of National Defence/Défense nationale ("DND")
[Excerpt from the 1994 White Paper on
Defence http://www.dnd.ca/eng/min/reports/94wpaper/white_paper_94.html
]The primary obligation of the Department of National Defence and the
Canadian Forces is to protect the country and its citizens from
challenges to their security. In the final analysis, a nation not worth
defending is a nation not worth preserving. The consensus achieved
on the way ahead for an effective, realistic and affordable policy calls
for multi-purpose, combat-capable armed forces able to meet the
challenges to Canada's security both at home and abroad. The Cold
War is over. Yet Canada faces an unpredictable and fragmented world, one
in which conflict, repression and upheaval exist alongside peace,
democracy and relative prosperity. As a nation that throughout
its history has done much within the context of international alliances
to defend freedom and democracy, Canada continues to have a vital
interest in doing its part to ensure global security, especially since
Canada's economic future depends on its ability to trade freely with
other nations. The world is neither more peaceful nor more stable
than in the past. Canada's defence policy must reflect the world as it
is rather than the world as we would like it to be. We must
maintain a prudent level of military force to deal with challenges
to our sovereignty in peacetime; generate larger forces if needed;
and participate effectively in multilateral peace and stability
operations and, if and when required, in the defence of North America
and our allies in Europe, and in response to aggression elsewhere.
Canada needs armed forces that are able to operate with the modern
forces maintained by our allies and like-minded nations against a
capable opponent -- that is, they must able to fight "alongside the
best, against the best". The challenge will be to design
a defence program that delivers capable armed forces within the limits
of our resources. By making difficult choices and trade-offs, we will be
able to preserve the core capabilities and flexibility of a
multi-purpose force. This force will enable Canada to attend to its
security needs, now and in the future. Canada is in favour of a
vigorous and effective United Nations and we will enhance our ability to
contribute to UN operations. The modest program of assistance to
Canadian universities and other institutions involved in defence studies
will be maintained, and a chair of defence management studies will be
established. The Government believes the defence policy enunciated
in the White Paper reflects a Canadian consensus.
Defence Strategy 2020 (presented in 1999; reference http://www.vcds.forces.gc.ca/cds/strategy2K/intro_e.asp
) marks a significant milestone, building on the strategic assessment
embodied in the 1994 Defence White Paper, considered the needs and expectations
of our major stakeholders, assessed the institution’s strengths and
weaknesses, and analyzed emerging defence issues such as those associated with
the "Revolution in Military Affairs". The development of
military capabilities requires lead times of up to two decades. Military
effectiveness requires that the right people, organization, equipment and
doctrine be available to respond flexibly to emerging threats and opportunities.
This is easier said than done. At its core, the strategy is to position
the force structure of the CF to provide Canada with modern, task-tailored, and
globally deployable combat-capable forces that can respond quickly to crises at
home and abroad, in joint or combined operations. The force structure must be
viable, achievable and affordable. A Vision for 2020: The
Defence Team will generate, employ and sustain high-quality, combat-capable,
inter-operable and rapidly deployable task-tailored forces. We will exploit
leading-edge doctrine and technologies to accomplish our domestic and
international roles in the battlespace of the 21st century
and be recognized, both at home and abroad, as an innovative, relevant
knowledge-based institution. With transformational leadership and coherent
management, we will build upon our proud heritage in pursuit of clear strategic
objectives.
Other related articles for reference:
- Canadian Forces
College continues to play an important role in the professional
development of Canadian officers who seek to make a significant
contribution to the military profession and to their country. Web
site http://www.cfc.dnd.ca/
Today, many organizations face increased
expectations to meet community needs, increasing competition for funds, and
demands for more accountability from funders and the public. The
environment that charitable organizations operate in is complex and
ever-changing. Research shows that the voluntary sector is built on a very
narrow base of donors and volunteers. If it is the government's role to
provide for basic human needs, it is the charitable sector's role, both as
partner and counterpoint to government, to explore and challenge systems and
solutions and to put the words to music. To do that effectively, the sector
requires some independent money, money that is not tied to political timetables
or points of view. This is where philanthropy comes in. As Tom Axworthy
said when he was with the CRB Foundation in Montreal, foundations are investment
bankers in the commonwealth. They have the ability to deal with the basic
fissures that produce the problems in the first place. Private foundations also
have the luxury of time, and so can deal with the long-term. Peter Goldmark,
president of the Rockefeller Foundation, describes philanthropy as the practice
of applying assets of knowledge, passion and wealth to bring about constructive
change. Alan Broadbent of the Maytree Foundation, made the following
comment: "The best philanthropy occurs at the vital crossroads of the
donor’s values and the needs of the community's." It is my view that
community foundations have a very important role to play in facilitating and
enabling the best peacebuilding.
