A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Planning and Environment was held on Thursday, January 30, 2003, at 2:00 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

* Denotes presence for a portion of the meeting

RECOMMENDATION

1. Review of the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project (File 5559)

At its meeting on January 14, 2003, Vancouver City Council requested that the Independent Review Consultants report on the initial phase of the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project with preliminary findings of the review and recommendations on further consulting work required to confirm the most cost-effective, affordable and appropriate rapid transit option (technology, corridor and alignment) for the RAV Project.

At today's meeting, Council discussed the need for the Consultant to provide a written report for review by staff and Council prior to the oral presentation. This would enable Council to ask considered questions.
 
MOVED by Mayor Campbell
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT the matter of the Independent Review of the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transport Project be referred to the February 11, 2003 Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Motion to Seek Peaceful Resolution to Iraq Situation (File 1263)

At its meeting on January 28, 2003, Vancouver City Council referred the following motion to a future Standing Committee meeting in order to hear from delegations who requested to speak.

MOVED BY Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth

WHEREAS, the UN General Assembly in Resolution A/RES/39/159 demands that all "states take no actions aimed at military intervention and occupation, forcible change in or undermining of the socio-political system of states, destabilization and overthrow of their governments and, in particular, initiate no military action to that end under any pretext whatsoever and cease forthwith any such action already in progress";

AND WHEREAS, unilateral, preemptive military action by the United States without a legally valid United Nations Security Council resolution would violate Articles 2 and 51 of the United Nations Charter and international customary law;

AND WHEREAS, such action would thus constitute the supreme international crime according to the principles laid down by the Nuremberg Tribunal;

AND WHEREAS, the Security Council is bound to act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter to maintain international peace and can authorize the use of limited force only when:

· there exists a proven threat to international peace and security, and;

        · all peaceful means have failed to contain the identified threat, and;

        · use of force is necessary, proportionate to the threat and is in the common interest.
AND WHEREAS, Canada's National Defence Act, R.S. 1985, C. N-5 stipulates that Canada may engage in military action in the event that Canada or a NATO ally is attacked or pursuant to an action taken under the UN Charter;

AND WHEREAS, according to UNICEF and other international relief agencies, non-military sanctions against Iraq have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children due to inadequate food, water and medicine;
 
AND WHEREAS, a further war in Iraq would result in extensive death, injury and suffering to the Iraqi people;

AND WHEREAS, the United Nations declared this decade, 2000-2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World" (UN Declaration 53/25, November 10, 1998), urging all people and all levels of government to seek non-violent approaches to conflict resolution and wider education about international law and alternatives to war;

AND WHEREAS, many cities in North America have passed resolutions expressing opposition to use of military force to compel a regime change in Iraq, including Washington, DC, Seattle, Washington, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Santa Cruz, California, Ithaca, New York, Santa Fe, New Mexico, New Haven, Connecticut, Oakland, California, and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

THAT Vancouver City Council
(a) Hereby express our opposition to a threatened United States' pre-emptive military action against Iraq that is not explicitly authorized by a legally valid United Nations Security Council resolution; and

(b) Hereby urge the Federal Government of Canada to take all diplomatic measures to urge the United States to adhere to the requirements of the UN Charter and to work with and through the United Nations to obtain peaceful compliance by Iraq with United Nations Security Council Resolution #1441 concerning the disarmament of Iraq of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; and

(c) Hereby call on all governments, especially the Government of Canada, to:

· comply with the United Nations Charter, and;

· reject a military approach to solving conflicts between states, and;

· seek to eliminate the root causes of conflict and find solutions by peaceful means for the common good of all; and

FURTHER THAT the City of Vancouver is opposed to Canada's involvement in any military action against Iraq unless the military action is authorized by a legally valid resolution of the United Nations Security Council and by Canadian laws.

Referred

Accordingly, the Committee had before it the foregoing motion.

Harold Jampolsky spoke in opposition to the motion indicating that sometimes war is necessary, that the motion will not have a significant impact on the global stage and Council should use its resources to deal with City matters only.

