Military spending in Canada is poised to skyrocket. The pretext for this increase is NATO’s new arbitrary target that member states commit a staggering 5 percent of their GDP to military spending. This amounts to $150 billion annually in Canada!
This increase in military spending will come at the expense of spending that working people urgently need: healthcare, education, childcare, job creation, environmental protection and climate action, housing, employment insurance and public pensions, social assistance, public transit and others.
To amplify the voices of communities affected by this spending shift, the Toronto Association for Peace and Solidarity is organizing a one-day, in-person “People’s Hearing” in Toronto to ask a simple question:
What could we do with a bigger “peace” of the budget pie, if government spending was prioritized differently?
We are inviting labour, peace, social justice, and community organizations to share their perspectives through brief deputation style presentations with the following organizations taking part:
- Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario
- Fridays For Future – Toronto
- Ontario Health Coalition
- ODSP Action Coalition
- Toronto & York Region Labour Council
- TTC Rides
- York South-Weston Tenant Union
- Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
- Musical performances by Life to Liberation
Event Details:
- Toronto –United Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St
- 1-5pm (~4 hours)
- Date: September 21st (International Peace Day)
- Snack and light beverages