The Canadian BDS Coalition is pleased to support this call.

Article in Canadian Dimensions, September 8, The NDP must withdraw from the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary GroupNoam ChomskyRoger WatersLinda McQuaig, and Svend Robinson

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2022

40 groups and 200 prominent musicians, authors and NDP members call on party to withdraw from Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group

As the NDP caucus gathers in Halifax, the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute and Just Peace Advocates is releasing a public letter signed by dozens of groups as well as rock legend Roger Waters and academic Noam Chomsky telling Jagmeet Singh it’s time “to formally disassociate the NDP from the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group.” Signed by dozens of individuals with significant ties to the party, including former NDP MPs Svend Robinson and Jim Manly, the public letter reads, “it is incoherent for the NDP to echo human rights groups’ finding of Israeli apartheid and simultaneously participate in a group promoting ‘co-operation’ with Israel.”

The Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group promotes “greater friendship” and “further co-operation” between Canadian MPs and members of the Israeli Knesset. NDP Justice Critic Randall Garrison is vice-chair of the Interparliamentary Group while NDP MPs Lisa Marie Barron, Gord Johns and Bonita Zarrillo are all listed on its website.

Over the past 18 months the NDP has made important strides in opposing Canada’s contribution to Palestinian dispossession. At the party’s convention last year delegates voted to boycott Israel’s settlements and put an arms embargo on the country while in recent months NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson has repeatedly asked the Liberals why they reject Amnesty International’s conclusion that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid. On August 26 Jagmeet Singh hardened the NDP’s position on Israel by making 13 demands of the Trudeau government on Palestinian rights. Yet the NDP remains part of a group promoting “greater friendship” with Israel.

“It is incoherent for the NDP to call for pressure to be brought to bear on a country it’s essentially calling an apartheid state while simultaneously promoting ‘greater friendship’ with that country, “noted Bianca Mugyenyi, the Director of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute.

The full text of the statement and list of signers follows.

For further information

Bianca Mugyenyi, Director, Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, info@foreignpolicy.ca

Karen Rodman, Director, Just Peace Advocates, info@justpeaceadvocates.ca

 

 


 

Statement from 200+ individual & 40+ organizations insisting the NDP must withdraw from the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group

Over the past eighteen months Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’tselem and the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinians have all concluded that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid.

In recent months NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson has repeatedly asked foreign minister Melanie Joly why the Liberal government rejects the conclusion of Amnesty’s 280-page report titled “Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel system of domination and crime against humanity”. A number of NDP MPs recently signed Independent Jewish Voices’

Together Against Apartheid pledge and others have voiced criticism of Israeli apartheid.

In April of last year NDP members overwhelmingly supported a resolution that called for suspending arms sales to Israel and “ending all trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine.”

While the party sharpens its critique of Israel’s subjugation of Palestinians, NDP MP Randall Garrison remains vice-chair of the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group. NDP MPs Lisa Marie Barron, Gord Johns and Bonita Zarrillo are also listed on the website of a group which has a mandate to promote “greater friendship” and “further co-operation” between Canada and Israel.

Four years ago 200 prominent musicians, academics, trade unionists and NDP members released “A Call for the NDP to Withdraw from the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group”. Since that time the Israeli military has killed prominent Palestinian journalists, repeatedly bombed Gaza and Syria, assassinated individuals in Iran and expanded illegal settlements in the West Bank.

It is incoherent for the NDP to echo human rights groups’ finding of Israeli apartheid and simultaneously participate in a group promoting “co-operation” with Israel.

It’s time for Jagmeet Singh to formally disassociate the NDP from the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group.

Signed by:

