Labour joins huge anti-war rallies world-wide

Jim Selby, AFL Staff

The January 18th Global Day of Action Against War on Iraq brought hundreds of thousands of peace demonstrators onto the streets in cities around the world. The young and old, labour and social justice advocates, churches and women’s groups made up a vast cross-section of modern society who were all prepared to visibly demonstrate their opposition to American plans to invade Iraq.

There were major protests in every large Canadian city. In Alberta, there were demonstrations in Calgary, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie and Edmonton. Organized labour in Canada is a vocal opponent of the United States’ military plans, and was a visible presence in the nation-wide demonstrations.

Representing the Canadian Labour Congress, CLC Vice-President Marie Clarke Walker said: "Working families do NOT want to go to war in Iraq just to give George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and their corporate friends even more control of the world’s oil supply." She urged Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to call for lifting sanctions against Iraq and to become an "agent of peace."

The largest demonstration in Alberta was in Edmonton, where nearly 3,000 people marched down Whyte Avenue. The organizers of the event, the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism, were extremely happy with the turn-out, and predicted that the anti-war movement will continue to grow in the city.

The next global day of action against the War on Iraq has been called for Saturday, February 15th, and organizers expect another huge success.