The following spoke in favour of the motion:

Zonica Lalani-Stevens
Woodrow Coward, Lt. Col. (Retired)
David Morgan
Irene MacInnes, Campaign to End Sanctions Against the People of Iraq (CESAPI)
Isabel Minty
Connie Fogal-Rankin
Marilyn Young
Gail Davidson, Lawyers Against the War
Bernadette Wycks
Ken MacAllister
Bob Korth, Christ Church Cathedral
Guy Wera
Edward Shaffer, University of Alberta
Bill Saunders, Vancouver and District Labour Council
Rochelle Davidson
Betty Griffin, End the Arms Race.

Speakers' comments included:

AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Bass

THAT the motion be amended to add the following words to the final paragraph "this motion be forwarded to every member of Parliament for Vancouver, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and Cities of Peace".

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

MOTION AS AMENDED:

WHEREAS, the UN General Assembly in Resolution A/RES/39/159 demands that all "states take no actions aimed at military intervention and occupation, forcible change in or undermining of the socio-political system of states, destabilization and overthrow of their governments and, in particular, initiate no military action to that end under any pretext whatsoever and cease forthwith any such action already in progress";

AND WHEREAS, unilateral, preemptive military action by the United States without a legally valid United Nations Security Council resolution would violate Articles 2 and 51 of the United Nations Charter and international customary law;

AND WHEREAS, such action would thus constitute the supreme international crime according to the principles laid down by the Nuremberg Tribunal;

AND WHEREAS, the Security Council is bound to act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter to maintain international peace and can authorize the use of limited force only when:

· there exists a proven threat to international peace and security, and;
· all peaceful means have failed to contain the identified threat, and;
· use of force is necessary, proportionate to the threat and is in the common interest.

AND WHEREAS, Canada's National Defence Act, R.S. 1985, C. N-5 stipulates that Canada may engage in military action in the event that Canada or a NATO ally is attacked or pursuant to an action taken under the UN Charter;

AND WHEREAS, according to UNICEF and other international relief agencies, non-military sanctions against Iraq have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children due to inadequate food, water and medicine;

AND WHEREAS, a further war in Iraq would result in extensive death, injury and suffering to the Iraqi people;

AND WHEREAS, the United Nations declared this decade, 2000-2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World" (UN Declaration 53/25, November 10, 1998), urging all people and all levels of government to seek non-violent approaches to conflict resolution and wider education about international law and alternatives to war;

AND WHEREAS, many cities in North America have passed resolutions expressing opposition to use of military force to compel a regime change in Iraq, including Washington, DC, Seattle, Washington, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Santa Cruz, California, Ithaca, New York, Santa Fe, New Mexico, New Haven, Connecticut, Oakland, California, and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT Vancouver City Council

(a) Hereby express our opposition to a threatened United States' pre-emptive military action against Iraq that is not explicitly authorized by a legally valid United Nations Security Council resolution; and

(b) Hereby urge the Federal Government of Canada to take all diplomatic measures to urge the United States to adhere to the requirements of the UN Charter and to work with and through the United Nations to obtain peaceful compliance by Iraq with United Nations Security Council Resolution #1441 concerning the disarmament of Iraq of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; and

(c) Hereby call on all governments, especially the Government of Canada, to:
· comply with the United Nations Charter, and;
· reject a military approach to solving conflicts between states, and;
· seek to eliminate the root causes of conflict and find solutions by peaceful means for the common good of all; and

FURTHER THAT the City of Vancouver is opposed to Canada's involvement in any military action against Iraq unless the military action is authorized by a legally valid resolution of the United Nations Security Council and by Canadian laws; and

FURTHER THAT this motion be forwarded to every member of Parliament for Vancouver, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and Cities for Peace.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

MOVED by Councillor Cadman

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Louie and Mayor Campbell not present for the vote)

MOVED by Councillor Cadman

THAT the City of Vancouver establish forthwith, and once again, the Peace and Justice Committee and staff provide a report back to Council on how to establish this Committee.

carried

AMENDMENT MOVED by Councillor Sullivan

THAT the establishment of a Peace and Justice Committee be referred to the Advisory Body Task Force.

LOST
(Councillors Bass, Cadman, Green, Louis, Roberts, Stevenson, and Woodsworth opposed)
(Councillor Louie and Mayor Campbell not present for the vote)

The Amendment having lost, the Motion was put and CARRIED with Councillor Sullivan opposed and Councillor Louie and the Mayor not present for the vote.

