Alyn WareReceives WFMCPeace Award

Also in this issue:•Canada’s Flawed Cluster Munitions Law•1 for 7 Billion: The Campaign to Find the Best UN Leader•The Need to Extend the Globalization of Justice•Review: “The Shifts and the Shocks: What we’ve learned - and have still to learn - from the financial crisis” •What Canada Should Be Saying at the United Nations •Every Casualty of Armed Conflict Counts•Prosecuting Sexual and Gender-based Crimes •UN’s Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals:

a “transformative change”?•Ventotene International Seminar on Federalism•Time for a UN Spring• ICC Update and Branch News

DE C EM B E R

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Building a world community

Published in Canada by the World Federalists, a non-profit organization that advocates more just and effectiveglobal governance through the application of the principles of democratic federalism to world affairs.

www.worldfederalistscanada.org

e World Federalist Movement – Canada’s 2014World Peace Award was presented to Alyn Wareat a ceremony December 2 in Ottawa. e awardwas presented at the time of the annual meetingof the Canadian Network to Abolish NuclearWeapons (CNANW).

Alyn Ware is a New Zealand bornpolitical analyst, nucleardisarmament expert, peaceeducator and nuclear abolitioncampaigner. Currently based inSwitzerland, he is co-founder of anumber of organizations,networks and initiativesincluding:Abolition 2000 Global Networkto Eliminate Nuclear Weapons –which has grown to include morethan 2000 organizations in over90 countries;World Court Project whichachieved a decision from theInternational Court of Justice in1996 on the illegality of the threator use of nuclear weapons;Middle Powers Initiative whichhas brought together influential

governments to advance a nuclear disarmamentframework in multilateral forums;Model Nuclear Weapons Convention which hasbeen circulated by the UN Secretary-General as aguide to nuclear disarmament negotiations; Nuclear Abolition Forum, a website andperiodical to facilitate dialogue on the process toachieve and sustain a nuclear-weapons-free world; Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferationand Disarmament, a global network of influentialparliamentarians from around the world, forwhich Alyn serves as the Global Coordinator;Basel Peace Office, which brings together keyinternational and Swiss organizations to advancethe security of a nuclear-weapons-free world.

e award presentation included approximately 20Canadian nuclear disarmament activists andWorld Federalists meeting at an Ottawa hotel, anda skype connection with Alyn Ware inSwitzerland. Upon receiving the award his remarksincluded the following:“Well I’m really floored to be receiving this award.When I see the names of so many of the previousrecipients, so many well-known individuals, it’s areal honour for me to be among this sort ofcompany. I’m very grateful.I don’t know whether those in the room are aware,but it was the World Federalists that gave me mystart in nuclear disarmament activism. In 1988 Iwas flying back from the Soviet Union, stopped inNew York at the UN Church Center where so manyNGO offices are located and saw the sign for theWorld Federalists. I asked for a short interviewand met two Canadians, Kit Pineau and DieterHeinrich, who were staffing the WFMinternational office at the time. ree hours laterthey had given me a desk in the corner of the officeand off we went. As I’m trained as an educator, Iworked on the “Planet in Every Classroom”project, a global education effort targetingschoolteachers. I also did lobbying related to theUN’s Dra Code of Crimes Against Peacediscussions, which were just getting underway atthat time. e dra code eventually formed part ofthe legal underpinning for the InternationalCriminal Court.Over the years my nuclear disarmament workoen criss-crossed with projects the WorldFederalists were working on. In the 90s, when thenuclear disarmament community was pushing theWorld Court Project, i.e. getting the InternationalCourt of Justice to rule on the illegality of nuclearweapons, Bill Pace had strong connections withgovernments that were part of the Non-AlignedMovement, working to implement the UN Decadeof International Law. Bill was a big help with ourwork getting a number of NAM governments tojoin and take part in the case at the ICJ.

December 2014

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Alyn Ware ReceivesWFMC Peace Award

We also collaborated on the 1999 Hague Appeal forPeace, a massive international conference involvingover 10,000 civil society activists from around theworld.ese days my work here at the Basel Peace Officemainly involves supporting the ParliamentaryNetwork for Nuclear Disarmament – andcongratulations by the way on the successfulmeeting earlier today with Canadianparliamentarians. But I’ve also taken out amembership in the Swiss World Federalists, whohave been helpful both with our office in Basel andsome of our Geneva-based work.

Most recently Bill Pace was a guest speaker at anevent we organized at the UN, the launch of theUNFOLD ZERO, a platform to promote UN-focusedinitiatives leading to nuclear disarmament. Welaunched the campaign September 26, the new UNDay for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.As a world federalist, Bill spoke on the UN’scollective security system as a necessary complementto the disarmament process, which is an importantpart of the vision of a nuclear-free world, but onethat many in the disarmament movement neglect.”

December 2014

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On November 6, the Canadian government’s bill toimplement the Convention on Cluster Munitions(CCM) received royal assent and became law. Cluster munitions are weapons that release hundredsof bomblets (submunitions) that have a knownharmful impact on populations because of their wideexplosive footprint upon delivery from aircra orartillery, but especially because of their high failurerate. Unexploded submunitions are scatteredbroadly, and can be detonated by unknowingcivilians who walk by. Children are an estimatedone-third of all victims.e treaty is designed to stop all use, production,transfer, and stockpiling of this weapon. However, thenew Canadian law includes language that effectivelyundermines the text and spirit of the treaty. It includesnumerous “exceptions” that permit Canadian soldiersto enable and assist in the use of cluster munitionswhile in combined operations with allies, such as theUnited States, that have not signed the treaty. Similar language was not used in Canada’simplementing legislation for the Landmines treaty.e version of the implementing legislation adoptedNovember 6 reflects longstanding divisions betweenCanada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and theDepartment of National Defence (DND). In thisinstance the government sided with legal viewspresented by DND.

e Cluster Munition Coalition (the internationalban coalition), and Mines Action Canada, along withthe World Federalist Movement – Canada, haverepeatedly encouraged the government to consideramendments to align the lawwith the treaty language. Wewere not successful. WFM-Corganized two letters signed byinternational legal experts andformer Canadian disarmamentambassadors underscoring theincompatibility of theCanadian legislation with theConvention. Warren Allmand, President ofWFMC, pointed out that “eresult is a disappointment.Canada is setting a badexample internationally. Our precedent will make iteasier for other governments to write in similarloopholes. It could seriously undermine the treaty.Despite this setback, we are encouraged that all theopposition parties opposed the legislation, agreedwith international and Canadian critics, and votedagainst passage.”Campaigners will press for changes to the legislationat a later date, and when a new Canadiangovernment is able to take a fresh look at the law andremove the problematic sections.

Canada’s Flawed ClusterMunitions Law

Recently launched, “1 for 7 Billion” is a globalcampaign supported by organizations andindividuals committed to greater transparency inthe selection of the next UN Secretary-General (SG).e campaign's informal steering committee iscomprised of Avaaz, United Nations Association -UK and World Federalist Movement - Institute forGlobal Policy.

Interest in the campaign’s objective is high and therehas been coverage in the New York Times, theGuardian and other mainstream media outlets.e UN Secretary-General plays a crucial role intackling global challenges and improving the lives ofseven billion people. Currently, procedures aredominated by the permanent members of the UNSecurity Council.

