Letters

Buy New Zealand

We have all been urged to write encouraging and supportive letters to New Zealand for its action in resisting the visit of US nuclear-powered and nuclear-equipped ships. Many of us have already done so.

It seems to me that the next (and more important) step is pledging to buy as many New Zealand products as we can, because it's pretty certain that there will be economic retaliation.

The trouble is that I don't even know what New Zealand exports, apart from lamb and kiwi fruit, and even the latter of those is now grown elsewhere, despite its name. Is there any way this information could be tracked down and published?

Margaret Boyce, Toronto, ON

Next month, we'll publish any information our readers send us on NZ exports. In the meantime, anyone out there want to go halfies on an apterix?

Alliance An Annoyance

It is now becoming more and more clear that the Canadian peace coalition or alliance in its present state will be more detrimental than positive. What is actually happening is the creation of a super peace group supposedly representing the views of the Canadian peace movement.

The nature of the coalition, how it's financed, and who will be allowed to participate has all apparently been decided. The fact that $25,000 was accepted from External Affairs already in many ways defines the political nature of the coalition. The grassroots of the peace movement have not really been consulted, and some opinions have been totally ignored. A November conference has been slated to rubber stamp all the decisions, although the original purpose of the conference was to begin to make decisions.

Peace activists interested in a democratic, decentralized movement should get active and prevent the move to this type of super group. Clearly some in the movement would like nothing better than to make the Canadian peace movement an arm of the government. We must prevent this and make sure that next November's conference is not a repeat of the Shamrock summit.

Andrew VanVelzen, Toronto, ON

Flattery Will Get You...

I really like your new magazine especially the articles, interviews, book reviews, Peace Calendar, Network News, letters, and even the ads. Please, more of the same! Plus, how about some cartoons, an article on resources (on film and in print) and how peace groups can obtain them?

I would be particularly interested in seeing news on the freeze campaign and the global referendum, the municipal scene and happenings at the United Nations. Also, how about interviews with Pierre Trudeau, Helen Caldicott, Ernie Regehr, Barrie Zwicker, Owynne Dyer and David Suzuki? How about some analysis of where the PCs are taking us.

You could do a special issue on the 40th anniversary of Hiroshima, something on the Marshall Islands victims of A-bomb tests, more on military Keynesianism, the European scene and an analysis of "Star Wars," etc. etc.

Tom Vandermeulen, Ulverton, PQ

OK. - Ed.

Congratulations on an absolutely fantastic first issue. I wasn't expecting that it would look as good as it did. You seem to have pulled off the transition without any visible hitches.

Your new format seems like a good move; more people will probably read it. Especially important is the extra space for analysis. Let's have lots of that analysis/strategizing. Keep it up.

Al Rycroft, Ottawa, ON