Winnipeg, Sept. 26, 2026: Peace activists assemble at Winnipeg City Hall at the beginning of the annual Peace and Justice Walk through Nuit Blanche. Photo: Paul S. Graham
The following statement was made on behalf of Peace Alliance Winnipeg at our annual Walk for Peace and Justice at Nuit Blanche.
Canada’s promise to spend 5% of our GDP on the military is not a plan for peace. It is a plan for militarization. The USA and Donald Trump bullied Canada into this. For years, the US has attacked NATO countries for not spending enough on the military. Instead of standing up for Canadian sovereignty our government has surrendered to the demands of American president Donald Trump and the NATO military alliance.
When Canada and other NATO countries dramatically increase military spending at the same time we get an arms race. More weapons require more factories. More factories require more steel, minerals, energy, transportation, and land. Governments will increasingly justify resource extraction by calling it a matter of “national security.”
And who will pay the price?
Our environment will. Indigenous communities will. Working people will.
We have already seen how mining and resource extraction can threaten Indigenous lands, water, and traditional ways of life. Now we are being told that we need to extract even more resources to feed a massive expansion of the military—industrial complex.
And while billions flow into weapons production, Canadians are told that there isn’t enough money for housing, healthcare, education, transit, and other social programs.
However, there is always money for war. There is never enough money for the people.
Who benefits from militarization? Arms manufacturers don’t build weapons because they love democracy or peace. They build them because war and military spending are profitable.
Billions of public dollars will flow into private corporations because of these increases in military spending. Wealthy investors and corporate executives will benefit while ordinary Canadians are asked to accept cuts, austerity, and declining public services.
This is what imperialism does: public wealth is mobilized for military power, while the needs of ordinary people are pushed aside. Canada should not be following Washington into another arms race.
Our resources should build homes, schools, hospitals, clean energy and sustainable communities—not bombs and weapons systems. We don’t need to spend 5% of Canada’s wealth preparing for war. We need that wealth invested in building a country where people can actually afford to live.
Peace is not weakness. Refusing militarism is not weakness. Standing up to empire is not weakness.
Our security should be measured by the well-being of our people—not by how many weapons we can produce.
Winnipeg, September 26, 2026: Candice Bodnaruk reads the statement of Peace Alliance Winnipeg at the beginning of the annual Peace and Justice Walk through Nuit Blanche. Photo: Glenn Michalchuk
VISUAL THEME
As you can see our visual theme tonight is the kite—to remind us of the resilience and strength of the Palestinian people—specifically Palestinian children.
In March 2024 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to establish the International Day of Play and the Right to Play. Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1989. Article 31 reads: “States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate in cultural life and the arts”.
Kites are a very popular toy in Palestine and globally they are a symbol of peace. The Kites for Peace initiative launched in 2014 to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Peace.
In August 2026, Israel violated Article 31 by banning children from flying kites in Gaza, calling them an “act of war”.
Israel has now decided to treat kites as drones and has said it will use them as a reason for further military strikes on Gaza in violation of the current ceasefire. Restrictions on kites have limited kids opportunities to play. Parents are now forced to destroy their children’s toys.
Moreover, because of Israel’s almost 20 year Blockade of Gaza, children’s toys are not allowed in and any toys that are available are far too expensive to purchase.
The majority of the spaces in Gaza where children play have also been destroyed. Israel regularly attacks civilian infrastructure—including areas used by children and families in Gaza and just this past May struck a children’s playground in Gaza, killing and injuring people as well as damaging the play equipment.
In May, 2024 an Israel airstrike hit a playground in the Maghazi Refugee Camp—killing at least 11 people, mainly children. In terms of numbers, 90% of Gaza’s schools have been destroyed.
Now, realizing that kites bring joy to Palestinian children—Israel has decided to take the right to fly a kite away from kids—if they do fly them their families are threatened with further violence and expulsion.
So today we embrace the kite and stand with the children of Gaza to support their freedom to fly kites and resist annihilation.
HEAR FROM THE CHILDREN OF GAZA
Children in Gaza have shared their thoughts on why they enjoy playing with kites. This past month children were asked what kites mean to themselves.
“It is the toy that makes me happy,” Rami, Age 9
“It is a fun game,” Khaled, Age 10
“It gives me a feeling of fun”, Amir, Age 11
“It makes me feel like the happiest child,” Ahmad, Age 12
“It represents my dream of a free Palestine,” Muadh, Age 13
SOURCE: Banna Al Khayri Relief. A charity for Gaza in the UK.
REMEMBER: EVERY CHILD HAS A RIGHT TO PLAY!
VISIT: @kites4palestine on Instagram