Newsworthy

Spaced Out Education

York University is currently attempting to become the home of the International Space University (ISU)-a publicly funded, private university undertaking high technology research for industry.

The ISU has extensive links with the industrial-military complex:

The Board of the ISU is dominated by representatives of the largest defense contractors in the United States, including several Star Wars contractors.
The Canadian Department of National Defence was the sponsors of the ISU summer session held at York.
Half of the money for ISU work has come from the United States (1.5 million), $330,000 of U.S. contributions has come from defense contractors such as McDonnell Douglas, Rockwell, Space Biospheres, and Boeing.
U.S. military-industrial contractor Spar Aerospace has been the main force behind Ontario's ISU bid.
Spar Chairman Larry Clarke is on the ISU board of advisers and sits on York's board of governors.

The ISU bid comes at a time when the Mulroney government is under pressure to join the new U.S. defense initiative, Global Protection Against Limited Strikes, the successor to Star Wars.

A great deal of provincial and federal money is being poured into this proposal, and more is promised:

The Ontario government has:

spent $500,000 to prepare the ISU bid.
promised $1 I million for start-up costs, while it cut $10 million in student loans.
offered 3.5 million annually in operating grants, more than double the rate for science students in public universities.

The federal government has promised $11 million for start-up costs.

The tuition fee for the ISU will be $25,000, ensuring that access to this institution will be limited to a select few.

Letter campaigns are underway. You can write to Bob Rae, and call us for addresses of Space University planners.

Rick Salamat, Coordinator; the SOS Network ,416/599-0152.

None Is Too Many

The federal government is considering the introduction of a new Immigration Act that is regressive, based on racist attitudes and antidemocratic. The amendments in the new Act are in flagrant contradiction with the U.N. International Convention on the Status of Refugees, and infringe on basic human rights principles. Canada's share of the world's refugees is 0.18% and the government is thinking of ways to diminish this!

It is worth noting that the proposed amendments were introduced without any consultation with individuals and organizations who work with refugees. These changes are being rushed through the house during the summer period when little attention is paid by the public to such matters.

Under this new legislation, immigration officers will have the power to determine whether a claimant is eligible to seek refugee status in Canada. The refugee can be returned to an unsafe country and risk persecution without a hearing or the right to appeal.

Refugees will also be asked to present valid official papers in order to be considered eligible as refugee claimants. This provision totally ignores the situation of a genuine refugee fleeing from persecution and arriving with the barest necessities and without personal documents.

To get involved or informed, contact Women for a Just and Healthy Planet c/o the Weed Foundation (416) 516-2600. By Nicole Davignon.

Conscientious Objector Spared Death Penalty

The last known Gulf War military objector to face trial was sentenced on June l 5 to eight months in jail, a dishonorable discharge, total forfeiture of pay, and reduction in rank. Marine Corporal Tahan Jones was convicted of unauthorized absence and missing troop movement. Jones, a 23-year old African-American reservist from Oakland, CA, originally faced the death penalty on a charge of desertion in time of war. Amnesty International declared Jones a "Prisoner of Conscience" and public outcry forced the Marine Corps to drop "in time of war. "

Emperor Of Plutonium

A campaign to oppose Japan's plutonium energy plan has been launched from Plutonium Free Future, 2018 Shattuck Ave., Box 140, Berkeley, CA 940704, U.S. Write to Emperor Akihito, Imperial Household Agency, 1-I Chiyoda, Chiyado-ku, Tokyo 101, Japan, expressing your concern about the utilization and transport of the world's most dangerous substances. For more information send for the pamphlet 'Japan's Plutonium: A Major Threat to the Planet'-$2. Since France owns some of our uranium mines in Saskatchewan and I believe supplies Japan we could be talking about our own material.- Shirley Farlinger

Day-Glo Ontario

Large leaks of tritium from the Pickering reactor have been downplayed by their public relations department. An independent public investigation of this continuing problem needs to be held. Write Ontario Hydro.

- Shirley Farlinger