Hundreds of civic leaders write open letter to Prime Minister Carney urging “immediate and concrete action by Canada” to address the genocide in Gaza

Over 400 academics, lawyers, diplomats, civil society/faith/labour leaders, Senators, former politicians, and other concerned Canadians have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand urging immediate Canadian action. Read more…

EXCERPTS FROM THE LETTER FOLLOW

(The complete letter along with the list of signatories is available online in English and French.)

Dear Prime Minister,

We are forwarding to you the attached Open Letter, which has been endorsed by 412 Canadian legal, human rights, social justice, international relations, diplomatic, civil society, faith and labour leaders from across the country.

The endorsements include three former Canadian Ambassadors to the United Nations (Stephen Lewis, Allan Rock and Rosemary McCarney), other retired ambassadors, highly respected international and human rights legal academics from almost every law school in the country. It also includes leaders of two national unions, Senators, retired politicians and hundreds of other Canadians with a range of expertise, experience and deep conviction directly relevant to the measures that must urgently be taken to bring the atrocities in Gaza to an end.

It is not enough to simply speak out. Canada must do everything in its power to stop these atrocities and support efforts to bring those responsible to account.”

The letter lays out urgent recommendations:

  • Work actively towards an immediate, permanent ceasefire and the release of all Israeli and Palestinian captives.
  • Insist on full humanitarian access to Gaza and demand that the Israeli ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency be completely lifted.
  • Publicly support international courts in holding to account those who violate international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Israel.
  • immediately withdrawing from the free trade agreement between Canada and Israel,
  • Imposing sanctions on Israeli leaders and other individuals suspected of involvement in atrocity crimes, initiating investigations into charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act
  • Join the 149 states who recognize the State of Palestine and support all efforts for Palestine to be admitted as a full member of the United Nations.

Thank you for your consideration and attention Prime Minister.

Sincerely,

Alex Neve, on behalf of former UN Special Rapporteur Leilani Farha, Professor Ardi Imseis, Professor Mark Kersten, former UN Special Rapporteur and Professor Michael Lynk, and Professor Heidi Matthews

Since this letter was sent, Prime Minister Carney has taken a small but important step by sanctioning two Israeli leaders. That will not be enough to stop Israel. More needs to be done. More pressure is needed. The Ottawa Forum on Israel Palestine invites you to an urgent public meeting in Ottawa to discuss Canada’s legal and moral obligations in the face of the unfolding genocide in Gaza.

All are welcome, but parking is limited to 100 vehicles. Please carshare, taxi, uber or take transit.

7 comments

  1. Please may we discuss how a definition of ‘anti-semitism’ becomes ‘law’ in Canada, and whose definition gets to make the cut?

    Please could we also address the ‘bubble by-law’ started in Vaughn, and spreading to Ottawa. Those of us who would protest the massacres ongoing in occupied Palestine, are considered at best, ‘nuisance demonstrators’, and we must be allowed to speak out any place where we might cause discomfort.

    This has been a ‘moral issue’ for almost 80 years now, and is the modern day equivalent of the 100 Years War.

    Thank you for giving us a platform. Looking forward to Monday night.

    1. Thank you for your comments.These are all valid points which deserve discussion.However, I don’t think there will be time to delve into them on Monday night. The focus of Monday will be “What can Canada do?” and “what can we do as individuals to encourage Canada to do it?” That will be plenty for a 2 hour meeting. Thank you.

      1. Thank you for the reply. I do hope YOU will attend, and share your thoughts on Monday.

  2. Will there be an opportunity to discuss at some point, the so-called ‘Leaked document’ of Oct 13, 2023; the Concept Paper-not-policy-paper talluded to being drafted by the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy.

    The institute is a right-wing research institute headed by Meir Ben-Shabbat, a Netanyahu confidant and former head of the National Security Council.

    A Hebrew-English translation of the document, published by the Israeli website +972 Magazine, outlined three options regarding the civilian population of Gaza.

    …The third option, the evacuation of civilians in Gaza to Sinai, would “yield positive, long-term strategic outcomes for Israel,” the document stated. The proposal does not indicate this would be a temporary relocation.

    If some ‘proposals’ were broadly available some 20 months ago…what explanation do we have?

  3. Prime Minister Mark Carney,

    You were elected because Canadians thought there would be a good change, and Canada could be a leader on the world stage. This desire is rapidly disappearing in light of the genocide happening in Gaza now, and the tacit support and ongoing trade between Canadian companies and the apartheid state of Israel.

    Action is not only needed now, it is long overdue. Genocides need to be stopped before they happen, not after. There are two million Palestinians in Gaza being starved to death through siege. Please be pro-active and take a lead before history judges us as too late with too little. There is no reason to continue supporting a state with such a dismal human rights record as Israel when it comes to the treatment of their indigenous Palestinian population.

    Please act now to break the siege on Gaza.

  4. I was able to access the French language letter, but not the English. Could the problem be at your end?

Comments are closed.