Tomorrow, January 22, the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will come into force. Elizabeth May, Parliamentary Leader of the Green Party of Canada, joined former Ambassador for Disarmament and retired Parliamentarian, the Hon Douglas Roche, Senator Marilou McPhedran and as well as Members of Parliament from the Liberal, Bloc and New Democratic Parties to call for Canada to sign and ratify the treaty.
"Canada led the way on the Ottawa Process to ban landmines - even though we do not manufacture or use landmines. In the same way, as a non-nuclear weapons state, we must work to eliminate nuclear weapons," said Ms. May. "Recent years have seen a major increase in military nuclear spending by nuclear weapons states as the former US administration and current Russian government retreated from the promise of the Gorbachev-Reagan era. Now is the time for Canada to step up and join this landmark treaty.
"Canada must commit to ending the threat of nuclear annihilation by signing and ratifying the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons."
# # #
For more information or to arrange an interview:
Rosie Emery
Press Secretary
613-562-4916x206