Kosovo- Canada's involvement.

We are dishonouring the peaceful stance of the 1.5 to 2 million Kosovar Albanians by sanctioning NATO's actions!

This is a copy of the letter I sent to the Dept. of Foreign Affairs regarding Kosovo and our involvement. I addressed it to Prime Minister Chretien
and, unfortunately, I realized only shortly afterward it was a mistake to send it to Minister Rock. However, in the interest of honesty, I could not ignore my mistake when cut & pasting it here.
It remains as is.
If you have a better email address to send it to, please share it.

[email protected]

I encourage ALL to write our Government and tell them how we feel. Our opinions may vary but involvement is very important. Whether you agree in part or in whole with what I have said in my letter, or possibly completely disagree, I encourage you to take action by making your voice heard. It is not futile if you realize that every person has a role in this war individually, as well as collectively.

In cases like these; age, ethnic origin, gender does not preclude you from voicing your opinion. Please, speak out.

There are links below as well as throughout this webpage.

link to Canada's Dept. of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

To: The Dept. of Foreign Affairs [email protected]

NOTE: If I have sent this to the wrong email address, I apologize and respectfully request that my email be sent to the proper office(s). My objective is for my sentiments to get as close to the Prime Minister and Minister Rock as possible.

To Prime Minister Chretien and Minister Rock,

First of all, I want to say that I am PROUD of my country, ESPECIALLY in view of the recent break-off of the North West Territories for the Inuit. I had a smile from ear to ear for 10 minutes non-stop last night and I (sad to say) have no Aboriginal blood in me. I think our Country sets an example for Kosovo in that (finally) we were willing to grant what was
rightfully belonging to the Inuit people. I realize it isn't much but considering the way the world works, I think it is a BIG step and a very civilized step.

I applaud you and am VERY proud to be part of this Country.

However, I am not proud of our actions in Kosovo. I realize that politics, especially World Politics, is mind boggling and complicated and not for the average person at all. The weight of this issue must be tremendous on our leaders at this time and I do not make my comments lightly and without that knowledge and understanding even as a lehperson.

I am writing you email from my rocketmail web address because, I, a Canadian born citizen, am scared of my own Government. I am afraid of possible reprocussions for myself and my family because I am writing about something so serious. I am afraid because my Government is making war in a non-sensical way to me. I am afraid because I can SEE with my own
two eyes that we are being lied to through the media and therefore I cannot trust my own Government.

I expect this from the United States but I do not expect it from my own government. I didn't vote Liberal in the last election but I fast became very pleased with having you as our Prime Minister, Mr. Chretien. I think you lend class and intelligence to our Country, regardless of any disagreements we would have on some National issues.

Now I have become very disillusioned with my Government. I am angry and feel helpless that you have chosen to comply with the United States' call for NATO troops to bomb Serbian and Albanian civilians and those lives can never come back again..... sorry won't do it this time.

Historic buildings, ancient orthodox churches, government buildings are being bombed by US! We are Canadians and that stands for something very unique, even from Americans. I don't have to tell you this but isn't it wierd that I feel I must remind you of this?

The Serbian citizens in Toronto are being attacked verbally... I'm talking about Canadian citizens of Serbian descent and heritage. This is COMPLETELY unacceptable.

I feel at the very least, that our Prime Minister should come out publically and offer some sort of condolences to our Serbian-Canadian citizens (of which I am not) and offer guidance to those who are not of Serbian origins to make it clear that treating our own citizens and guests this way is completely unacceptable and intolerable by our government of Canada.

I know you can't be responsible for each individual's actions in this country but I DO hold you and our government responsible for the propeganda we are inundated with which results in this sort of behaviour.

I know we don't live in a "perfect world" but I do not feel I am being unrealistic when I say that it is still what we should be striving towards to get as CLOSE as possible. There is no excuse in my eyes, that can absolve our government of this behaviour.

Besides dealing with our Serbian-Canadians' problem here at home, I ask that you CEASE the bombing and pull our troops out. I realize that this request seems unrealistic to you but I must register my objections.

I do not advocate complacency in any matter, but I also do not advocate violent measures undertaken by a Country such as ours, that has been well respected by the rest of the world. How can it come to a point where I do not support my Country's foreign actions
nor do I support our army being anywhere near there except in a humanitarian and peaceful way.

I am of Palestinian descent, my father came to this country in the 60's and this is the first time I have ever written a letter to the Prime Minister in my life. I didn't even write you when Arabs were being persecuted.

I was part of the MuchMusic "Intimate and Interactive" when you were first elected as Prime Minister and I was the one asking you about daycare (which was not my choice of question, it was asked of me by CITYTV).

I am writing you now to ask two things:

Of course I will never live long enough or have the inclination to embark on finding out the REAL truth but my guess is that this is not about the tragedy of the Kosovar Albanians and is more likely about American domination of the world. Put simply, I figure that the Americans wish to make an American branch in Europe and that the British are riding their coattails to become the "Office Managers" of the European office of the United States. What does
that make us? Glorified security guards?

I don't want any part of this and I submit to you that this is bad for Canada both inside and outside.

Please, stop the aggression from our Country. I KNOW this is bigger than all of us and I'm sure it's planned by a round table of little old men who don't even get elected, rather they sit and plan these things for decades as the elected officials come and go and they never worry about losing their jobs.

It's not our role in the world to be aggressors, not unless we are defending our Country... and I for one am not fooled by most of the propeganda trying to villify Serbs OR that we are even there to defend the Kosovar people as they were being very peaceful about it and it is THEIR battle. We could have helped them in a peaceful way instead of offering ultimatums that we KNEW was going to get a rise from Milosovec.

Please, stop this now.

Kathleen
Toronto, Ontario

one female child, eight, very impressionable.