Elevated view of students marching through Saskatoon carrying banners and signs.

Bio/Historical Note: Amchitka is a volcanic, tectonically unstable island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. Amchitka was selected by the United States Atomic Energy Commission to be the site for underground detonations of nuclear weapons. Three such tests were carried out: Long Shot, an 80-kiloton blast in 1965; Milrow, a 1-megatonblast in 1969; and Cannikin in 1971 – the largest underground test ever conducted by the United States. The tests were highly controversial, with environmental groups fearing that the Cannikin explosion, in particular, would cause severe earthquakes and tsunamis. Amchitka is no longer used for nuclear testing and is still monitored for the leakage of radioactive materials (2020).

Demonstrations denouncing the Amchitka test were held at the University of Saskatchewan on both Saskatoon and Regina campuses. Saskatoon generated the second largest demonstration in Canada with an estimated 4,500 students marching en masse, banners and placards waving, through downtown to City Hall where student representatives spoke. Principal R.W. Begg, in support of the protest, had cancelled classes from 11:30am to 2:30pm. Classes were not cancelled in Regina.