In an article forthe WFMC “UNand Canada”publication,former CanadianAmbassador tothe UN, AllanRocksummarized theproblem: “eprocess forselecting the SGis sadly lacking.ere is noagreed list ofqualifications, no

search committee to identify prospects, no vetting ofpotential candidates and little testing of their viewsand aptitudes – either by the Security Council or theGeneral Assembly – before the final selection ismade.” e UN Charter provides for the SG to be elected bythe General Assembly (GA) on the recommendationof the Security Council. is seems to suggest a

mature and deliberative process between the twoprincipal bodies of the UN. In reality, however, theSecurity Council simply announces its choicefollowing secret deliberations and then expects theGA automatically to approve it as a formality – anexpectation that the GA has, regrettably, fulfilled oneach such occasion in the past.

Current Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s term in office will end inDecember 2016. Discussionsregarding possible candidates havealready begun. e campaign would like to see the

selection process for the next UN SG includeprinciples such as being based on formal criteria andqualifications, grounded in best practice on equalityand diversity, and transparent to both the wider UNmembership and civil society.Alongside the campaign there is a growingmovement to select (for the first time) a woman asSecretary-General.In order to reflect these practices, the 1 for 7 Billioncampaign proposes ten achievable and necessaryreforms that would not require an amendment tothe UN Charter. ese reforms include advertisingthe position and its qualifications in all countries(and including a closing date for nominations); aformal list of selection criteria; a clear timetable forthe process; a published list of candidates at the endof the nomination phase; each candidate wouldrelease a document stating their policy priorities; aseries of open sessions of the General Assembly sothat member states, as well as the public and themedia, can examine the candidates; and the term ofthe Secretary-General should be limited to a singleseven year term.Individuals and organizations are encouraged tosupport the campaign’s demands for a fair, open andinclusive process by signing up at 1for7billion.org,where the campaign's full platform is also available.

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1 for 7 Billion: The Campaignto Find the Best UN Leader

e campaign would like to see the selection process for thenext UN SG include principles such as being [...] transparentto both the wider UN membership and civil society.

Ban Ki-moon coming tothe end of his second 5year term as Secretary

General

A brief introduction to the Campaign towards thecreation of a Latin American Criminal Courtagainst Transnational Organized Crimeis past September 43 students vanished from arural college in the Southern Mexican state ofGuerrero. ey were handed by the police to thecriminal group “Guerreros Unidos” aer beingarrested before a presumed protest in Iguala. Sincethe disappearances, many clandestine graves havebeen found in the area. Some members of the druggang have admitted to the massacre and relativesand citizens all over the country are once moretaking to the streets and demanding accountabilityfrom their government. 43 is an alarming number, but not compared to the33,000 people that have gone missing since the“drug war” started in the country approximately8 years ago (around 22,000 on official lists). And although the state of affairs in Mexico isunsustainable, it is not isolated from what therest of the continent has been struggling with.Latin America, already considered the mostunequal region in the world, now also holds the titleof most violent region, as stated by the UnitedNations 2013 Global Study on Homicide. Accordingto this research, organized crime and related activityaccounts for 30% of all deaths in the region,compared to less than one percent in Asia, Europeand Oceania. In addition, only 24% of reportedhomicides result in a conviction (half the globalaverage). is, of course, is related to the corruptionin basic civic institutions such as police forces. Organized crime, in an alarming variety of shapesand forms, impacts every aspect of the lives of LatinAmerican citizens. Human, drug and armstrafficking are common practice. Citizens are tiredand outraged by what seem to be the only two waysin which governments address these issues:complicity or inaction. ere is a permanent aura ofinsecurity within society. Latin America needs toaddress this tremendous problem in a real andpowerful way; but above all, in a regional,collaborative way. A year ago, the Argentine NGO Democracia Global,working towards regional integration and the

democratization of supranational institutions in theregion for over a decade, decided to raise thequestion: How about advocating for a regionalmechanism to judge transnational organizedcrimes? How about using the example of theCoalition for the International Criminal Court todevelop an institution to define and prosecute thosecrimes that were not included in the Rome Statute? In 2013, during the 5th annual Altiero SpinelliSymposium in Buenos Aires, the idea of thiscampaign started to grow by hosting a panel ofseveral law academics and civil society leadersinvolved in human rights campaigns. is wasfollowed by several meetings in Peru, Colombia,Chile, Mexico and Argentina (and many more tocome in the next months) where NGOs, political

leaders, academics and human rights´ activists werecalled together to dra ideas, suggestions andpossibilities towards the creation of the COPLA(Spanish acronym for Latin American CriminalCourt against Transnational Organized Crime). Afurther set of conferences at the 2014 SpinelliSymposium, and the recent support of the WorldFederalist Movement (passing a resolution on thetopic at its 2014 Council) helped shape the projectin a broader and stronger way.COPLA: How would it work? What would it do?e Court’s main purpose should be to overcomethe judicial weaknesses that national systems havedemonstrated (traditionally focused on prosecutingthe weakest members on the criminal pyramid,filling prisons without having any real impact on thealleviation of insecurity). e Court shall insteadfocus on:1) International prosecution of the highest membersof the criminal groups, usually unpunished orprotected by networks of judicial and politicalcomplicity.

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The Need to Extend theGlobalization of Justice Florencia Gor Florencia Gor

is thePresident ofDemocraciaGlobal since2013.

e Court’s main purpose should be to overcome thejudicial weaknesses that national systems havedemonstrated

2) e confiscation of goods from thoseorganizations: an extraordinarily efficient measuretowards the limitation of their resources, previouslyapplied successfully in several countries. In order to establish itself as an effective agency inthe fight against transnational organized crime, theCourt would be expected to contribute to:

the articulation and improvement of nationallegislations on these crimes;the creation of mechanisms towards moretransparent national political systems;the collaboration and exchange of informationbetween police, armed forces and other agencies;international coordination and cooperation;the construction of a regionally organized systemfor protecting witnesses and civil society activists,who would otherwise be vulnerable to retaliation;general awareness of the importance of this issuewithin society and among leaders.

e International Criminal Court can work as amodel and a guide for NGOs all across the region tounderstand how to unite efforts and work together tobuild a Coalition that can promote and shape afuture Court. e success of such a Court to judge transnationalcrimes would reinforce states’ capacity to exerciselocal power, currently undermined by criminalnetworks.Fortunately, the majority of countries in the regionare signatories to the Rome Statute and have

recognized this and several other norms ofinternational law as part of their nationalconstitutions. In addition, most of them have ratifiedthe United Nations Convention AgainstTransnational Organized Crime (UNTOC, PalermoConvention, 2000) and its three supplementaryProtocols, which define the core crimes (includingthe participation in an organized criminal group,money laundering from crime economies, humantrafficking, political corruption, and the fabricationand distribution of illegal firearms). All these willserve as valuable precedent for the draing of theCOPLA statute. A regional strategy to confront regionally organizedcrime is urgently needed. It could have a positiveimpact on regional integration for confronting othereconomic, political, and social issues. It couldbecome the decisive element to prevent a futureotherwise defined by underdevelopment andcriminality in the region. Ultimately, it could alsomake the case for the creation of an InternationalCourt of its type. From international organizations to political parties,judicial sectors and the academia, think tanks,NGOs, and religious groups - all organizations,governments and democratic citizens of LatinAmerica need to actively engage in its creation. For questions, suggestions and support pleasecontact info@democraciaglobal.org.ar

Florencia Gor, President of Democracia Global since2013, has recently moved to Winnipeg.

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Published by the World Federalist Foundation (WFF) and the WorldFederalist Movement – Canada (WFMC). e World FederalistFoundation is a Canadian Revenue Agency registered charitableorganization (reg. #:123998957RR0001). e World Federalist Movement– Canada is a national non-profit membership organization that advocatesmore just and effective global governance through the application of theprinciples of democratic federalism to world affairs. e WFMC Presidentis the Hon. Warren Allmand. WFMC is a member organization of theinternational World Federalist Movement (WFM), which includes worldfederalist organizations in 24 countries around the world.

