Voice of Women, Canada, to the Standing Committee on External Affairs and National Defence
House of Commons

Publisher:  Voice of Women Canada, c/o Ann Gertler, Montreal, Canada
Year Published:  1980
Pages:  8pp   Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX2270

The Voice of Women is recognized as a significant national voluntary organization in Canada today.

Abstract: 
The Voice of Women is recognized as a significant national voluntary organization in Canada today. It has observer status at the United Nations and has a member on the Consultative Committee to the Department of External Affairs, Office of the Advisor on Disarmament and Arms Control. A representative group of Voice of Women from across Canada recently had a four-hour meeting with officials of the Department of External Affairs.

In their brief to the committee, the women argue that NORAD (The North American Air Defense Agreement) should not continue. They point our that the development of satellite surveillance and nuclear weapons of all types has made the original NORAD installations marginal.


Voice of Women believes that the alternative to NORAD is for the Canadian government to seek our national security through international action. For example, Canada could support the proposal of France (which commits no forces to NATO) that the UN operate an internationally -owned satellite to monitor military threats. As another alternative to NORAD, Voice of Women would like our government to establish Canada as a nuclear weapons-free zone, on the pattern of the Treaty of Tiatcloclo. In the protocols of this treaty, Latin America is guaranteed protection from nuclear attack by the superpowers.

The brief concludes by asserting that disarmament is the key to Canadian security, and that continuation of NORAD would represent a great danger.