Vancouver City Council |
MOTION ON NOTICE
3. Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (File 3506)
On March 15, 2005, the following Motion was submitted by Councillor Cadman. Councillor Sullivan called Notice under Section 5.4(c) of the Procedure By-law and the Motion was placed on the agenda of the Regular Council meeting held March 17, 2005 immediately following the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting. On March 17, 2005, Council postponed consideration of the Motion to the Regular Council meeting on March 29, 2005.
WHEREAS:
1. As long as nuclear weapons exist, cities around the world will be vulnerable to instantaneous devastation on a scale exceeding even that experienced by Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945; and
2. Nuclear war would devastate many cities, an accidental missile launch would devastate several cities, and use of a nuclear weapon by terrorists would devastate a city; and
3. Any nuclear attack would obliterate City Hall and all emergency response mechanisms rendering any city "planning" for such a disaster utterly futile; and
4. The world's foremost line of defence against nuclear dangers in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which is currently in its seventh review cycle, with all parties to the treaty scheduled to meet next May to ensure that the treaty is being fully implemented; and
5. All other weapons of mass destruction have been prohibited by international agreement and are being eliminated under international control, and the nuclear-weapon states party to the NPT have undertaken to pursue negotiations in good faith on nuclear disarmament; and
6. The International Court of Justice unanimously found in 1996 that all states were obliged to "bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control;" and
7. The World Conference of Mayors for Peace has launched an international campaign calling on the 2005 NPT Review Conference to launch negotiations on the elimination of nuclear weapons, to be concluded by 2010 and fully implemented by 2020, also known as the 2020 vision; and
8. Weapons of mass destruction have no place in a civilized world; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
1. THAT the City of Vancouver in the Province of British Columbia support a decision by the 2005 NPT R conference to commence negotiations on the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons and nuclear-weapon-related materials; and circulate this resolution, asking for support and endorsation to the UBCM and FCM member municipalities.
Postponed
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