Canada should not support missile defense.

The new administration of US President George W. Bush has entered office with a strong commitment to deploying a "robust" National Missile Defense (NMD) system. Canada is under pressure to join the United States in operating this system if the US does decide to proceed, and the Canadian government is undecided on how it will respond.

The deployment of a missile defence system may seem like a prudent idea at first glance, but it would actually be a serious backwards step.

It is true that the gradual proliferation of ballistic missile technology might eventually lead to an increase in the number of countries capable of launching a small-scale missile attack on the US or Canada. But this potential problem is much better addressed through arms control measures and diplomatic engagement than through the deployment of a missile defence. If a country really were determined to deliver nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction to North America, the most that a missile defence could do -- even if it were to work perfectly -- would be to convince that country to use alternative methods of delivery such as cruise missiles, commercial aircraft, or shipping containers. The US intelligence community itself admits that alternative methods like these would provide "less expensive," "more reliable," and "more accurate" ways to attack the United States than ballistic missiles would, and would in addition offer the possibility of masking the origin of the attack, preventing US retalia tion.

Meanwhile, in the absence of a consensus among the nuclear powers on the appropriateness of such defences, missile defence deployment almost certainly would do serious harm to arms control and disarmament efforts and intensify the overall nuclear threat to the world. Continued Russian nuclear reductions would become very unlikely, and vital safety initiatives such as the de-alerting of nuclear weapons would almost certainly not be implemented. Substantial increases in China's nuclear forces, or other kinds of Chinese reaction, would also almost certainly follow the deployment of missile defences. Even the possibility of a new nuclear arms race cannot be ruled out.

Canada should neither join nor remain silent in the face of the possible deployment of such a system, which will endanger. Canadian and global security and undermine Canada's nuclear disarmament objectives.

Taking action

The government needs to hear that Canadians are concerned about the NMD issue and do not support Canadian participation.

Please write to Prime Minister Jean Chretien and your own Member of Parliament (House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6, postage free), and make these points:

* NMD would increase, not reduce, the nuclear threat to Canadian and global security;

* Canada should oppose NMD deployment and should nor participate in its operation; and

* Canada should propose constructive alternatives to missile defence.

Please also ask your MP to write a letter to Prime Minister Chretien making the same points. (Ask for a copy of the letter.)