Articles the World Federalist Foundation is responsible for are “e needto extend the globalization of justice,” “Martin Wolf ’s ‘e Shis and theShocks,” “Every Casualty of Armed Conflict Counts,” “Prosecutingsexual and gender-based crimes,” “Ventotene International Seminar onFederalism” and “UN’s Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals: a‘transformative change’?”

Material is not copyrighted. Submissions are welcome.

Il nous fera plaisir de publier les articles présentés en français.

ISSN number: 1488-612X

Mondial’s editorial working group: Leonard Angel, Robin Collins,Monique Cuillerier, Karen Hamilton, Simon Rosenblum, Fergus Watt

World Federalist Movement – Canada323 Chapel Street, Unit 110

Ottawa, ON K1N 7Z2

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Martin Wolf, the longtime chief economiccommentator for the Financial Times of London, haswritten a terribly important new book - a brilliant tourde horizon of the global economy - which I stronglysuspect will be required reading in government financeministries throughout the world. He not only - asothers have done - shows how excessive financialliberalization contributed mightily to the 2008recession. He also demonstrates that financialorthodoxy - thanks to the excessively optimisticProfessor Panglosses of the world - has brought theworld economy to the brink of global deflation. Heargues persuasively that we are far from being out ofthe woods and without a dramatic reversal of policymay yet risk future and even deeper crises.Wolf sees the crisis as more than a financial crisis.(More on that below.) Echoing the views of others, hesees the banking systems of most higher incomecountries as having been heavily undercapitalized andhence a disaster waiting to happen. Jumping ahead fora moment he acknowledges that the Basel III reformsare now making the financial system more robust butbelieves that the new capital reserve rules are stillinsufficient. I contrast his opinion with that of MarkCarney, the head of the Financial Stability Board andGovernor of the Bank of England, who believes thatthe new rules, if taken together and implementedproperly, would “substantially complete the job offixing the fault lines that led to the crash.” I am in noposition to adjudicate their difference of opinion.But Wolf ’s concerns go much deeper than the issue ofinsufficient bank capital. e fundamental drivers ofinstability he argues are excessive debt creation, globalimbalances (evidenced by saving gluts in countries likeChina and Germany), deepening economic inequalityand a poorly designed eurozone monetary union.Space here does not permit an examination of all theseissues but collectively these global mismatches areresulting in a significant gap in the effective economicdemand necessary for a sustainable recovery. To add considerable insult to these injuries the leaders

of the major industrialized nations have disastrouslymisread the crisis and its aermath. e stimulus givento the global economy was cut short way too soon.From the Toronto Summit of June 2010 the higherincome nations shied away from strong counter-cyclical actions towards austerity. What may haveseemed responsible action to address the deficit/debtsituation of individual countries was collectively acolossal disaster grinding down the wheels of theglobal economy. To his credit Martin Wolf is not shy in proposingsolutions to the problems that he identifies. Whileacknowledging that there are no quick fixes, hisprescriptions include:

Creation of an international reserve currency issuedby a supranational bank.Making the eurozone into a proper banking union,with a form of fiscal union, issuing eurobonds.Reversing austerity economic policies.Moving away from a financial system based onbank-based credit to a one hundred per cent reservebanking system where credit is the responsibility ofcentral banks.

Some of these are heady stuff indeed and notsufficiently explained and explored by Mr Wolf. Alldeserve a closer look. Notwithstanding Martin Wolf ’s concern about privatedebt levels, his readers remain very much in his debtfor this major contribution to understanding our stateof economic affairs. He is not afraid to change hismind from time to time. He has written a powerfulindictment of the global economy, accompanied by acall for radical reform. It is a convincing analysis ofwhy we are likely to be on a path towards furthertrouble. e final words belong to him: Our open world economy could end in the fire…. Wewill need both more globalization and less - more globalregulation and cooperation, and more freedom forindividual countries to cra their own responses to thepressures of a globalizing world.

December 2014

page 7BOOK   R E V I EW

THE SHIFTS AND THE SHOCKSWhat We’ve Learned - and

Have Still to Learn - From theFinancial CrisisBy Martin Wolf

Illustrated. 466 pp. PenguinPress.

Martin Wolf’s “The Shifts and the Shocks”

Simon Rosenblum

SimonRosenblum isa member ofthe WFMCExecutiveCommittee.

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Until the arrival of the government of StephenHarper, Canada had played an active, leading role atthe United Nations. Since its founding, Canada hasbeen one of the UN’s great champions. A Canadian,Prof. John Humphrey, was the principal architect ofthe Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.Canadian diplomacy has supported the broadeningof membership in the UN, decolonization, North-South Dialogue, the Rio Summit on Environmentand Development, negotiations to halt ozone layerdepletion and acid rain, and efforts to end apartheidin South Africa. More recent Canadian initiativesinclude campaigns to ban land mines and curtail thetrade in blood diamonds, the establishment of theInternational Criminal Court, and orchestratingawareness of the plight of child soldiers. But Canada did not just go along with the wave. Wehave never thought the UN was a perfect institution.Canadians have always tried to improve and reformthe UN. Former Prime Minister Lester Pearson wonthe Nobel Peace Prize for his work introducingpeacekeeping to the UN. For years we worked to

improve the openness of the Security Council. Morerecently, Canada funded the Commission thatcreated the idea of the international community’s‘Responsibility to Protect’ citizens. “R2P” is slowlyreconstituting notions of sovereignty so that theworld can get on with modernizing internationalrelations. Canada has been an active and successfulplayer at the UN because of our understanding ofdiplomacy and of international politics.is is no longer the case. Too oen the governmentof Canada is undermining the UN and globalcooperation. For the past two years the WorldFederalists have published a collection of shortessays on, “e United Nations and Canada: What

Canada has done and should be doing at the UnitedNations.” ese efforts have helped lead to anunderstanding among Canadians that our role inthe world is not what it once was. We should notclaim too much, but it is arguable that aer all themedia coverage of the World Federalist’s 2013volume, the Prime Minister did manage to make hisway to the UN in 2014.With the 2014 version of the UN and Canadaproject we aimed to look ahead, to focus not on thesins of the present administration, but rather whatCanada could do to “get back in the game.” Some ofthe key ideas from the 2014 edition are summarizedbelow.Elements of a new Canadian agenda at the UNStarting with first principles, how should Canadaunderstand “the national interest”? If one of agovernment’s primary responsibilities is to protectits own interests in the world, the current snubbingof the United Nations by Canada is difficult tounderstand. In a world of globalized economic risk,

political and security crises,interlinked environmentaland health effects, along withongoing humanitarian crisesand pressing developmentneeds, it has become virtually

impossible for any one government to stand alone ifit wishes to influence global events and decisions.e Canadian government has fallen into the trap ofpreaching self-interest in a narrow ‘what’s good forCanada’ sense. But self-interest properly understoodmeans appreciating that the self-interest of others –the global good – is in fact a precondition for one’sown ultimate well-being.Canada must work with other countries to protectglobal human rights. No country or coalition can doit alone. But such protection must start at home andthe Harper Government must stop sneering atvisiting UN rapporteurs who criticize our record –as they do in all countries.

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What Canada Should BeSaying at the United NationsJohn Trent

As a country which requires a peaceful world in which to pursue its trade anddiplomacy Canada, [...] should be taking the lead in using the Responsibilityto Protect principles to prevent conflicts as well as to protect populations.

John Trent isis the

chairpersonof WFM-Canada.

