Nuclear weapons are the greatest threat to world peace. We call on the Canadian government to sign and ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

On August 6th, Little Boy—a single atomic bomb—demolished the city of Hiroshima, killing 70,000 people, and causing the deaths of 70,000 more by the end of 1945. On August 9th, 1945, Fat Man, a plutonium bomb, devastated Nagasaki, exploding near the largest Catholic cathedral in Asia, killing 70,000 non-combatants.

In 2021, 76 years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the threat of human carnage and environmental destruction posed by nuclear weapons is still present. Little known to many Canadians, Canada played a critical role in the development of these atomic bombs, including mining, refining, and exporting the uranium necessary for their success.

The 76th Anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9 presents an appropriate moment for you, Prime Minister Trudeau, to showcase how “Canada is back” in its commitment to international peace and diplomacy. As called for by Hiroshima survivor and 2017 co-recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, Setsuko Thurlow, we urge you and the Canadian Government to take the following actions:

1.   Acknowledge Canada’s involvement in and contributions to the two atomic bombs: The Canadian Government was a major participant in the Manhattan Project which developed the uranium and plutonium atom bombs dropped on Japan.

2.   Issue a statement of regret on behalf of the Canadian Government: Canada must apologize for the immense suffering and death inflicted on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused by Canada’s direct participation in the creation of these nuclear weapons.

3.     Sign & Ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: To safeguard against the immense suffering of nuclear warfare from ever happening again, Canada must sign and ratify the TPNW. 11 more countries need to ratify the TPNW before it is brought into force — the approaching 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would be an appropriate time to announce Canada’s plans for nuclear disarmament.

We echo the call from Hibakusha Setsuko Thurlow in her appeal to you, Prime Minister Trudeau, requesting that the government of Canada acknowledge its crucial role in the creation of nuclear weapons, express a statement of regret for the deaths and suffering they caused in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and announce that Canada will ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

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If you would like to learn more or join efforts in peace and nuclear disarmament, please visit the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition website at http://hiroshimadaycoalition.ca/ or the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) website at https://vowpeace.org/.

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This action is sponsored by: