Memories of Warren

We will miss committed leadership, his kind company and his earnest and humble approach to national and international affairs. He was an influential Canadian MP and Cabinet minister, as well as a great world federalist and a fearless leader of WFMC. We pay tribute to his dedicated service, many decades, if not more than half-a-century, to the world federalist cause. He brought greater rule of law and justice to Canada, including by abolishing the death penalty and resisting aggression in the world. He sought to foster the same structures and spirit of governance at the global level. He led on arms control, international criminal law, and UN reform. I had the good fortune of working for him at Parliamentarians for Global Action on the adoption of the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, which we togehter witnessed being opened for signing in Paris, where he chaired a Parliamentary Symposium on the parliamentary role in the implementation of the treaty. The Parliamentarians declaration we drafted was subsequently signed by over 1,000 parliamentarians from around the world.While striken at a ripe old age, he was still active and attentive at our WFMC Annual General Meeting in August in his home city of Montreal. We were very fortunate, indeed blessed, to have his company. We also did well to pay him a tribute by video, which we watched together with him at the meeting. WFMC wisely awarded him the Hanna Newcombe award just before his passing. He is a great man of whom we can truly say: he made the Earth a better place. God bless Warren Allmand, his memory and his many good causes!

Walter Dorn, WFMC President

I calculate that over twelve years I’d probably spent fifty full days with him sitting at a table going through the minutiae of world federalist bylaws and minutes and agendas and programs. Warren was a stickler for correct Board minutes and was rarely impressed by innovative excuses. So (as Secretary) I would fix them. I was also very happy to work with him in our WFMC attempt to repair Canada’s flawed cluster munitions legislation. Several of us, including Warren, presented testimony to the Senate subcommittee. He immediately grasped the importance of fighting the “exceptions” allowed within the bill. It was also clear from the reception he got in committee as a witness that even long out of parliament his participation still held weight. I will tell my sons about Warren’s perseverance, playing old-timers’ hockey and running half-marathons into his eighties, but most of all I will speak of Warren as someone holding onto his principles in defence of human rights and liberties, come what may, no matter what. I am surprised at how sad his passing has been as we did not know each other that well, but the practice of his daily life is an inspiration I will cherish.

Robin Collins, WFMC Board of Directors, Secretary

My connection with Warren goes back to 1985-1990 when I was Project Ploughshares’ Ottawa representative. Warren was then, if memory serves, the chair of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee. During those years I met quite frequently with MPs who had various responsibilities concerning Canadian policies on nuclear weapons, arms trade, etc. My meetings with Warren – and his assistant at the time who I think was named Pat – were quite different from those I had with most of the other MPs. I would go into such meetings prepared to make our case on the issue involved and many of these meetings were not easy as differences persisted. My meetings with Warren were also difficult but in a different way. Warren already knew our positions and arguments and agreed with them. I wasn’t earning my keep by meeting with Warren as he was quite often a step or two ahead of me!