In 2015, the leaders of all politicalparties are summoned to hold afederal leader’s debate on women’sissues to demonstrate theircommitment to domestic andinternational women’s human rights,including sexual and reproductivehealth, prior to the next election.A great many issues crucial for thefuture of the world are currentlybeing debated by the United Nationsas it sets a new goals framework forpost-2015 Sustainable Development.But Canada has been late to join thisdebate. A newly created UN HighLevel Political Forum on SustainableDevelopment will be responsible foroverseeing implementation of thepost-2015 goals. Canada should beheavily engaged to ensureaccountability and results for thepost-2015 agenda.Pressure is growing for Canada to overcome itsreputation as a climate change pariah. Canadacould start by working toward meeting thegreenhouse gas reduction targets it agreed to inCopenhagen in 2009.e United Nations has the primary internationalresponsibility for protecting world peace andsecurity. As a country which requires a peacefulworld in which to pursue its trade and diplomacyCanada, instead of abandoning its leadership role,should be taking the lead in using theResponsibility to Protect principles to preventconflicts as well as to protect populations.ere is a growing need for blue helmets. We oughtto help the UN meet growing demand byrevitalizing the peacekeeping skills of the CanadianForces. is would provide a sense of renewed pridein our country’s contribution to a more peacefulworld. Other NATO countries are re-engaging withUN peacekeeping. Canada should as well.To help prevent and respond rapidly to armedconflict, a permanent UN Emergency Peace Servicewould strengthen UN capacities. Intended as a firstresponder, effectively a multifunctional ‘UN 911’, itwould allow the UN to move peacekeepers into thefield quickly, in the critical first few monthsfollowing a Security Council mandate.

In 2010 Canadian parliamentarians adopted an all-party motion to support the UN Secretary-General’s Five-Point Plan for Nuclear Disarmament.Canada should take this as direction for futuregovernment policy.

A challenge for member states is to find ways tostrengthen the UN’s response to growinghumanitarian needs. In the summer of 2014,response to United Nations appeals were running atabout 39% of requirements.

Finally, it should be remembered that the UN hasoen demonstrated its capacity to renew itself.Canada must invest time and energy in this process.Brow-beating does not work. Good old diplomacydoes. A good example would be reforming theantiquated process for selecting the UN Secretary-General. It requires formal criteria, a searchcommittee and a systematic approach.

But Canada must go further in reforminginternational institutions. A forward lookinggovernment would make rethinking the UnitedNations a central program of the Department ofForeign Affairs and give it the resources required tofind partners for this ambitious global task. IfCanada wants a better UN, it should lead the way toreform it.

This article about WFMC's UNand Canada project bringstogether some of the keyrecommendations from thebook, The United Nations andCanada: What Canada hasdone and should be doing atthe United Nations (2014edition).

The complete book is availablefor download atunitednationsandcanada.orgAs well, paper copies areavailable for purchase ($12)(http://unitednationsandcanada.org/orders/)

December 2014

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ere have always been efforts to penetrate the “fog ofwar,” to determine the numbers of those victimizedby war. One prominent tally was the Iraq Body Countproject, “the public record of violent deaths followingthe 2003 invasion of Iraq.” Numbers from differentsources ranged widely but Body Count tried to checkclaims against evidence. e result was a morecredible count of civilian and combatant deaths (now202,000) that was disturbing enough, even if somewere missed. e goal was not to identify people byname, but to underline the carnage of theintervention, and war. Today, the numbers rise in Syria, and have topped200,000 (the UN estimate). Every number has a face,and perhaps rounding off obscures that. Better to say,“more than 200,001”?In recent years, authors of the Iraq Body Countproject came together with the Oxford ResearchGroup, and began to professionalize the counting ofcasualties, including by combining data from manyseparate efforts around the world. ey wanted tobuild a new norm that highlighted each victimizedindividual, and thereby raise public awareness. Human dignity is considered to be the entitlement ofeveryone, be she or he a civilian or soldier (and thereare debates on this), an ally or enemy. But why dothis? Part of the motivation is to refocus on theinherent injustice of armed conflict. It is not a greatleap from there to advocacy for greater emphasis onconflict reduction and prevention.A new norm may be emerging, but the EveryCasualty group underlines that existing internationalinstruments already provide legal underpinning forthe necessity to better document war’s victims.International Humanitarian Law (IHL), “the laws ofwar”, and International Human Rights Law requirethat combatants be distinguished from civilians andthat armed forces make every effort to reduce harmand unnecessary suffering. However, withoutaccurate numbers of casualties, putting faces tostatistical estimates, how do we know whether states,rebels or armed groups are living up to existing law?

Susan Breau and Rachel Joyce in their 2011discussion paper for the Oxford Research Group(“e Legal Obligation to Record Civilians Casualtiesof Armed Conflict”) disclosed that in all conflictsefforts need to be made to search for the missing,collect all casualties, return remains unspoiled, burythe dead with dignity and not in mass graves, recordburial locations and register all graves. By notrecording casualties we enable conflicting parties toavoid prosecution. Without closure, grieving andenraged victims’ families and societies are providedfuel for fresh hostility that can prolong or regenerateconflict. e International Criminal Court also needsreliable data about casualties when it prosecutesviolators of the Rome Statute.While the Every Casualty program (as of this year astandalone project separated from the Oxfordorganization) contributes to the tallying, theresponsibility legally lies with the government ofrespective states involved in armed conflict. States areheld to account through a variety of mechanisms thatrange from the case law of the European Court ofHuman Rights, to the work of the InternationalCommittee of the Red Cross’s Study on CustomaryInternational Humanitarian Law, to reports ofadvocacy groups such as the InternationalCommission on Missing Persons, AmnestyInternational and Human Rights Watch. A Casualty Recorders Network, coordinated by theprogram, has been in operation to encouragereporting, and to develop best practices amongpractitioners. About 60 civil society organizations,including WFM-Canada, have been brought togetherin support of the Charter for the Recognition ofEvery Casualty of Armed Violence, launched in 2011.e Charter goals are to record, identify and thenpublicize the identities of conflict casualties.e four Geneva Conventions are the primary guides(and pertain to the conditions of wounded and sicksoldiers in the field and at sea, treatment of prisonersof war, and treatment of civilians during wartime).e associated Additional Protocols deal withprotection of victims of conflict, and civilians. And in

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Every Casualty of ArmedConflict Counts Robin CollinsRobin Collins

is a memberof theExecutiveCommitteeof WFMC

December 2014

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1974 the UN General Assembly called for action to“facilitate the disinterment and the return ofremains” if requested by families. e UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights, in its preamble alsorecognizes “the inherent dignity and worth of thehuman person.”Should this body ofinternational law and ongoingmonitoring of casualties befocussed to create acomprehensive single legalinstrument? Maybe so. International obligationsshould at least be set out in military manuals. Civilsociety groups working in this area also need corefunding. It’s not easy to fact check, browsebattlefields, and record casualties precisely, but it’simportant. An international instrument would focusattention and resources on the problem. For example, according to one widely quoted studyby Handicap International, civilians were estimated

to constitute 98% of cluster munition victims. atstudy was a piece of what eventually moved policymakers against one group of unreliable weapons. efact that the world had this conversation at all (andsubsequently developed a new treaty) is tangibleevidence of change to our normative structures.

But it’s not only about the ratio of civilian casualtiesto combatants; it’s also the idea of acknowledgingeach and every casualty, his or her name, a face, aunique human identity. e Every Casualty programgenerates capacity to record the human effects of warat the very basic blood and tissue level, friend or foe.is is both a challenge to how war is carried out,but also, broadly speaking, to the appropriateness ofwar itself.

