Canmore is officially a Community of Peace and advocate for a nuclear weapon-free world.
The motion was passed unanimously last week by council after being proposed by outgoing Councillor Jim Ridley at his last regular meeting of council.
“At first glance, one would wonder why a small mountain town in the Canadian Rockies would be interested in committing itself to supporting a nuclear-weapon-free world,” Ridley said. “There are many precedents for Canmore considering and adopting regional, national and international ideologies, including cross-cultural and leading edge philosophies that enable deeper understandings between our community and the international community.”
He said the fact there are 26,000 nuclear weapons is a concern for him and it should be a concern to council and the community. Ridley also read a letter from the mayor of Hiroshima, Matsui Kazumi, who, along with 5,700 other mayors and municipalities joined Mayors of Peace. The organization was started in 1982 and is dedicated to the promotion of peace.
Council and the mayor supported the motion enthusiastically, noting the initiative was one Ridley felt passionately about.
“That was probably the most touching and heartfelt thing I have heard you say in three years, so I would be pleased to support your motion,” said Coun. Joanna McCallum.
“I share Coun. McCallum’s thoughts; this is something you have talked about when you were first on council seven years ago and I think it is a very fitting sentiment for this community to voice it as a meaningful gesture,” added Mayor John Borrowman.
A second motion directed administration to find an appropriate piece of municipal infrastructure to name as a dedication to the gesture, like a Peace Park.
Ridley had originally suggested a park and council voted to give administration a broader scope to recognize Canmore as a community of peace.
