For as long as I can remember, I have felt that our corner of the world – this small part of the planet we call New Brunswick – exists in a state of constant tension. Whether it be our language debates, the climate crisis, social alienation, or the relentless struggle between capital and labour, conflict seems to be our backdrop.
In 2022, it became clear to us that these local tensions are not disconnected from global turmoil. In a context where powers clash, where the spectre of nuclear armageddon resurfaces, and where millions of people are displaced by conflict, we can no longer remain mere spectators. It was in this spirit that the NB Peace Council was born on May 13, 2022.
Our work is rooted here, on the unceded lands of Wabanaki, people of the Dawnland. We refuse to accept that the territory be used to fuel violence, whether ecological or human. For us, peace is not simply the absence of war, it is an active refusal to accept the destruction of our ecosystems or to allow the Canadian state, or its major commercial interests, to be complicit in the oppression of peoples, whether in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, or elsewhere.
It was to refuse Canada’s support for the Israeli-American war against Iran that we held our very first rally on March 14, braving the stormy weather.
My father has often told me that I couldn’t change the world on my own. He’s probably right. But I refuse to believe that we are powerless. While we cannot transform everything at once, we can certainly organize ourselves to improve our provincial reality, protect our waterways, and cultivate genuine solidarity among citizens.
How can we organize this struggle? We do not have all the answers, but we must start asking the right questions. The Peace Council does not seek to replace what already exists, but to join a large community of consciousness. That is why we stand in solidarity with the Wolastoqiyik grandmothers and the Coalition to Stop the Sisson Mine. Peace also means defending our territory from greed, extractivism, and environmental harm.
Voices for peace are rare in the mainstream media, where the roles of NATO and the military-industrial complex are either obscured or glorified. This is why we believe that a true culture of peace must emerge from the bottom up, through building alliances, by mobilizing all spheres of New Brunswick civil society.
We are a young organization, made up of citizens from various regions and linguistic communities. We know that the road ahead is long and that we sometimes seem very small in the face of global challenges. But we are confident: the more of us who share our ideas and energy, the greater the momentum of our movement.
For those who, like us, refuse to remain silent and wish to participate in this movement of peace, dialogue and disarmament, the doors of our council are wide open. Together, we can make a loud and clear call for peace.
Denis Boulet is a teacher and francophone co-chair of the NB Peace Council. Anyone wishing to get in touch with us can write to paixnbpeace@gmail.com.
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