A new norm may be emerging, but the Every Casualty group underlines thatexisting international instruments already provide legal underpinning for thenecessity to better document war’s victims.

Sexual and gender-based crimes are difficult toprosecute and secure convictions for under anyconditions. When they are committed as acts ofgenocide, crimes against humanity, or warcrimes -- and are dealt with as part of theinternational justice system -- the situation iseven more fraught and complicated. However,the past year has seen positive steps takentoward improving the documentation,investigation, and prosecution of such crimes.When individual countries lack the capacity todo so, the International Criminal Court (ICC)investigates and prosecutes sexual and gender-based crimes within the context of genocide,crimes against humanity and war crimes. Infact, six of the eight situations currently underinvestigation at the Court include charges forgender-based crimes. However, there have yetto be any convictions on sexual or gender-basedcharges. (In fact, there has only been oneconviction to date on any charges whatsoever).

A good summary of the gender dimensions ofthe specific situations and cases at the Court isfound in the Gender Report Card on theInternational Criminal Court produced eachyear by Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice .e Report Card also addresses issues faced byvictims and witnesses, as well as structural andorganizational issues within the ICC.e Prosecutor of the ICC, Fatou Bensouda, hasrecognized the importance of appropriatelyaddressing sexual and gender-based crimes --and the challenges involved in the effectiveinvestigation and prosecution of them -- bymaking it one of the key strategic goals in theOffice of the Prosecutor (OTP)'s Strategic Planfor 2012-2015. e Plan’s strategic goal three:"enhance the integration of a gender perspectivein all areas of our work and continue to payparticular attention to sexual and gender basedcrimes and crimes against children."

Prosecuting Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes Monique Cuillerier Monique

Cuillerier isWFM-Canada’sMembership &CommunicationsDirector

In June of this year, Bensouda published aPolicy Paper on Sexual and Gender-BasedCrimes. e policy paper explicitlyacknowledges the gravity of sexual and gender-based crimes and acknowledges the need toapply a gender analysis to all crimes within theCourt's jurisdiction. e policy paper is veryspecific in noting that it wishes to identify howthe crimes it investigates are related toinequality between women and men, as well asdifferential power relationships. ere is also arecognition of the challenges that are particular

to such crimes, including under- or non-reporting, the stigma victims face, and limitedinvestigations and the resulting lack ofevidence.Also in June, in London, the UK governmentconvened a Global Summit to End SexualViolence in Conflict. At the Summit, anInternational Protocol on the Documentationand Investigation of Sexual Violence inConflict, subtitled "Basic Standards of BestPractice on the Documentation of SexualViolence as a Crime under International Law"was presented. e protocol includes standardsfor preliminary considerations, planning,identifying survivors and witnesses,interviewing and physical and documentaryevidence.

ere have been concerns in the past regardingthe balance struck between the ICC's push toget cases to trial in a timely manner andpursuing the full range of crimes that may havetaken place in a given situation. Too oen, ithas been felt, gender-based crimes have notbeen thoroughly pursued as a result of thedifficulties in investigation and evidence-gathering peculiar to these types of crimes. Itcan only be hoped that the best practices ofevidence gathering promoted by the Protocolwill be more universally adopted -- and thereby

improve the ICC’s capacity tosuccessfully prosecute sexualand gender-based crimes.e Policy Paper is also clearlyintended to address this,although how much of an effectit will have in practice is stillopen to debate. is fall, closing argumentswere heard in the ICC’s caseagainst Jean-Pierre Bemba, theformer Congolese vice-president, who has facedcharges of crimes againsthumanity and war crimes forevents that took place in theCentral African Republic. ecase is significant both forfocusing on rape as a weapon ofwar and of prosecuting Bemba,not for ordering the mass rapes

and sexual assaults, but for not stopping them.(is is the first time the Court has applied this'command responsibility' concept to charges.)Brigid Inder, the executive director of theWomen's Initiatives for Gender Justice, isquoted in a recent article from Al Jazeera, assaying, "We hope this case will change thatrecord and usher in a new era of accountabilityfor sexual violence before the ICC." A verdict isexpected next year.With the introduction of new tools -- andgreater interest and attention on the issue -- wecan hope that future prosecutions will arisefrom a thorough gender analysis combinedwith improved investigative and evidence-gathering techniques.

December 2014

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International Criminal Courtprosecutor prosecutor FatouBensouda addresses theSecurity Council in October

December 2014

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Young world federalists are not in zoos or inthe private collections of millionaires. I metmany this summer on a small Italian island.e 31st International Seminar on Federalismwas held this year, as it is every year, onVentotene. Spanning 300 m by 800 m, it sits offthe coast of Gaeta. It was here that AltieroSpinelli, a founding father of the EuropeanUnion, was imprisoned during the SecondWorld War for the last stint of his 16-yearsentence.e irony is that when Spinelli died in 1986,they shipped his corpse back to be interred onthe island. I paid a visit to his gravesite withsome others, and I thought something veryinspired must have happened on this island ifthey would do that to him. Spinelli, along withfellow inmate Ernesto Rossi, authoredthe Ventotene Manifesto while fascist Italy builtan empire and the world waged war.Entitled "Per un Europa libera e unita" (For afree and united Europe), the manifestoadvocates for a federation of European stateswhich could unite and forge new powerswithin an international democracy. oughSpinelli is applying this to Europe, he outlinesthe principles of federalism as tiers ofgovernment from regional to supranational.Like all European federalists I met, he is beingpractical about the philosophy, starting withEurope, but with the grand vision of a worldfederalist system.is vision is a lot more credible in aninternational gathering. I felt gratified to meetthoughtful people who were engaging with themovement. ere is an emotional idea to aglobal network. Even more so when it concernsitself with international justice, human rights,conflict prevention, climate change, nucleardisarmament and a range of what are veryprincipled, emotional topics.e participants were mostly associated withthe Union of European Federalists (UEF) andits youth counterpart, Young European

Federalists (JEF), from about a dozen countriesin Europe. ey were young people, whoranged in age from 18 to 30. Besides theEuropeans, Ventotene this year also attracteddelegates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, eUnited States, Argentina, and Israel. eseparticipants made the group debate a highlight.e main perk of the seminar, and probably itsraison d'être, is cycling through a variety oftopics with these regionally diverseparticipants.

Many seminar topics addressed the commonstruggles among European states, andtherefore, issues of the day, which could betackled by a stronger European federation. econtinent's widespread economic stagnation,regionally disparate levels of employment, andincreasingly hostile Western-Russian relationswere all recurring topics throughout theprogram. ese were typical fears and worriesof European federalists.While I adopted many of these fears andworries myself, they did provide a context todiscuss the application of a federalist system. Astronger economic and fiscal union could morecompetently address a pan-European economy.Having states specialize in certain industries isa federalist strategy to raise employment.Russia's annexation of Crimea inspired a few

Ventotene InternationalSeminar on Federalism Nic Baird Nic Baird

is a memberof WFM-Canada'sBoard.

