Press Release          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     November 29, 2004

Antiwar coalition wants TransLink to deliver ultimatum to RAV bidder
 

StopWar.ca, the Lower Mainland’s anti-war coalition, is calling upon TransLink, Greater Vancouver’s transportation authority, to insist that SNC-Lavalin withdraw from the corporate bid to supply bullets for the U.S. war effort in Iraq.

The company is a participant in a consortium, led by General Dynamics Corporation, that is bidding on a contract to produce 300 million to 500 million bullets per year for the U.S. military campaign in Iraq. The  company is also the final bidder for the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver (RAV) rapid-transit line. 

“TransLink has an important opportunity to join forces with others who  are working to get SNC-Lavalin to pull out of this contract which, if  fulfilled, will contribute to war crimes,” says StopWar spokesperson Chris Spannos. “TransLink directors should tell SNC-Lavalin to make a choice: either build the RAV or manufacture bullets for the war in Iraq. We won’t allow you to do both,” Spannos continued.

Vancouver City Council passed a motion January 30, 2003 opposing the U.S. invasion of Iraq. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said that the war violates the UN charter and that the invasion is illegal. 

On April 6, 2004, Vancouver City Council voted unanimously to create an ethical purchasing policy for the city. The policy applies to all goods purchased by the city and requires that suppliers seeking to do business with the city must guarantee that their products are not created under conditions which violate the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. 

Peter Prontzos is a member of the City of Vancouver’s Peace and Justice Committee. Prontzos argues that “Ethical purchasing offers a very  powerful way to support the growing global movement for peace and justice. It  would make a mockery of this policy for Vancouver Councillors to vote to award a contract to SNC-Lavalin as long as the company intends to manufacture bullets for the war in Iraq. That would be tantamount to supporting the  Bush administration’s illegal war.” 

TransLink has been requested to provide more money to fund the RAV  project, which is currently over budget. The final decision will be made at a  meeting this Wednesday. “If TransLink does not use this opportunity to pressure SNC-Lavalin, they will be averting their eyes as the company commits war crimes”, says Spannos.

 

Media Contact: Chris Spannos Phone: 604.215.8494 Cell: 604.505.9894 E-mail: cspannos at shaw.ca   

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