Fast to Stop the Jets

Thank you to everyone who joined the Fast to Stop the Jets!

Across Canada, public fasts, vigils, and demonstrations honoured those who have been killed by Canadian war planes and rejected Canada’s plans to buy 88 new bomber jets.

Two members of the No Fighter Jets Coalition, Vanessa Lanteigne and Brendan Martin, continued their fast for two full weeks. Listen to this podcast episode for an in-depth interview with both of them on day 12 of the fast. Vanessa was also interviewed on this Unusual Sources podcast episode.

The fast was covered on CTV evening news, in the Winnipeg Free Press, the Aldergrove Star, the Hamilton Spec, The Chilliwack Progress​, the Catholic Register, and Philippine Canadian News.

The livestream of an online vigil that featured live music, a hundred people all lighting candles together, and very powerful speakers—including Hamza Shaiban who shared his experience of devastating bombing in Yemen and Jovanni Reyes who shared his experience as a veteran who participated in a NATO mission involving Canadian fighter jets—is available to watch here.

Here are some of the testimonies from those who joined in.

It’s not too late to contact your Member of Parliament and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to tell them that you do NOT want your tax dollars spent to buy fighter jets. Call the PM at: 613-992-4211 (you can leave a voice message) or email him: pm@pm.gc.ca (and cc us at nofighterjets@gmail.com) or use this online letter tool.

April 10 also marked the beginning of the 10th anniversary of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending: GDAMS 2021. Our fast joined this global effort to reduce spending on war.

Archive of Fast to Stop the Jets events

Across Canada, public fasts and vigils on April 10 and 11 honoured those who have been killed by Canadian war planes and rejected Canada’s plans to buy 88 new bomber jets.

ONLINE — All are welcome to join

10 – 11:30am EDT, Saturday April 10 — Interfaith gathering for prayer and letter writing (Click here to join on zoom)

7:00-8:00pm EDT, Saturday April 10 — Candlelit vigil to honour victims of Canadian fighter jets and demand plans to purchase 88 new jets be cancelled. Register here to get zoom access.
Spread the word! Join the facebook event here. Please use the hashtag #NoNewFighterJets

OTTAWA, ON

April 10th Fast for No New Fighter Jets:
10 – 11:30am — Online interfaith gathering for prayer and letter writing (Click here to join on zoom)
1pm – 2pm — Online gathering for sign making (Click here to join on zoom). We will make signs and create social media posts together, and support e-mailing & calling PMO.
3pm — No Fighter Jets vigil at PMO’s office at Wellington and Sussex. Everyone must war masks and maintain social distancing at all times.
Contact: Molly Forsythe mollyhforsythe@gmail.com

TORONTO, ON

Where: Matt Cohen Park (south-east corner of Spadina and Bloor), Toronto Now online!
When: 7:00pm, Saturday April 10 2021
What: Candlelit vigil to honour victims of Canadian fighter jets and demand plans to purchase 88 new jets be cancelled.
Register here to get zoom access.
Contact: canada@worldbeyondwar.org
Spread the word! Join the facebook event here. Share this tweet. Please use the hashtag #NoNewFighterJets

HALIFAX, NS

Saturday April 10: Rally, Protest, Sing with Signs — 11:00am-12:00pm at Victoria Park (across from the Main Gate of the Public Gardens)

Sunday April 11: Surround the Noon Hour Cannon blast with protest — 11:30am-12:30pm at Citadel Hill – we’ll have a large Banner on the hillside

Contact: winkler.kathrin2@gmail.com

VANCOUVER, BC

Mobilization in front of Minister of Defence office
When: on April 10 and 11, from 10am – 4pm.
Where: in front of the Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan’s office at 6406 Victoria Drive, Vancouver
Hosted by WILPF Canada.

2) Socially distanced Candlelight Walk
When: from 6 to 8 p.m on April 10
Where: around Trout Lake in John Hendry Park, East Vancouver.
What: We will be walking at a slow even pace, clockwise around the lake; contemplative silence is encouraged for stretches of the walk. No length of walk is too short! Bring your own portable LED light or candle lanterns. A gong will sound at 8 pm to signal the end of the official walk. Anyone who wishes to write a few words on a strip of paper or on some ribbon may bring it and leave it in the park. We ask people to comply with Covid guidelines and to stay with their designated pods. 
Contact: elea.hendriks@gmail.com or czhong@editors.ca

LANGLEY, BC

Join those fasting and the broader community on Saturday April 10:
9:00am – 6:00pm — fasters will sit at Douglas Park, displaying signs and sounding a bell every five minutes in remembrance of the many people whose lives are destroyed by Canadian warplanes in US wars. Everyone must remain socially distanced at all times and wear a mask.
7:45pm — bigger gathering at Linwood Park on Michaud Crescent for a Candlelit Walk around the block (twice around for those who are able). Cancelled due to increasing COVID numbers in BC.
Contact: Brendan, World Beyond War Vancouver, bemartin50@hotmail.com
Media coverage in the Aldergrove Star here.

Help us spread the word!

Here are some images that can be used to promote the fast. When posting on social media, please use the hashtag #NoNewFighterJets