Council Motions: Eliminating Nuclear Weapons, Supporting 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline

Back in November, Langley City Council passed a motion supporting the Mayors For Peace Appeal. In addition, Council sent a letter to the federal government asking them to advocate for eliminating nuclear weapons.

Once a year, elected representatives and local government staff attend the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention. One of the main objectives of the convention is to pass motions for the provincial or federal governments to consider. The idea is that the voice of all local governments calling for action will get more done than just one.

The UN Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is an agreement signed by 86 countries calling for national governments to dismantle nuclear weapons. It came into force this year. But, unfortunately, all nations with nuclear weapons and NATO members (including Canada) did not sign this treaty.

Council passed the following motion on May 31st:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM support the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Cities Appeal and send urgent correspondence to the federal government asking that they take decisive steps toward the global elimination of nuclear weapons and sign and ratify the TPNW.

This motion will now go forward to the annual UBCM convention, where other local governments will have the opportunity to support it.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of preventable death in Canada. At the same meeting, Council passed a motion that “staff be directed to send a letter indicating such support to the local MP, MLA, Federal Minister of Health, the CRTC and local area municipalities to indicate our support” for a national 988 suicide and crisis hotline.