Seven Oaks Magazine.

The War Resisters Support Campaign has recently been launched in Canada, with the aim of demanding that the federal government allow for U.S. war resisters to have sanctuary in this country. At least two U.S. soldiers, Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey, have rejected the war in Iraq and have come to Canada seeking refugee status.

In Vancouver, StopWar.ca, an anti-war coalition endorsed by over 160 organizations and individuals, is supporting the war resisters campaign, and in fact hosted a forum that included Hinzman this past May. The two war resisters continue to speak out against the war in Iraq and about their cases at labour gatherings, and at campus and public meetings.

Seven Oaks talked to Carolyn Egan, a spokesperson for the new War Resisters Support Campaign and president of the United Steelworkers area council in Toronto.

1. Seven Oaks: What prompted the launching of the war resisters’ campaign in May of this year?

There were two young men who had come to Ontario who are resisters, they had both left the U.S. military, objecting to the war in Iraq. And we felt it was very important that a support group get together and do what we can to help them to stay in Canada.

One of them [Jeremy Hinzman] had a pre-hearing with the refugee board, he’s applying for refugee status, and his hearing will be coming up in October. Another has applied for refugee status but has not had a hearing set as yet.

3. Has the Canadian government made any statement with respect to these two cases?

They have not as yet made any specific statements. They do have a lawyer representing the Government of Canada at the hearings. But they have not made a specific statement as yet.

Well, we’ve had quite a good response. Prominent Canadians, if you may say, have come on board, people like David Suzuki, Naomi Klein, the author Anne-Marie MacDonald, the film-maker David Cronenberg, June Calwood, Maude Barlow, Shirley Douglas. A lot of very significant people in their own fields have supported the campaign and are urging the Canadian government to give refugee status.

5. I guess the major precedent for providing sanctuary to American war resisters is what happened during the Vietnam War?

That’s correct. Prime Minister Trudeau, at that time, there’s a famous quote, “those who make the conscientious judgment that they must not participate in this war have my complete sympathy, and indeed our political approach has been to give them access to Canada. Canada should be a refuge from militarism.” And that allowed, thirty years ago, both draft resisters and deserters the opportunity to stay in Canada and well over 50 000 came at that time. So we feel Canada is faced with the same moral choice and are urging that it take the same position.

6. What’s your opinion on the initiative, being proposed by a pair of Democratic congressmen, to reinstitute the draft in the United States?

My personal opinion is that I don’t support bringing back the draft. I don’t support conscription. I think the congressmen who you speak of, Rangel is one of them, are suggesting it because they feel it is only working-class and poor young men and women who are going into the armed services down there because they want to get an education, or because they want job skills. It’s what’s called the poverty draft. And I think that’s what is behind their calling for this. Myself, I don’t think that’s a step forward. I think we should fight to end the occupation and the war in Iraq but, you know, there may be different points of view on this.

7. How can people lend their support to this campaign, and what are some of your upcoming activities?

People can get in touch, they can go to www.resisters.ca, onto our website. There is a petition there, we urge people to circulate the petition, to workplaces, schools, neighbourhood organizations or whatever. And if you do belong to a student association, or trade union, or community organization, passing a resolution in support of the campaign and sending messages of support to Jeremy or Brandon is very helpful as well.

What we’re going to be doing in September is launching a lobby effort of MPs, to try and push as hard as we can to create pressure on the Canadian government to take a positive stand in relation to this.