COAT is a national network of individuals and organizations in Canada that began in late 1988 to organize opposition to ARMX `89, which was the country`s largest weapons bazaar. COAT has continued to expose and oppose Canada`s role in the international arms trade, particularly where there is trade to governments which are engaged in war or which violate human rights.
Since its formation, the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade [COAT] has made significant contributions to Canada`s peace movement. As an Ottawa-based organization, supported by a network of individuals and groups across Canada, COAT made great headway in exposing and opposing many military export events held in the nation`s capital.
Over the last few years, COAT has continued focused more and more on it`s magazine, Press for Conversion! However, since 1999, the magazine has broadened its focus to include many other aspects of cultural change besides the economic conversion of military infrastructure. Each issue of the magazine now focuses on a different anti-war theme. Therefore, the concept of conversion has itself been transformed to included many social, legal, psychological and economic factors essential to the move from a world based on war, greed, deception and violence, where might is right