Canadian Peace Alliance statement on National Missile Defence

National Missile Defence (NMD) is a unilateral initiative of the United States that no other major country supports. The Canadian Peace Alliance urges the Government of Canada to declare its objection to the US National Missile Defence program (regardless of whether or not it is asked to participate) and to oppose the weaponisation of space in any form.

NMD is part of a United States plan to dominate space by "integrating Space Forces into warfighting capabilities" (as outlined in United States Space Command document "Vision for 2020"). It is a step towards the deployment of weapons in space, which will create uncertainty and distrust, destabilize international relations and lead to a new nuclear arms race.

NMD violates the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, signed by the United States, and runs counter to Canada’s commitment as a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to promote complete nuclear disarmament. These treaties are cornerstones of the international non-proliferation; arms control and disarmament regimes long supported by Canada.

The Canadian Peace Alliance further calls on the Government of Canada to play a leadership role in banning nuclear weapons and missile flight tests.

February 23, 2001