You might remember this symbolic resolution that Berkeley passed a few years back:

This week the city also made a move to support Kucinich’s federal legislation known as the Space Preservation Act, which protests deploying weapons into space. The city’s resolution to side with Kucinich’s cause is the first formal support the Congressman has received.

Councilmember Dona Spring, who sponsored the Berkeley resolution, hopes the city’s support will help propel the debate about weapons in space to the forefront of national and even international politics.

“Our resolution is a model for the country,” Spring said, adding that she believes weapons in space is a bad idea.

Well Berkeley may be a model, but not for the United States. At least according to this opinion piece, “Berkeley 2002 Resolution Sweeps Through Canada“:

Berkeley is the only city in the United States with its own Foreign Policy
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After the Berkeley City Council had passed a resolution in 2002, “ENDORSING THE SPACE PRESERVATION ACT AND COMPANION SPACE PRESERVATION TREATY TO PERMANENTLY BAN THE WEAPONIZATION OF SPACE” (2), the historic resolution swept through cities in Canada and helped gather thousands of signatures opposing Canada joining NMD [National Missile Defense]. When citizens appeared in the Canadian Parliament with piles of paper covered with thousands of signatures, Martin was forced to reverse his secret agreement with Bush and the Canadian government rejected NMD.
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I was unaware of the impact the Berkeley resolution had on the Canadian decision to reject NMD, and how it tied into the minority government crisis. But a few days later during my visit to Bowen Island, I discovered just what role the Berkeley resolution had played in Canadian Foreign Policy.

Hopefully this news won’t raise the already high self-importance of the Berkeley City Council. But wow. Canada. Taking its cues from our little city. I don’t know which side more deserving of my disapproving sighs.