About the Ottawa Peace Assembly

The Ottawa Peace Assembly (OPA) is a coalition of community groups opposed to Canada's complicity in the so-called "war on terror". We want a world based on peace and justice, not war and occupation.

Through the Canadian Peace Alliance, we work with other peace organizations across the country to build a strong, coordinated voice for peace and justice.

Our mandate is simple. We oppose war and occupation. We oppose Islamophobia, anti-Arab bigotry and all forms of racism. We support the struggles of indigenous peoples. And we support civil liberties to defend freedom of expression and assembly.

People in Ottawa have mobilized around the issue of peace for some time. Since 2002, mass demonstrations have been organized against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, drawing out tens of thousands. The coordination of anti-war events like these forced the Canadian government to stay out of a full-scale military role in the Iraq war.

The OPA is a new coalition that comes from this proud tradition. OPA member groups will continue to organize opposition to the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and support the campaign for US war resisters seeking refuge in Canada.

In doing so, the OPA plans to organize large-scale educational events, including teach-ins and conferences, public forums and debates. We will also organize city-wide marches, emergency rallies and pickets in response to events like the 2004 siege of Fallujah, the Abu Ghraib scandal, and the disappearance of Afghan detainees.

In our time of endless war, we want to create a culture of peace. Join us!