Participants of the 31stInternational Seminar onFederalism in Vetotene, Italy

December 2014

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discussions on defense spending. While rampingup European militaries is controversial, researchand development is at least cheaper and moreefficient when it becomes a supranationalresponsibility.is examination of the European Union in itscurrent form conveys the solutions andchallenges of a federalist model. I valued thatmost of this analysis could be applied whenconsidering a world federalist model as well. Andwhile the content of the seminars oen had afocus on Europe, there were still several topics forglobal discourse, including “e Commitmentfor Global Democracy: e Campaign for aUnited Nations Parliamentary Assembly.”All attendees took a photo together for theUnited Nations Parliamentary Assembly(UNPA) campaign. e accompanying signread “World Parliament Now!” which indicatesthe goal of an elected body alongside theGeneral Assembly. Aer we le Ventotene,many of us took another “World Parliament

Now!” photo in our respective cities. eUNPA campaign's photos make up an around-the-world collage for democracy.It was four days aer the Ottawa WorldFederalists had taken our “World ParliamentNow!” photo, when Michael Zehaf-Bibeau crashed through Parliamentarysecurity. Aerwards I received messages fromthose I'd met who were alarmed by the event.ey asked if I was all right and if everyonewas safe. eir concern made me reflect on thesetransnational friendships. Ventotene hadprovided me an emotional connection to aworld federalist ideology. A world workingtogether for a shared standard of living isreached through empathy. Sometimes I get thesense that at its core, world federalism is anemotional argument. I believe the Ventoteneseminar to be worthwhile for connecting thepeople and the theory into one emotionalargument. It was a rewarding six days.

e United Nations is making steady progress in thedevelopment of the Post-2015 SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs). Following the Millennium Summit in 2000 the UNadopted the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), benchmarks that shaped developmentprogramming by governments and the UN systemfor the 2000 to 2015 period. e post-2015 exercise isdeveloping successor goals to the MDGs. e post-2015 discussions have been noteworthy fora number of developments, not least the sheer scaleof this global agenda-setting exercise. Consultationsinvolving governments, civil society, UN agencies,the business community and others have taken placeregionally and in over 100 countries around theworld. A UN Department of Public InformationNGO forum in August described the process as a“once-in-a-generation opportunity fortransformational change” in the internationalcommunity’s approach to development.is past year, a UN General Assembly “Open

Working Group” (OWG) was tasked withsynthesizing these many inputs into a dra goalsframework. It concluded its work this summer andthe OWG’s dra outcome document was adopted bygovernments in September and includes 17 suggestedgoals. Some of the characteristics that distinguish theproposed post-2015 goals from the previous MDGsinclude (a) greater emphasis on a human rights-based approach, aligning sustainable developmentprogramming more closely with universal humanrights obligations; and (b) the universal applicabilityof the psot-2015 goals. Unlike the MDGs, whichinvolved donor country programs to addressdevelopment challenges in less wealthy states (themore traditional North-South development lens), thecurrent process will apply to all countries, includingdeveloped countries – a recognition that there isinequality and poverty in all states. ese universallyadopted goals will be implemented according tonationally determined targets, aligned with eachstate’s circumstances.

UN’s Post-2015 Sustainable DevelopmentGoals: a “transformative change”?Fergus Watt

Fergus Wattis Executive

Director ofWorld

FederalistMovement –

Canada.

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However, there is still much to be decided inthe coming months, prior to the anticipatedSeptember 2015 adoption of the new goalsframework. By December 2014 or January2015 the UN Secretary-General will issue areport that will form the basis of GeneralAssembly discussions through the early partof 2015. In addition the President of theGeneral Assembly will convene a number ofhigh-level thematic discussions on means ofimplementing the post-2015 goals; genderequality and the empowerment of women;peaceful settlement of disputes andcoordination with regional organizations; andclimate change.17 goals, or fewer?In September, when governments adoptedthe OWG’s 17 goals, there were immediatesigns of divisions to come. In statementsfollowing the consensus decision, the Groupof 77 least developed states and China(G77/China), and the African Group, said theOWG report should not be reopened orrenegotiated. Meanwhile, the U.S. called thedecision an “important way station on theroad to 2015” and “an important point ofdeparture” for the work ahead. In addition tothe U.S., Canada, Australia and someEuropean states, particularly the UK, arecalling for a fewer number of goals.Trimming the number of goals (and relatedtargets) is both an editorial and a politicalprocess. Some of the goals that may be le offa final list are also those that representsignificant improvements on the old MDGs.Analysts point to topics such as sustainablecities and human settlements, sustainableconsumption and production, oceans, andecosystems and biodiversity as likely areaswhere goals and targets may be scaled back.e most likely of the 17 goals to end up onthe cutting room floor is goal 16 ongovernance, which barely survived thepreliminary draing process in the 70-nationGeneral Assembly Open Working Group.Goal 16 calls on all UN members to:“Promote peaceful and inclusive societies forsustainable development, provide access tojustice for all and build effective, accountableand inclusive institutions at all levels.”

e Secretary-General’s synthesis paper maybridge the differences between those wantingfewer goals and targets, and those wantingthe package to remain as is. is would avoidopening up the entire process later this year.e General Assembly is already faced withdifficult discussions in the spring of 2015generating guidelines on the means ofimplementation of the new SDGs, as well ason effective accountability for programs thatwill give effect to the agreed goals in the2015-2030 period. e accountability discussions involve bothtechnical accountability, i.e. monitoring,evaluating and measuring progress, as well aspolitical accountability, ensuring that politicaloversight bodies, civil society and otherstakeholders have the means to holdgovernments and agencies to account tofulfill the commitments made. e newlycreated High Level Political Forum onSustainable Development (replacing theformer Commission on SustainableDevelopment) is intended to serve as a morerobust oversight body for SDGsimplementation, and ensuring coursecorrections if necessary.e ird International Financing forDevelopment (FfD) Conference, scheduledfor 13 to 16 July in Addis Ababa is expectedto set out a new blueprint for financingdevelopment programming in the yearsahead.e landscape of development finance ischanging quite rapidly, with traditionaloverseas development assistance budgetscontracting. Some of the issues that will be onthe table at the July FfD meeting includeincreased reliance on private philanthropy,public-private partnerships, curbing illicitfinancial flows (e.g. tax avoidance, whichcosts developing countries billions each year),monetary system reform and terms of tradethat allow developing countries policy spaceto grow export capacity.All in all, 2015, the UN’s 70th anniversary,will be a consequential year for sustainabledevelopment.

Proposed Sustainable Development Goals, as atOctober, 2014.The UN’s Open Working Group proposed the following 17Sustainable Development Goals. These were adoptedSeptember 10 by the General Assembly. Each goal hassubsidiary targets and indicators.

Goal 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhereGoal 2 - End hunger, achieve food security andimproved nutrition and promote sustainableagricultureGoal 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all agesGoal 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable qualityeducation and promote lifelong learningopportunities for allGoal 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower allwomen and girlsGoal 6 - Ensure availability and sustainablemanagement of water and sanitation for allGoal 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable,sustainable and modern energy for allGoal 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive andsustainable economic growth, full and productiveemployment and decent work for allGoal 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promoteinclusive and sustainable industrialization andfoster innovationGoal 10 - Reduce inequality within and amongcountriesGoal 11 - Make cities and human settlementsinclusive, safe, resilient and sustainableGoal 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption andproduction patternsGoal 13 - Take urgent action to combat climatechange and its impacts*Goal 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans,seas and marine resources for sustainabledevelopmentGoal 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainableuse of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manageforests, combat desertification, and halt andreverse land degradation and halt biodiversity lossGoal 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societiesfor sustainable development, provide access tojustice for all and build effective, accountable andinclusive institutions at all levelsGoal 17 - Strengthen the means ofimplementation and revitalize the globalpartnership for sustainable development* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Conventionon Climate Change is the primary international,intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response toclimate change

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Montreale Marie-Berthe Dion Issues Action Group inMontreal meets monthly to engage in letterwriting campaigns, based on initial discussionand background materials. ey cover a rangeof topics, including recently “Has the WorldHealth Organization Failed Us?” and “Canada’scluster munitions legislation.” e branch alsoholds regular informal ‘coffee and discussion’meetings, usually on the first Tuesday of themonth. e annual Montreal Branch Brunch isscheduled for Sunday February 1st, 2015 atthe Salon Privé Le Collectionneur, Le Café desBeaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts Cafe), 1384Sherbrooke W, 2nd floor. Longtime civil societyleader Nigel Martin, founder of the ForumInternationale de Montreal, will be the guestspeaker. For details or to reserve, contactChristine Jacobs or Carol Greene.