Peace Philanthropy
- The Jack and Joanna Santa Barbara Family Foundation
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Joanna
Santa-Barbara |
Joanna Santa Barbara is a child and family psychiatrist in Hamilton and a
scholar at the Centre for Peace Studies, McMaster University, where she has
taught Introductory Peace Studies. She has been a member of Physicians for
Global Survival since 1982, and a past president of that organization. She has
been actively involved in International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear
War, serving as a board member and a vice-president. She was part of delegations
of IPPNW affiliates to NATO in Brussels in June 1999 and June 2000. She is a
member of the Advisory Board of Science for Peace. Besides ongoing work on the
abolition of Nuclear weapons, other recent and current projects include one on
trauma healing and reconciliation with war-affected children in Croatia,
non-violence and respect for diversity in high-school youth, media violence, and
using health as a bridge to peace.
 |
Jack
Santa-Barbara |
Jack Santa-Barbara's current focus is on bringing the concepts and tools
of ecological sustainability to the effective operation of public and private
sector organizations. A 25+ year record of founding and operating successful
businesses (1997 Recipient of the Financial Post’s ‘50 Best Managed private
Companies’), and a long-time interest in ecological economics, has led to this
focus. Jack recently chose to step down from the CEO position of the company he
founded, CHC-Working Well, which he grew to be the largest behavioural health
company in Canada, following its sale to Magellan Behavioural Health. CHC served
many of Canada's largest corporations and private sector organizations, as well
as hundreds of smaller organizations in every sector of the economy across the
country. Jack is interested in applying his business experiences, and commitment
to principles of ecological sustainability, to bridging the gap between the
business and environmental communities. He has also held faculty positions at
both McMaster University and the University of Toronto, where he both taught and
managed large-scale research projects. He was the Founding President of the
Canadian Evaluation Society, which brings together academics, the consulting
community and government officials. His formal training (PhD, McMaster
University, 1971) is in Experimental Social Psychology. He is currently on the
Board of Directors of ACTION 2020, a community group dedicated to making
Hamilton a " Sustainable City." Jack has also had a long-standing
interest in peace issues, and has been an active supporter of McMaster
University's Centre for Peace Studies. Recently he was invited to be a member of
TRANSCEND: A PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT NETWORK founded by Johan Galtung. For the
past two years Jack has organized a Peace Journalism Workshop conducted by
Professor Galtung, and in 2001 was part of the McMaster team, which conducted
conflict transformation and related workshops for Afghans living in Peshewar,
Pakistan.
Other related articles for reference:
Peace begins with children. It is our children
who may experience conflict and/or violence at a very young age - in either
their home, community or school environment. It is also our children who
will lead future generations to either achieve a world of peace, or a world of
violence. We need to provide the children of the world with the skills
they need to resolve conflict and build more peaceful communities. By
recognizing those youth who are contributing to building peace, provides a
positive relevant example to other youth. It also drives home to we adults
the power of any individual to make a difference with their lives.
Rebecca Dixon is 12 years old and lives in Ottawa.
Her list of accomplishments at such a young age is truly remarkable:
Rebecca received a UNESCO award in May 2000. UNESCO, as one of its Millennium
Projects, selected 2000 children between the age of 8 and 15 from around the
world who made a difference in the world. Each
of these children received this award. Rebecca made and sold spiced almonds to
raise money for a church in
Ukraine
that was destroyed by a flood.
Past
Major Projects:
-
Raised funds to help restore a Church in
Ukraine
. (See above for more details.)
-
Organized a fundraiser to assist monastic communities in
Canada
. The Archdiocese of Canada, The Orthodox Church in
America
, distributed the funds raised. The project was completed in 2000.
-
Organized a fundraiser to help Uganda Orphans with AIDS. The Archdiocese
of Canada, The Orthodox Church In America, distributed funds raised.
Project was completed in 2000.
-
Organized a fundraiser to help with a food programs for children in
Serbia
. St.Stefan Orthodox Church distributed the funds. Project was
completed in 2001.
-
Organized a toy and book collection through my Girl Guide troop to assist the
children and their families at Ronald McDonald House. This project was
completed in 2001.
-
Organized a fund raising project to collect funds to support endangered
animals. A manatee by the name of Lucy was adopted. This
endangered animal was donated to Girl Guides from #52 Lansdowne.
-
Organized "Maples for the Millennium" - a project to buy new
trees for
Fairhaven
, a property near
Prescott
Ontario
. This project replaced
several trees that were lost during the "Ice Storm" of 1998.
