A Voice of Women co-founder and Canadian peace icon, 96-year-old Muriel Duckworth, will lead the protest march to oppose the visit of George W. Bush to Ottawa and Halifax. Across the country, the Voices will be marching, mourning with black arm bands, and performing in mock trials to show George W. Bush he is not welcome.

VOW Co-Chair Janis Alton says: “We are most concerned about his crimes against humanity and war crimes especially the Nuremberg Tribunal’s ‘supreme international crime’ of waging an aggressive war against Iraq in defiance of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, systematic and massive violations of the Geneva Conventions Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War and Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. We fear his visit may be misconstrued as Canada’s support for his illegal actions in Iraq and around the world.”

Members of the Nova Scotia Voice of Women will be convening in the Grand Parade Square in front of Halifax City Hall to take part in a rally to oppose Bush’s presence in Halifax when he speaks at Pier 21 on the waterfront on December 1. National VOW Co-Chair, Dr Janet M. Eaton, also a media team member for the Halifax Peace Coalition says: “This will be a peaceful rally with all ages represented including one of Canada’s oldest and most revered and respected peace activists, VOW member, 96-year-old, Muriel Duckworth, who will be at the head of the march in her wheelchair along side Halifax Peace Coalition organizer, Tamara Lorincz who will be accompanied by her four-month-old infant son.”

The Voice of Women calls upon Paul Martin to resist any pressure from Bush to sign on to the misguided and ill-fated U.S. Ballistic Missile Defence and instead insists that he ensure and enact an independent foreign and defencepolicy for Canada, consistent with Canadian values — long held principles of peace, order and good government, and respect for the rule of international law.