"You still have gas in the tank." Questions about next steps for Peace Train Canada

What are some next steps for Peace Train Canada? That’s the question that was posed to Michael Byers, a panelist at the Centre for International Policy Studies conference at the University of Ottawa on Oct. 24. 

Theme of the conference was Canadian Security Interests and Trump 2.0. 

Byers, a Professor of Global Politics and International Law at the University of British Columbia who spoke on the topic “Arctic Security, NORAD modernization and Golden Dome,” told Peace Trainers he applauded their goal of establishing a peace centre. 

"It's a fantastic idea," he said.

For Byers, who is also Co-Director of the Outer Space Institute, developing a story or narrative is key to mobilizing the Canadian public against increasing militarism, including the weaponization of space.

“You need to find the right hook,” he said, noting other campaigns he was worked on found ways to frame an issue that was easily understood by the Canadian public.

“You need to come up with an argument that works,” he added.

Key to achieving public mobilization is organization, he said, citing an example from 2005 when protests by peace groups helped cause the Canadian government to not join a U.S. Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) program.

Byers noted the success of the protests was not because tens of thousands of people took their concerns to the streets. Instead, peace groups learned where then-Prime Minister Paul Martin was going to speak in Canada and then arranged for a few local protestors to wait for him at each location.

“Whenever he got out of his car he had to walk past a dozen or so people with signs,” Byers said. These many small local protests made it seem from the media coverage that ensued that there was a large cross-country movement against BMD. 

That media coverage “made it look like the whole population was protesting,” he said. “The media loved the pictures. It became a news story.”

In order for that to be repeated today to create a peace centre, Byers suggested it would need someone working at least part-time to strategize, coordinate and plan events and activities, and to do government and media relations.

When asked how the plans for a peace centre might relate to the current issue of Donald Trump's Golden Dome plan, and Canada's interest in joining it, Byers indicated it could be a hook as a timely topic to help pull the idea of a peace centre along.

The advantage of the peace centre, he said, is that it enables the Peace Train to not only have something to campaign against like the Golden Dome, "but something to campaign for.”

When it was noted the Peace Train participants are mostly older, Byers said that shouldn't be something to regret.

Getting youth involved is important, he said, but he added that older people still have lots to offer—including ideals, time and finances.

“You still have a huge capacity,” he said to those gathered to hear him at the conference. “You still have gas in the tank.”

Photo above: Michael Byers (centre) speaks to Peace Trainers over lunch at the Oct. 24 Centre for International Policy Studies conference at the University of Ottawa.