OttawaBeginning inJuly, the Ottawabranch hashosted a monthlyGlobal IssuesTrivia Night. Along withgeneralcategories, suchas geography,current events,and worldhistory, there is aglobal issuestheme eachmonth. To date,special themetopics haveincludedpeacekeeping,

the United Nations, violence against women,democracy, and international justice. In August,Monique Cuillerier of WFM-Canada’s nationaloffice spoke at a Hiroshima Day event. Herremarks focused on the Marshall Islands’ caseat the International Court of Justice against thenuclear-weapons possessing states. In October,to celebrate the Global Week for a WorldParliament, several local members unfurled a

“World Parliament Now!” banner onParliament Hill. A panel discussion on “eUnited Nations and Canada -- Can We DoBetter?,” hosted by WFM-Canada inconjunction with the University of Ottawa’sGraduate School of Public and InternationalAffairs (GSPIA) and Centre of InternationalPolicy Studies (CIPS), was held in December 4.e panelists were several of the authorsfeatured in the 2014 edition of WFMC’spublication on “e United Nations andCanada: what Canada has done and should bedoing at the United Nations.” Speakers includedLouise Frechette, Ferry de Kerckhove, IanSmillie and Alex Neve. e discussion waschaired by GSPIA’s Alexandra Gheciu andintroduced by WFM-Canada’s ExecutiveDirector Fergus Watt.

Vancouvere Vancouver Branch continues to host alecture and discussion series, as well as dialogueand planning meetings, on a monthly basis.Vancouver Branch member Duncan Grahamspoke to the branch in September on the topicof UN reform, giving a brief history of theUnited Nations, how it works (or not), andparticularly the need to reform the UN SecurityCouncil. In October, Member of ParliamentHedy Fry (Liberal, Vancouver Centre) spoke tothe branch on democratizing the UnitedNations and the proposal for a UNParliamentary Assembly. Vancouver Branch’sNovember meeting featured a talk by LangaraCollege political science instructor PeterProntzos on the topic of “A Global Vision: eMissing Element,” which covered ways toachieve a truly humane and ecological society.

VictoriaIn October, Branch President Bill Pearce led adiscussion on developments in the Israel –Palestine conflict at a public lecture hosted byWFMC – Victoria Branch.

BRANCH  NEWS

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“e absolute refusal of the P5 to brook evensmall reforms seems absurd . . . .  I do not knowwhen the Council equivalent of an Arab Springwill emerge to sweep away the legitimacy of theP5 in the global system.

Kishore Mahbubani, former Ambassador ofSingapore to the United Nations, in his 2013 book,

“e Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and theLogic of One World.”

We are at an unprecedented period in ourhuman history with planetary personalcommunications, a global integrated economyand the evolutionary acceptance in the genomethat we are all one species, though a richmosaic of cultures and ethnicities, thebrotherhood and sisterhood of humankind, theNation of Humanity.  Our cosmic identity isunderlined with space exploration and now theincredible landing on a comet.But we are still in Neanderthal mode in ourtribal relations, where the buzzwords“international peace and security” of the UNSecurity Council are a hollow promise for thehundreds of millions of people who go to bedhungry every night. Deaths by violence,malnutrition and easily preventable diseases arean Auschwitz every ten months. And yet worldmilitary expenditures (according to SIPRI, theStockholm International Peace ResearchInstitute) for 2013 were $1,747 billion and havebeen over a trillion dollars for ten years.  epermanent five members of the UN SecurityCouncil, China, France, Russia, UK, USA (i.e.those same parties tasked with “maintainingpeace and security”) are responsible for 71% ofworld arms sales.How much is $1,747 billion? Ten $100 bills area thin 1 mm slice. A one-metre slab is a milliondollars. A billion dollars is one Km of  $100bills.  World military expenditures is 1,747 Kmsof packed $100 bills … and yet Malala has toplead for money to educate little girls and boys.A creative spark?  At the World FederalistMovement - Canada’s AGM in Ottawa 25th Oct2014 a resolution was submitted from theVancouver Branch. It was introduced in ateleconference call by Vancouver President

Vivian Davidson. e resolution proposed thatWorld Federalists encourage members of theUN General Assembly to consider rescindingArt. 24 of the UN Charter and that theAssembly itself assume responsibilities forinternational peace and security, as allowed inArt 18 of the Charter, as a first step in creating apolitical fluidity in the UN structure for theevolution of a democratic World Parliamentand Government. It is now history. eresolution passed.Under Art. 24 of the UN Charter the members(UN General Assembly) confer on the UNSecurity Council primary responsibility forinternational peace and security. e resolutionwould have the Assembly rescind these powers. is would leave responsibility for peace andsecurity in the hands of the General Assembly.According to Art. 18 of the UN Charter,decisions of the General Assembly onimportant questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present andvoting.  ese questions shall includerecommendations with respect to themaintenance of international peace andsecurity.It has become a Vancouver project to proposeto the remaining188 members of the UNGAthat they need not, should not continue to besubservient to the entrenched interests of thePermanent Five.    e mindless carnage of World War One gavepolitical energy to create the League of Nations,(“First Parliament of Mankind,” headlined theGlobe, now the Globe and Mail), theInternational Court of Justice and in 1929 ePact of Paris or Kellogg-Briand Pact thatoutlawed war. (“War Outlawed,” headlined eGlobe).World War Two led to the creation of theUnited Nations with 51 nations in 1945.  emajor Allies, China, France, Soviet Union, UK,USA who had spent so much blood andtreasure against the Axis regimes, were thepioneers, the deliverers of an organizationto “save succeeding generations from the scourgeof war.”  Russia inherited the permanent seatthat had been assigned to the USSR in 1991.

Time for a UN SpringDuncan Graham

Duncangraham is amember ofthe Board ofWFMC -Vancouver

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In 1945 a world led by these quintupletsseemed to many the natural order of things.e United States, with no domesticdestruction and lower than the others in percapita deaths, was the new superpower.  Franceand U.K., though devastated by the conflict,still held political dominion over great swathesof the globe with imperial dominance in Africaand South Asia. 

To give initial stability to these founding 51nations of the United Nations a SecurityCouncil was incorporated in the UN Charterwith these five nations having permanent seatsand their concurring votes required forresolutions to pass – the so-called veto.Insidiously, the Permanent Five’s assent is alsorequired for any changes in the Charter itself.Art 108 on Charter amendments requires2/3rds members including all the permanentmembers of the Security Council. Aer 1955(Art 109) a conference to review the Chartercould be held if so decided by a majority of theGeneral Assembly, but any amendmentsproposed would also require the concurrentsupport of the P5.