For clarity the approved motions follow:

WHEREAS, the UN General Assembly in Resolution A/RES/39/159 demands that all "states take no actions aimed at military intervention and occupation, forcible change in or undermining of the socio-political system of states, destabilization and overthrow of their governments and, in particular, initiate no military action to that end under any pretext whatsoever and cease forthwith any such action already in progress";

AND WHEREAS, unilateral, preemptive military action by the United States without a legally valid United Nations Security Council resolution would violate Articles 2 and 51 of the United Nations Charter and international customary law;

AND WHEREAS, such action would thus constitute the supreme international crime according to the principles laid down by the Nuremberg Tribunal;

AND WHEREAS, the Security Council is bound to act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter to maintain international peace and can authorize the use of limited force only when:
· there exists a proven threat to international peace and security, and;

· all peaceful means have failed to contain the identified threat, and;

        · use of force is necessary, proportionate to the threat and is in the common interest.

AND WHEREAS, Canada's National Defence Act, R.S. 1985, C. N-5 stipulates that Canada may engage in military action in the event that Canada or a NATO ally is attacked or pursuant to an action taken under the UN Charter;

AND WHEREAS, according to UNICEF and other international relief agencies, non-military sanctions against Iraq have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children due to inadequate food, water and medicine;

AND WHEREAS, a further war in Iraq would result in extensive death, injury and suffering to the Iraqi people;

AND WHEREAS, the United Nations declared this decade, 2000-2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World" (UN Declaration 53/25, November 10, 1998), urging all people and all levels of government to seek non-violent approaches to conflict resolution and wider education about international law and alternatives to war;

AND WHEREAS, many cities in North America have passed resolutions expressing opposition to use of military force to compel a regime change in Iraq, including Washington, DC, Seattle, Washington, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Santa Cruz, California, Ithaca, New York, Santa Fe, New Mexico, New Haven, Connecticut, Oakland, California, and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

A. THAT Vancouver City Council

(a) Hereby express our opposition to a threatened United States' pre-emptive military action against Iraq that is not explicitly authorized by a legally valid United Nations Security Council resolution; and

(b) Hereby urge the Federal Government of Canada to take all diplomatic measures to urge the United States to adhere to the requirements of the UN Charter and to work with and through the United Nations to obtain peaceful compliance by Iraq with United Nations Security Council Resolution #1441 concerning the disarmament of Iraq of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; and

(c) Hereby call on all governments, especially the Government of Canada, to:

            · comply with the United Nations Charter, and;
            · reject a military approach to solving conflicts between states,
              and;
            · seek to eliminate the root causes of conflict and find
             solutions by peaceful means for the common good of all; and

FURTHER THAT the City of Vancouver is opposed to Canada's involvement in any military action against Iraq unless the military action is authorized by a legally valid resolution of the United Nations Security Council and by Canadian laws; and

FURTHER THAT this motion be forwarded to every member of Parliament for Vancouver, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and Cities for Peace.

    B. THAT the City of Vancouver endorse the February 15, 2003 Peace March.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

    C. THAT the City of Vancouver establish forthwith, and once again, the Peace and Justice Committee and staff provide a report back to Council on how to establish this Committee.

CARRIED
(Councillor Sullivan opposed)

The Committee adjourned at 4:53 p.m.

* * * * *

 

JANUARY 30, 2003

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, January 30, 2003 , at 4:53 p.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Louis

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
January 30, 2003

Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the foregoing report:

C1.1 Independent Review of the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project
C1.2 Motion to Seek Peaceful Resolution to Iraq Situation

MOVED by Councillor Roberts

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1 and 2 of this report, be approved.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Roberts

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Woodsworth

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

NEW BUSINESS

1. Co-operative Housing (File 4652)

MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

THAT Vancouver City Council invite John Restakis, Region Manager of Canadian Co-operative Association, to a future Standing Committee meeting to provide information regarding development permits and co-operative housing.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS

1. Television Council Proceedings (File 1252)

Councillor Woodworth requested that staff provide Council with a memo detailing the costs involved to allow other companies to televise Council proceedings along with Shaw.

The Deputy City Manager will ask the City Clerk to provide the memo.

2. Staff Researchers for Council (File 1360)

Councillor Woodsworth requested that staff provide Council with a memo regarding the possibility of hiring two staff members to be available to Councillors as researchers.

The Deputy City Manager will ask the City Clerk to provide the memo.

The Council adjourned at 4:58 p.m.

* * * * *

pe20030130.htm

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