But for Victoria pediatrician Jonathan Down, global survival is more important. Down is president-elect of Physicians for Global Survival and a member of the Vancouver Island Peace and Disarmament Network. He says he\u2019s disappointed in local politicians who don\u2019t take this matter seriously, especially considering the talk of nuclear threats today.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are targets,\u201d he says, noting that Victoria is just north of Naval Base Kitsap, one of the largest US naval bases. \u201cThese are not military weapons; these are targeting civilian population. The municipal politicians, they don\u2019t quite understand that whether it\u2019s the Highlands or North Saanich, or whatever, these are target areas.\u201d<\/p>\n Down says that most people in this area think that the threat is somewhere else and is someone else\u2019s problem, but he stresses this isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d says Down. \u201cNuclear weapons don\u2019t work that way.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Down says, for example, computer analytics show that a minimum of two billion people could die as a result of a small-scale nuclear war between India and Pakistan. Closer to home, at the Beacon Hill Park memorial, images of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings will be shown as an artwork display; as well, traditional Japanese paper lanterns will be shown, which is the Japanese cultural way of giving hope.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re calling for the Canadian government to sign the recently adopted ban treaty,\u201d says Down. \u201cWe\u2019re one year on now from the adoption of the treaty by 122 countries around the world. Unfortunately, Canada was not part of the negotiations; it\u2019s refused to sign.\u201d<\/p>\n Down says that nuclear weapons don\u2019t take prisoners; he encourages people to come to the memorial to make their voices heard on the issue of the ban treaty.<\/p>\n \u201cYou may not agree with everybody,\u201d he says, \u201cbut at least be there and express your opinion. I\u2019d like to see Canada sign the ban treaty\u2026 If Canada won\u2019t sign, as citizens of Canada, we can sign.\u201d<\/p>\n Down has gathered thousands of signatures from residents of lower Vancouver Island, and eventually, he says, he will go to Ottawa and present them to the Prime Minister.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are concerned,\u201d he says. \u201cAs a physician, this is part of my concern not only for my individual patients but also for the population. That\u2019s why I\u2019m involved as a pediatrician: concern for the long-term future of not only my children, but also my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jonathan-Down-FOR-WEB.jpg\")
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