William Hibbitts is JURIST’s Deputy Editorial Director, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He filed this dispatch from Halifax. 

The atmosphere in Halifax was marked by contrasts Saturday.

On the one hand, Canada’s largest east coast city and longtime Atlantic naval base was yet again hosting the Halifax International Security Forum, an annual conference attended by a plethora of high-profile defence officials and politicians. Among those in attendance were Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly and defense minister Bill Blair, former Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, and former Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen.

On the other hand, a 50-strong group of anti-war protesters with blaring bullhorns and Palestinian flags stood in a park outside the downtown Halifax conference venue undeterred by rain soaking their signs and winds gusting up to 60 kilometers per hour. The demonstration was organized by a local coalition including Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace, Labour for Palestine Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Palestine Solidarity Halifax, Independent Jewish Voices, Mount Saint Vincent University’s Muslim Student Association, and No Harbout for War.

Inside Halifax’s historic Westin Hotel, the day began with recently freed Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza accepting the “John McCain Prize for Leadership In Public Service” and later leading a panel titled “Democracy = Security,” featuring Venezuelan and Belarusian opposition leaders Leopoldo López and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, respectively.

But while US Senator Tim Kane (D-VA) spoke on a panel about migration, the phrase “Warmongers are not welcome in Kjipuktuk” (indigenous Mi’kmaq for “great harbor,” AKA Halifax) rang out across Halifax’s Peace and Friendship Park. The reality of global conflict and the situation in Gaza, where more than 34,535 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, cast a long shadow over the conference proceedings.

Halifax is no stranger to protests over Israel’s military operations in the enclave, but this time local anger found a high-profile audience. Protesters decried the bombing of Gaza’s universities and the killing of journalists. When conference attendees departed the venue, the demonstration was marked by a moment of tension as activists united in cries of “Shame!”

Rally speaker Charles Spurr of No Harbout for War talked to JURIST, saying that the group wanted “to show the world that Halifax does not want to be associated with the terrible war crimes which are taking place around the world in support of the US empire.”

“Most people here have come up because of the genocide which has taken place on a daily basis in Palestine,” Spurr added.

Organizer Rana Zaman from Canadian Voice of Women for Peace emphasized that “Canadian values, Canadian people do not propagate war… The billions of dollars that they are using to kill and destroy and steal resources of others…should be used right here in this country to address the homeless people, the increasing poverty, the economy that is suffering.”

Zaman added: “They are taking the money that we would want our tax dollars to support the students to give them proper, free education, to support the healthcare. For God’s sake, it’s not rocket science! Spend the money on people, not murdering people!”

Canadian companies exported $30,641,495.83 in military goods to Israel in 2023, including $10,458,545.34 for “bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles, other explosive devices and charges and related equipment.” However, a government report notes that all export permits issued following the October 7 attacks have been for non-lethal items, and that no permits have been issued since January 8, 2024.

According to the Council for Foreign Relations, the US is providing $12.5 billion in military aid to Israel in 2024. On Friday, the US Senate voted down a resolution to block the sale of mortar cartridges to Israel by a 78-19 margin. Security forum attendees US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) voted in favour of the resolution while US Senator Jim Rish (R-ID) voted against.

When asked whether the recently issued international arrest warrants for Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would change the situation in Gaza, Spurr responded, “No, but it sure looks good!”