TAIC Basis of Unity Prior to November 1987
TORONTO ANTI-INTERVENTION COALITION
c/o 427 BLOOR ST. WEST, TORONTO, ONTARIO M5S 1X7
BASIS OF UNITY OF TORONTO ANTI-INTERVENTION COALITION
Purposes of the Coalition
1) To unite all individuals and organizations who oppose military, economic and political intervention in Central America and the Caribbean; who support the rights of the peoples of the regions to determine their own futures, and who wish to affect the policies of the Canadian and U.S. governments to assist the self-determination of the Central American and Caribbean peoples.
2) To educate Canadians about the situation in Central America and the Caribbean and about the role of the Canadian and U.S. governments and corporations in these regions.
3) To be prepared for an emergency response action to any major escalation of U.S. intervention in these regions, or any significant increase in Canadian government complicity with U.S. militarism and other types of intervention in these regions.
4) To sponsor actions and events which educate and mobilize the Canadian population around these issues.
5) To promote the development of a broad Canadian anti-intervention movement and to strengthen links with our allies in the U.S. peace and anti-intervention movements.
Political Basis of Unity
1) Self-determination for the people of Central America and the Caribbean; Stop U.S. military and economic intervention.
2) To achieve a just peace in Central America and the Caribbean:
Support for all peace initiatives which enjoy the support of the majority of the people struggling for self-determination within their respective nations.
3) Canada’s foreign policy should actively promote:
a) the principle of non-intervention in the affairs of other nations
b) respect for the principle of self-determination of the peoples of Central America and the Caribbean.
When Canada is complicit with U.S. aggression, we concretely oppose the government’s action and demand a change; When Canada takes its distance from U.S. aggressive policies, we encourage and deepen these differences in order to isolate the U.S.
4) End Canadian government complicity. Canada should refuse to participate in any aspect of the Reagan administration’s militarization plans, including arms testing and production for the U.S. military. End cruise missile testing in Canada. Canada should say “NO” to Star Wars. Canadian tax money should go to research, planning and conversion for peaceful uses of factories engaged in war production. Money for jobs and human needs, not war.
6) [sic]End Canadian government aid to the governments of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Oppose the U.S. trade embargo against Nicaragua. Increase Canadian trade and government aid to Nicaragua.
7) Recognition of the Democratic Revolutionary Front/Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FDR/FMLN) as the official voice of the people of El Salvador. We call on the Canadian government to do likewise.*
*(The FDR/FMLN alliance includes political parties, trade unions, women’s and students’ groups, and many other diverse mass organizations. It represents approximately 80% of the Salvadorean people in their struggle for social justice and peace. TAIC believes it is important to recognize, and encourage the Canadian government to recognize, this powerful alliance. A TAIC educational presented by the Latin
American Working Group made informed adoption of this point possible. If you require more information to reach an knowledgeable conclusion on this matter, please contact TAIC.)
General Principles
1) That the coalition act as facilitator and initiator, (e.g. that the general proposal is shared with certain constituencies—labour, church, solidarity etc.—and they are invited to develop a specific way in which to participate.)
2) That education be integrated with action; action with education.
3) That the coalition be commited to affirmative action for ethnic minorities and women, both in its structures and in any events it organizes.
4) That the everyday life of the coalition be defined by the monthly Coalition meetings. The Conference is the highest decision-making body of the coalition.
5) Within the democratic framework of the coalition, groups and individuals are free to present their ideas and analysis.
6) All structures and activities of the Toronto Anti-intervention Coalition should reflect the diversity and composition of the Coalition. The political, religious, cultural, nuclear disarmament, development education, solidarity, labour, women’s community and other groups in the Coalition should have an active presence in all TAIC events and their participation should be actively encouraged.