This project involved contacting people across
Canada
and obtaining their support. Support was also received from other
countries. This project was completed in 2001. In 2002 trees that
did not survive the drought of 2001 or their first winter will be replaced.
-
Coordinating a collection of
Campbell
’s soup labels to get school supplies for children in
Ukraine
. I have contacted people across
Canada
and the
United States of America
to obtain their assistance. This project was started in the fall of 2000
and will finish in the spring of 2002. I will use international contacts that I
have for getting these supplies to
Ukraine
.
-
Organizing the shipment of computers to children in
Yugoslavia
. Contact was made with a donor. This was followed up with a
written proposal and an oral presentation. Assistance was obtained from
The Embassy of Yugoslavia. They helped with the arrangements for
transporting and storage of the computers, getting all the customs documents
prepared, finding computer technologists in
Yugoslavia
to set up the computers, and contacting the Ministry of Education in
Yugoslavia
to find suitable schools for the computers. Assistance was also obtained
from a Canadian Moving and Storage Company. A representative from
Canada
's External Affairs will monitor the distribution of the computers. This
project is nearing completion. The computers collected will be
distributed to schools early in 2002. I recently heard from a
representative of the Yugoslavian Embassy. The computers have arrived in
Belgrade
and are being refitted for use with the correct power supply. Some have
already been delivered to schools.
-
Coordinating the erection of a monument to celebrate Children's Rights.
For the last two years I have been working with the Mayor of the City of
Guelph
, the Chairman of the Parks Department from
Guelph
, and a well known Canadian Artist to have a monument erected to celebrate
Children's Rights. In doing this project, I have had several contacts
with officials from the Royal Canadian Legion, the City of Guelph, Members of
Parliament, and Senators. I have received a lot of support for the
project. The preliminary design is finished and a location for the
monument has been selected. In early 2002, the City Council of the City
of
Guelph
voted to approve the project. Fund rising for the monument has started.
I hope to have this project finished so that it can Celebrate the Golden
Jubilee of the Queen.
Education is a cornerstone in the peacebuilding
process. As today's youth become increasingly desensitized to violence, the
roles of schools and the curriculum they represent assume great importance.
Schools have the power to shape the attitudes and skills of young people toward
peaceful human relations. Through teaching young children values of respect,
tolerance, and empathy, and by equipping them with the necessary skills to
resolve conflict in a non-violent manner, they are provided with the tools they
need, now and in the future, to foster peaceful relations at home, at school and
around the world. Education builds the foundations for good citizenship,
respect for self and others, democratic values and tolerance of opinions.
Educational research indicates that when young people are trained in civics,
mediation, ethnic tolerance and conflict resolution, the likelihood that they
will resort to violence later in life is diminished. We firmly believe that we
can not have a peaceful people without educating for peace.
Education
- Larry Fisk 
Larry Fisk with
award Bob
Stewart
Dr. Larry Fisk, joined the Conflict Resolution
Studies faculty of Menno Simons College as the Paul and Esther Esau
Distinguished Visiting Professor for 2000 - 2001. Dr. Fisk taught two specialty
courses at Menno Simons College. "Pedagogy, Politics and Peace: the
Inspiration of Ivan Illich and Paulo Freire" contemplated some of the basic
writings of Illich and Freire which have turned pedagogy and politics upside
down. "Love, Friendship And Politics: Reenvisioning Peace Education And
Research" examined the question can we conduct peace education and research
in such a manner that it enlarges our common humanity, contributing to the
ecological, political and spiritual well-being of all?
Other related articles for reference:
Just as businesses participate in building a culture
of violence, businesses must be involved in building a Culture of Peace.
Canadian corporations should be expected to follow the same peace building
values and ethics that we expect of our citizens. That these values would
contribute greatly to peacebuilding at home and abroad is obvious.
Corporations must be increasingly responsive to issues affecting the physical,
social and economic environments not only because of their impact on business
performance but also out of a pro-active sense of responsibility to all
constituencies served. Corporations need to consider the balance between
the short-term interests of shareholders and the longer-term interests of the
enterprise and its stakeholders (including the community). Meeting the
traditional objectives and performance criteria is not sufficient. Voluntary
standards which exceed the requirements of prevailing law and regulations are
necessary to the development of sustainable practices. Society's "license
or franchise to operate" has to be earned. Corporations should lead
by example through business practices that are ethical and transparent, and that
reflect a commitment to human dignity, political and economic freedoms, and
preservation of the planet. Corporations cannot act alone but should seek
to address key global issues through cooperative efforts with governments, other
institutions and local communities.
Business - Citizens Bank of Canada
Citizens Bank is built on the premise that all
companies have a responsibility to use their resources in ways that can make a
positive difference to individuals, the community, and the world around us.