With these provisions, there have been nosignificant changes to the Security, Councilexcept in 1966, when the number of non-permanent members was increased from six to10.  ese two-year transients with a chance toposture on the world stage are elected to theUNSC by the General Assembly for theircontribution to international peace andsecurity.  2014- 2015 members are Chad, Chile,

Jordan, Lithuania, and Nigeria.  2015 –2016 members are Angola, Malaysia, NewZealand, Spain, and Venezuela.   To have the same five permanentmembers with veto in 2014, with now 193UN members, is a stagnating anomaly, ananachronism that requires nothing lessthan the interring of the UN SecurityCouncil.  e Vancouver, now a WFM-C,resolution could be pulling the plug on alog jam that is imminent in any case.  Inthe July issue of Mondial our Exec.Director Fergus Watt notes “the growingfrustration among members of theGeneral Assembly with the secrecy andfailures of the Security Council.”  He wasreferring in this case to “electing” a newSecretary-General by the GeneralAssembly, which in effect rubber-stamps aclosed-door decision of the P5.e UN General Assembly has beenmarginalized, and an osmosis of powerand authority (by rescinding Art 24) couldprovide an energizing political fluidity.

Were this to be adopted, it should also beaccepted in some fashion that a decision of theUNGA should represent 2/3rds majority of theworld’s people, the brotherhood and sisterhoodof humankind, as well as (per UN Chapter, Art18) 2/3rds of member states. e World Federalists can provide the goal, thevision; but the how-to, the means that wouldallow the UN to better fulfill its purposes in theevent these measures are to be implemented, isthe work of a broadly based UN preparatorycommittee process.Vivian Davidson’s poster says it best: “Don’tStay Calm. Change the World.”

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Canada courts controversy ahead of ASP meetingAt the end of November, WFM-Canada staff, along withacademics and representatives from other NGOs, met withmembers of Canada’s delegation to the Assembly of StatesParties (ASP) of the International Criminal Court. isyear’s ASP meetings will take place between December 8thand 17th. e Government of Canada representativesreiterated Canada’s position on the funding of internationalorganizations -- that the ideal situation is a budget with zeronominal growth. is position led to some consternation atlast year’s ASP, although Canada did, in the end, back downand agree to the budget presented. Following the November25 2014 meeting with Canadian officials, WFMC, along withAmnesty International and the Canadian Centre forInternational Justice, wrote to Foreign Affairs Minister Bairdcalling for him “to instruct Canadian officials to join withothers at this year’s ASP and support a consensus decision toadopt a budget that is in line with therecommendations put forward by theCommittee on Budget and Finance.” [ED.NOTE: Weeks later Canada backed awayfrom demands for a zero growth budgetand joined other states parties in aconsensus decision on the ICC budget.]Case updatesCurrently, there are nine situations underinvestigation (Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, Uganda, Central AfricanRepublic, Darfur (Sudan), Kenya, Libya,Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Central AfricanRepublic. Additionally, preliminaryexaminations are taking place in Afghanistan, Colombia,Nigeria, Georgia, Guinea, Honduras, Iraq, and Ukraine.Uganda - e case involving the situation in Uganda,against Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo andDominic Ongwen, remains unchanged with the foursuspects still at large.Central African Republic (I) - Closing statements in the case ofe Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo were heard inNovember. e case is significant for being the first time theCourt must decide if a commander is responsible for thecrimes allegedly committed by troops under his control.Aside from this, charges have been confirmed againstBemba and several associates regarding witness tamperingrelated to this case.Central African Republic (II) - Following a preliminaryexamination, a second investigation in Central AfricanRepublic (addressing crimes allegedly committed since2012) was begun.Democratic Republic of the Congo - Bosco Ntaganda, whovoluntarily surrendered himself to the Court in 2013, had13 counts of war crimes (including murder, rape, sexualslavery and the enlistment and conscription of child

soldiers) and 5 counts of crimes against humanity (murderand attempted murder; rape; sexual slavery; persecution;forcible transfer of population) confirmed in June. His trialis scheduled to begin in June 2015.In the case of omas Lubanga Dyilo, who was sentenced tofourteen years (less time spent in ICC custody) in 2012,appeals from both sides were dismissed in early Decemberand the judgment and sentencing confirmed.Darfur, Sudan - In September, an arrest warrant was issuedagainst Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain, who hadpreviously appeared voluntarily in front of the court (in2010). e trial date of November of this year, originallyscheduled for Banda’s case on previously confirmed chargesof war crimes, has been vacated in the meantime.Kenya - In the case of Uhuru Kenyatta, the current

President of Kenya, the commencementof the trial, provisionally set for Octoberof this year, was again delayed. eprosecution issued a notice inSeptember outlining the difficulties thatcontinue to plague the case, namely thelack of evidence they have been able togather so far and the Government ofKenya’s unwillingness to cooperate inproviding documentation that has beenformally requested.Libya - Last October, the case againstAbdullah Al-Senussi was declaredinadmissible as domestic proceedings in

the case were being conducted and Libya was assessed to becapable of carrying out the needed investigation. In July, theappeal of this decision was rejected and the case was againstated to be inadmissible at the ICC.Mali - e situation in Mali remains at the pre-trial stage.Côte d’Ivoire - In June, four charges of crimes againsthumanity (murder, rape, other inhumane acts or attemptedmurder and persecution) were confirmed against LaurentGbagbo, former president of Côte d’Ivoire.A confirmation of charges hearing, in the case of CharlesBlé Goudé was held at the end of September and beginningof October.Kampala Amendments on the Crime of AggressionIn July, Austria became the 15th country to deposit theircountry’s instrument of ratification of the KampalaAmendments. Since then, Spain, Latvia, Poland, and SanMarino have also deposited instruments of ratification.Georgia and Switzerland should complete ratification in thecoming months. With 19 countries having now ratified theamendments, the goal of 30 ratifications by the end of 2015-- allowing the amendments to become active in early 2017-- appears achievable.

I CC  UPDATE

Your donations keep us goingThe World Federalist Movement – Canada (WFMC) provides a context where individuals committed to worldcommunity can meet, learn, advocate and support the changes needed to progressively shape a more peaceful,democratic and just world legal and political order.WFMC and its sister organization, the World Federalist Foundation (WFF) receive no ongoing financial supportfrom government. We rely on donations from individual Canadians to sustain the organization and its programs.You can donate online or by mail (c/o 110 – 323 Chapel St. Ottawa ON, K1S 2W2). Monthly Plan. Many world federalists find that small monthly contributions are an easier and more convenientway to support world federalism, by authorizing WFMC or WFF to make automatic deductions from your bankaccount or credit card on a monthly basis. You can change or cancel your monthly plan donations at any time,by phone, fax or email. Instructions are at www.worldfederalistscanada.org.

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Name: Email: Address: Postal Code:  By becoming a member…c Contributor – $200  c Household – $90 c Individual – $60  c Limited Income – $15Membership in the World Federalists entitles you toreceive the bulletin Mondial, and to membership inthe international World Federalist Movement –Institute for Global Policy.Or by making a one-time donation…Donation to: WFM–Canada c (no receipt) orWorld Federalist Foundation c (tax-creditable receipt)My cheque is enclosed in the amount of $OR I prefer to donate $___________ by credit card: c VISA cMasterCard  c AMEX  Exp:  ____ /____Card No: Signature: 

Or by becoming a monthly donorYou can authorize us to make automatic monthlydeductions from your bank account or credit card. Youcan change or cancel your monthly plan donationsany time, by phone, fax, or e-mail.

Choose one of:  WFM–Canada  c orWorld Federalist Foundation  c (tax receipt at year end)Choose your monthly gift: c $100 c $50 c $20 c$15  c $10  or $ ________ Name Signature Date  

Please include an unsigned blank cheque marked “VOID”along with this form, or provide credit card information.c VISA  cMasterCard c AMEX Exp:  ____ /____Card No: Signature: 

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Please mail this form with payment to WFMC at: 323 Chapel Street, Unit 110, Ottawa, ON K1N 7Z2. Or donate online at www.worldfederalistscanada.org

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