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Peace Train Canada to the United Nations: A Reflection by Katherine Murray

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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...
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Peace Train participants meet Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations

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  Peace Train participants met Michael Gort, Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, March 6 in New York.   During the 45-minute meeting, the group had good discussion about Canada’s role in peacekeeping and disarmament initiatives, Peace Train co-organizer Keith Wyton said.   This included about how Canada has not attended any of the meeting for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)—not even as an observer.   In so doing, Canada is in alignment with the NATO position on the TPNW, Keith said; no NATO nation has signed or ratified the TPNW, preferring to support the  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). That remains Canada’s priority.   “We asked the Ambassador to let Canada know that Peace Train Canada is supportive of Canada at the very least attending the TPNW meetings as an Observer State, which does not imply support or non-support for the treaty,” he said.   Keith noted a majority of Canadians (74% by public p...
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Anglican Archbishop of New Westminster, B.C. sends message of support to Peace Train

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  The Anglican Archbishop of New Westminster, B.C., has sent a letter to Peace Train participants supporting their efforts to ban nuclear weapons by attending the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).   The letter from John R. Stephens, who is also the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of B.C. & Yukon, is below.   Dear Friends,   Canada has often prided itself on being a country of peace that has brought hope to many nations around the globe. This background of peacekeepers and peace-builders has been less evident in the world of today and it is important that we work to change that.   Christians are called to be peacemakers. We are called to turn our swords into  ploughshares. We are called to be people of forgiveness and to love our enemies. These are difficult words to live into, but we take them very seriously. They shape who we are and how we live and walk in this world. They a...
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Bernadette Wyton makes a presentation to TPNW meeting on behalf of the Peace Train

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  Bernadette Wyton was able to make a presentation on behalf of Peace Train Canada at the 6th plenary session of the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).   During that March 4 session, representatives from non-government organizations and other concerned groups made presentations of approved statements.   In her statement, Bernadette called on the States Parties to encourage Canada to sign and ratify the TPNW. She noted the universality of the treaty and spoke about the pivotal role Canada could play as a NATO member exercising its legacy as an independent middle power committed to peace and diplomacy.   The statement was well received, and Peace Train organizers want to thank the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons for the opportunity to make the presentation.   Click here to see and hear Bernadette’s presentation. She begins at the 2:08 mark (near the end).
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Peace Train to New York in Canadian Affairs

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  A dozen Canadians arrived in New York on March 3 with a message for the Canadian government: sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.   The group left Montreal by train to travel to the United Nations for the Third Meeting of States Parties to the treaty, which calls for the comprehensive prohibition of nuclear weapons. States parties are countries that have signed and ratified the treaty.   The group is attending the meeting, held March 3 to 7, at the invitation of Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C.   “I’m thrilled to have them come along with me,” said May of the participants from across Canada who travelled on what they called the “Peace Train.” The train is Amtrak’s regularly scheduled train from Montreal to New York. Read the full article in Canadian Affairs.
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Peace Train participants share why they are taking the trip to New York; Peace Train concert to be held March 5

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For Katherine Murray of Abbotsford, B.C., being part of Peace Train #2 to New York on March 2 is something that grows out of her spiritual life.   "Being aboard the train is the action side of my spiritual commitment to peace, the beliefs and values that have formed me," says Katherine, who was on the first Peace Train trip from Vancouver to Ottawa last November.   She also likes being part of the Peace Train because of the culture of peace it creates.   "It's a very collaborative effort, with people from all walks of life, faiths and approaches coming together for one reason, to promote peace," she says. "I like how it builds bridges between people towards the goal of promoting peace."   She was also inspired to take part in the trip to New York for the third meeting of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) by what Elizabeth May, Green Party Member of Parliament for Saanich—Gulf Islands, said at the meeting with members of P...
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Elizabeth May "thrilled" to have Peace Train participants travel with her to New York for meeting of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

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For Elizabeth May, it’s important to have participants from the Peace Train travel with her to New York for the third meeting of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).     “I’m thrilled to have the come along with me,” said, May, the Member of Parliament for Saanich–Gulf Islands (Green Party of Canada).   “We need as many people as possible to spread the message against nuclear war."   May is going to the meeting, which will be held at the United Nations, not as a representative of Canada, but as part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Parliamentarians for the TPNW.  Canada is not a signatory to the Treaty, which calls for the comprehensive prohibition of nuclear weapons, and will not be sending an official delegation. May believes this is unfortunate since those weapons “pose an increasingly existential threat to humanity.”   The Canadian government says it is committed to abolishing nuclear weapons, ...
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