Citizens Bank was launched in 1997 by Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (VanCity).
The largest credit union in Canada, VanCity has a 50-year history of pioneering
the concept of socially responsible business. As indicated in their web
site < http://www.citizensbank.ca
> Citizens is "the only bank in Canada with an Ethical Policy < http://www.citizensbank.ca/menuId/60833
> that publicly states its position on eight key social and environmental
issues, and we're committed to seeing that policy in everything we do. ...
What really sets Citizens apart from the competition in Canadian banking is the
fact that we've taken our commitment to socially responsible business to heart.
We have firmly and formally embedded that commitment in our corporate culture.
Our Ethical Policy reminds us that we are not only accountable for our
successes, but for making sure those successes do not come at the expense of our
communities or the environment. At Citizens Bank, we believe we are stewards of
the money our members place with us. Therefore, we must be responsible in how we
use this money. The Ethical Policy is our guide in fulfilling this mandate.
More specifically, the Policy gives us a context in which to consider all of our
business relations and operations. The policy addresses the bank's position in
eight key areas: human rights, the environment, the tobacco industry, treatment
of animals, sustainable energy, military weapons trade and manufacturing,
employee relations and, of course, business conduct."
Other related articles for reference:
- Oxfam Canada has partnered with Citizens Bank of
Canada to help raise money for the Oxfam projects http://www.oxfam.ca/what_you_can_do/oxfamVISA.htm
Sports and Entertainment Award
We know from research in psychology that young
children (and even adults) tend to model their behaviour and attitudes
on those of adults, particularly adults they admire. Athletes and entertainers
are role models. But Club Owners, sponsors and the entertainment media often
encourage the violence, because it attracts spectators. To children it all
seems natural and sometimes confusing. Little does he or she know that the
extreme violence he sees often grows more out of the owners' commercial
interests than normal inclinations. A well-adjusted child who watches
acts of violence committed by thieves, murderers, or sadists in films or on TV
generally knows that society disapproves of these acts. The child who watches
sports knows that athletes' acts of violence are approved of. It makes sense
that sports violence would serve as an important role model for children who
tend to be well adjusted socially, while illegal violence on the screen would
tend to have a greater influence on the behaviour of children who are more
psychologically damaged and/or feel more alienated from society. We have
reached a crisis point today. Contributing to this crisis is TV, which
introduces violent athletes and entertainers as role models and often focuses
attention on the violence. It is time to honour those men and women in
sports and entertainment who work to counter violence.
Sports and Entertainment - Michael
Moore 
I am highly recommending that you go see Bowling
For Columbine. Its a documentary film by Micheal Moore, who is an
American activist. The film is a great demonstration of the attitudes and
some of the causes of so much fear and death caused by guns in the U.S.
I think it is a film that everyone should see, although it is done tastefully
some Americans of course may find it a little less amusing than us Canadians.
There was an American girl who went to the movie with us and she didn't
appreciate it quite as much as us Canadians...who of course were used as better examples compared
to the U.S. in terms of having a better living environment. Did you
know that in Canada we have approx 165 deaths per year from guns, while Germany
has 255, and Great Britain has only 39. The US has 11,124!!!! A good
quote from the movie is that "if safety was measured in terms of numbers of
guns, the US would be the safest country in the world, but that's not how it
works". He also talks about stereotypes, racism,
misconceptions/misinformation, fear and media's association with the problems of
violence. As soon as you get the chance, go see it...it is getting rave
reviews. Here is a site that tells you about the movie - http://www.bowlingforcolumbine.com/flash-01.php .
Mike Moore's web site is at http://www.michaelmoore.com/ .
Review courtesy of Robyn Stewart.
Michael Moore is also the author of the book
"Stupid White Men", the movie "Me and Roger Smith", the
movie "The Big One", and a weekly series available on DVD called
"The Awful Truth" exposing many awful truths. Some say that Canada is only 15 years behind the United States.
If there is any truth to this, then Canadians should seriously think about the
messages contained in Michael Moore's movies and books and take action to ensure
we do not lose our way of life. They will make you laugh, they will make
you cry, they will make you shake your head, and they will make you want to
shake the heads of our leaders who allow these things to happen.
For more information about the
Canadian Peace Awards -
contact Robert Stewart, C.A., C.M.C., Director, Canadian Centres for
Teaching Peace at stewartr [at] peace.ca;
(telephone - 403-461-2469; fax - 309-407-6576; mail - Box 70, Okotoks, Alberta,
Canada T1S 1A4; web site - http://www.peace.ca
)
"The world is dangerous not because of those
who do harm, but because of those who look at it without doing anything."