A small but committed group of protesters lined the fence at Lansdowne Park to protest the annual CANSEC military trade show with the support of Canada’s newest MP, Elizabeth May.

May spoke about the Green Party’s strong historical commitment to the peace movement and how the fair represents the “dismantling of Canada’s international reputation as a peacekeeper.”

“Our role in the world has been superb diplomacy, saying why when other world powers wanted to go to war,” May said.

The two-day event is expected to draw thousands of guests and will include a keynote speech from Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay.

In an interview with Metro last month, Tim Page, the president of CADSI, the firm that puts on the trade show, said weapons are only a small part of the showcase. Firms at the trade show are involved in other businesses too, he said, such as textiles, sensory equipment and chemical detection.