Anti-war protest held in Halifax after world’s largest aircraft carrier docks

It’s been two days since the world’s largest aircraft carrier and some NATO allies arrived in Halifax. While their presence has sparked a lot of curiosity, some aren’t happy the warships are here, including the members of Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace.

While their numbers were small, the members were determined to get their voices out.

“There’s a narrative that this is a wonderful thing, but we have a history of the Halifax explosion and that was during a time of war and related to war,” said organizer Katherine Winkler.

Standing alongside the boardwalk with their posts and white poppies, the group protested the aircraft carrier and the seven warships that arrived in the Halifax Harbour on Friday.

The group says the arrival of these ships negatively impact the environment. They also believe the money is better spent helping with food and housing insecurity, adding that decreasing the carbon footprint should be more of a priority.

“If we are at all sincere about meeting any green targets, we have to consider that the Department of National Defence’s carbon footprint is not measured,” said Winkler.

The aircraft carrier and warships are training in different missions, working closely with allies and partners.

Wing Commander Daryl Trent says training further solidifies Canada’s partnership with its NATO allies.

“Whether you look at NORAD or NATO, that is a tight bond that we have, and that gives strength to the world on what we’re doing and it legitimizes what we’re here to do,” he said. “As you look around, the capabilities that these platforms have that we can share with our partners is critical in our success.”

The last time an American aircraft carrier visited Halifax was in June 2017.