A small but determined group of about 20 peace activists braved the cold wind Saturday to rally outside the Halifax hotel where international representatives were gathered for a security forum.
The action was organized by the anti-war group No Harbour for War as the 11th Halifax International Security Forum was going on in the Westin Nova Scotian hotel and took place in the park where the controversial Cornwallis statue used to stand before it was removed in 2018.
Rana Zaman, a national and local board member with the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, said members of her organization conduct their own demonstrations across Canada as well.
"The idea was to come here to protest the increasing role of NATO and Canada's role within (it)," Zaman said.
No Harbour for War is saying Halifax should not be catering to an American industrial complex, she said, adding that Voice of Women for Peace opposes war and stands for de-nuclearization, de-militarization and de-carbonization.
"In the guise of democracy, forces are going into countries to overthrow democratically elected people, and we believe it's for the resources," Zaman said. "Look what's happening in Venezuela, Bolivia; it's happened previously in Libya.
"What we're fighting for is, first of all, dialogue is the way to go. That is what we promote. To have meaningful dialogue, to engage in peaceful talks, to address the issues - the real issues, not the made-up issues."
Zaman said warfare disproportionately affects women and children and damages the soldiers who take part and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder afterward.
She also called out governments for failing to apply environmental standards to their own militaries when the average person is acutely aware of the climate crisis.
"When actual war takes place, it's destroying the very planet, and that is not being brought to the forefront," she said. "They are hiding the effects that war is having on the planet, on the climate. Those emissions are not being counted."
She said the U.S. military is the world's largest consumer of oil and has 800 military bases in 70 countries.
"That's a war machine all by itself."
She also said military missions are exempted from national greenhouse gas reporting requirements and reduction targets.
"The dirty little secret," Zaman said. "And yet everybody's fighting to make a change. ... But look who are the real culprits who can make a difference, with the money to back it up."
She said billions earmarked for Canada's NATO contribution would be better spent "to uplift the lives of Canadians, who are suffering, including our health system, our education and our veterans.
"And that's why we're here protesting NATO and the fact that they are here on Canadian soil propagating this and calling it under security and defence. Who's Canada defending themselves against? I'd like to know, after World War One, World War Two, where and when was Canada affected to the point it had to run out to defend itself for its democracy and its peace?"
Peggy Cameron said she feels most Canadians do not really support sending their Armed Forces personnel to be used in war, but that's increasingly where they are ending up. She also slammed the Canadian government's decision to continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia while that country is embroiled in a war with Yemen.
"So NATO is doing its own thing," Cameron said. "It's not really respecting what Canadians would hope for or intend any outcome of a military purpose."
Isaac Saney, one of the organizers of the event and a member of No Harbour for War, was encouraged that people braved the November chill to take part once again.
"It just demonstrates the fact that Haligonians oppose war-mongering," Saney said. "And even though we have a small turnout we know that this is something that strikes a deep sentiment with Haligonians."
