Peace Train Canada

Peace Train Canada has received a National Community Peace Award from the Canadian Peace Museum.   The Award—the first time the Museum has given a national award to an organization—recognizes Peace Train Canada for “creating a national movement calling for peace.”   “We were impressed with Peace Train Canada’s grassroots effort to promote peace, along with their event in Ottawa which was attended by Members of Parliament from all of Canada's major political parties,” says the Museum’s President, Chris Houston.   For Keith Wyton, who organized the Peace Train along with his wife, Bernie, the award is “amazing, wonderful.”   “It’s so encouraging to receive it,” Keith said, adding the Award went to everyone who was on the Peace Train last November when it went to Ottawa and when it went to the United Nations in New York in March—and for all who support it and its efforts.   “We’re all just regular people, lighting a candle when it is darkest,” Keith said....

Peace Train Canada is going back to Ottawa! By plane, this time; VIA Rail was unable to accommodate us this time around, so we are travelling by air. And you are welcome to join us!   We will be in the nation’s capital Oct. 22-26.The time kicks off with a parliamentary breakfast gathering co-hosted by Senator Marilou McPhedran (non-affiliated, Manitoba), Elizabeth May (Green Party, Saanich—Gulf Islands) and Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni), Andreanne Larouche (Bloc)  and Taleeb Noormohamed (Liberal-Vancouver-Granville).   At this event, Peace Train Canada and the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (CNANW) will each present their case. (Peace Train Canada is now an official member of CNANW.)   On October 23, three PTC representatives will observe the Expert Round Table on Nuclear Disarmament entitled, “Advancing Nuclear Disarmament in a Chaotic World”, sponsored by the Nuclear Disarmament 4 (ND4): Canadian Leadership for Nuclear Disarmament (CLND), Canadi...

  The Canadian Peace Museum is delighted to announce that it has been gifted a building and surrounding land in Bancroft, Ont.   The building, with over 8,000 square feet of space, was donated by the North Hastings Community and is situated on 1.4 acres of land on the outskirts of Bancroft, which is located about two-and-a-half hours west of Ottawa.   The Canadian Peace Museum, which is a supporter of Peace Train Canada, will use the building to establish and operate a museum dedicated to promoting peace. This will include information about what it calls “negative peace,” or the absence of war, violence and fear, and “positive peace,” the presence of democracy, health, food security, cohesive communities, good relations with neighbours and taking care of the planet.   A 2024 poll by the museum found that 69% of Canadians think it is important for Canadians to learn about how we have advanced peace throughout our history, while 75% think that it is important for...

  Gord Johns, national defence critic for the federal NDP, tabled a petition from the Peace Train in the House of Commons on May 29.   In his presentation to the House, Johns noted that the closing of the Pearson Peace Centre meant that “Canada lost an important civilian-led independent institution and structure that supported effective research, training and training.”   He went on to share the Peace Train’s call to “reestablish a centre of excellence for peace and justice focused on research, education, training, conflict resolution, diplomacy and peace operations for Canadian civilians, police and military personnel and the international community.”   Watch his presentation in the House of Commons.

By Bernadette Wyton WHAT IS THE TPNW? Accidental or premeditated detonation of nuclear weapons poses one of the greatest risks to life on earth. This is reflected in the doomsday clock of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists now set at 89 seconds to midnight―the most dangerous setting in its history.   Even as the hourglass empties, many countries maintain a blind faith in security through threat of mutually assured destruction. There are now nine nuclear powers (the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea) competing in a revival of the nuclear arms race.   There have been many international arms control and disarmament agreements, starting with the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963, that helped curb the nuclear arms race and prevent nuclear war. Unfortunately, these have waned or been completely abandoned over the last few decades. We are left with the stark reality that the only way to remove the risk to all life posed by ...

By Katherine Murray  "Peace Train Canada is a resurrection of the peace movement.”  Walter Dorn, advisor to Peace Train Canada   On my coffee table is a copy of the Beatitudes from Jesus ’s sermon on the mount and a copy of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah’s oracle of the wolf and lamb, the calf and lion lying down together, eating together. Both are visions of life rooted in peace, justice, and transformed relationships intended by the Divine.   I keep them in view to remind me of these alternative ways of living and being and to do the necessary work within myself that will lead to the work of creating a peaceful and just world.   As part of that work, I travelled with Peace Train Canada to the United Nations (February 28-March 8) to attend the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. What an amazing experience!   I was deeply moved and grateful to gather with people from all around the world—government leaders a...