Jim Manly, Former NDP MP 1980-88

Svend Robinson, Former NDP MP

Linda McQuaig, Author, former, NDP candidate

Roger Waters, Musician/activist, NY USA

Noam Chomsky, Professor

Judy Rebick, Writer, journalist, political activist, and feminist, Toronto

Steve Ashton, former NDP MLA Manitoba

Charles Demers, Writer/comedian

Chris Hedges. Journalist, Presbyterian minister, author, and commentator

Clayton Thomas-Müller, Author or indigenous activist

Gordon Laxer, Professor Emeritus University of Alberta, NDP member since 1963

Jordan Samolesky, Musician, St Francis-Xavier, MB

Abdul Pirani, Activist, Valleyfield, QC

Adnan Noureddine, Activist, Scarborough

Ali Sbeiti , Activist, Montréal

Alisa Gayle, Musician, Toronto

Alroy Fonseca, Activist, Ottawa

Anna Badillo, Academic – Activist, London

Annette Lengyel, Human rights activist, Calgary

Arnold August, Contributing Editor, The Canada Files, Montreal

B. Ross Ashley, Activist, Toronto

Bader Abu-Zahra, Activist, Ottawa

Barry Weisleder, Union organizer, Toronto

Blair Kuntz, Human rights activist, Toronto

Bob Chandler, Retiree, Toronto

Brenda Curtis, Activist, Humboldt

Brenda Wall, Retired unionist, Old Toronto

Bruce Katz, Co-president Palestinian and Jewish Unity, Montreal

Bruce R. Allen, Paralegal, St. Catharines

Carmel Conway, Activist, St. John’s

Carole Mandel, Artist, Toronto

Cassandra Ryan, Toronto Raging Granny,Toronto

Cathy Gulkin, Filmmaker, Toronto

Chris Wanamaker, Activist, Saint John, NB

Colin Stuart, Activist, Victoria BC

Colleen Glynn, Retired trade unionist, Richmond, BC

Cory Greenlees, Activist, Victoria

Cymry Gomery, Activist, Montreal

D Neibert, Social Justice Advocate, Wentworth-Hamilton Region

Dan Maitland, Human rights defender, Guelph

Dave Diewert, Retired Academic, Surrey BC

Dave Hazzan, Academic

David Heap, Academic and human rights activist, London

David L Mandel,  Human rights attorney, Sacramento

David Lethbridge, Academic, activist, Salmon Arm

David Low, Retired clergy, St. Catharines

David Rifat, Professor Emeritus, Victoria BC

David Weller, Pissed off Jew, Canada

Debbie Hubbard, Member of CJPME Okanagan and Amnesty Okanagan, Kelowna

Deborah Jackman, Artist/Activist, St. John’s

Derrick O’Keefe, author, Vancouver

Desmond Sequeira, Multi-Faith Chaplain (Rtd), Govt. of Ontario, Activist, St. Catharines ON

Diane Norman, Human rights activist, Montréal

Dorothy Field, Artist, poet, activist, Victoria BC

Douglas Jack, Mixed Christian, Jewish & 1st Nation ancestry, LaSalle-Montreal

Douglas Williams, Filmmaker, Toronto

Dr. Dwyer Sullivan, High school teacher of world religions and social justice, Kitchener, Ontario

Dr. Joan Russow, Activist, Victoria

Ed Lehman, Former NDP member, retired educator, Regina

Elizabeth Block, Member of Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto

Elizabeth Carlyle, Activist, trade unionist, Winnipeg

Elizabeth Lee, Activist, St. Anthony

Elizabeth Whelan, Activist, Toronto

Elizabeth-Anne Malischewski, Activist, Montréal

Ellen Woodsworth, Activist, Vancouver

Emilio Alvarez, Activist and NDP’s member, Montreal

Enver Domingo, Activist, Oakville

Erika Shaker, Director, CCPA (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)

Evert Hoogers, Human Rights Activist, Ottawa

Fouad Kaawach, Activist, London, Ontario

Frances Combs, Clergy, Toronto

Frank Holden, Private Individual, St. John’s, NL

Frank White, Responsibly informed activist, Windsor

Freda Guttman, Activist, artist, Montreal

Freda Knott, Caring individual, Victoria

G.Kitkman, Activist humanist , Victoria

Geneviève Nevin, Organizer, Montreal

Georgina Kirkman, Activist, Victoria BC

Gord Doctorow, Ed.D., Retired academic, Toronto

Greg Albo, Academic, Toronto

Hans Modlich, Historian, Toronto

Hassan Husseini , Labour activist, Vanier

Henry Evans-Tenbrinke, Activist, Hamilton

Henry Z., CEO, Toronto

Ingeborg Constanze Marshall, Academic researcher, writer, St. John’s, NL

Ismail Zayid, Retired Professor, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Issam Alyamani, Activist, Mississauga

Jake Javanshir, Activist, Toronto

Jalal Kawash, Academic, Calgary

James Dickins, Academic, Leeds, United Kingdom

James Kafieh, Lawyer / Former NDP Candidate (Provincial), Perth, Ontario

James W Deutsch, Faculty, University of Toronto, Toronto

Jane Collier, Academic, London, United Kingdom

Jean Gagne, Supporter, Independent Jewish Voices Canada, Montreal

Jennifer McSporran, Palestinian human rights activist, Ottawa

Jo K, Activist, Nanaimo

Joe Emersberger, Author, Windsor

Joe Modeste, Retired teacher, Ajax

John Coates, Professional Engineer, Leeds, England

John Grant, Individual, London

John Liss, Lawyer, Toronto

John M. Darling Retired Left-NDP archivist, Danforth-Toronto ON

John Wilson, Socialist activist, Canada

Judith Deutsch, Psychoanalyst/psychotherapist, Toronto

Judy Goldschmidt, Jewish activist for Palestinian human rights, Courtenay

Judy Haiven, Academic and Activist, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Julius Arscott, Activist, Toronto

K. Kilbride, Activist, Surrey

Karen Rodman, Ordained clergy & retired civil servant, Kawartha Lakes

Katerina Nikas, Activist Halifax

Kathleen Copps, Retired teacher MEd, Vancouver

Kathleen Von Riesen, Reg nurse, activist, Mount Pearl

Ken Collier, Retired academic, North Bay

Ken Luckhardt, Retired social justice educator, trade union rep, Toronto

Ken Stone, Activist, Hamilton

Kevin Neish, Retired community college instructor, Victoria BC

Khaled Mouammar, Former Member, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Richmond Hill

Khan Jooneed, Writer, Human Rights Actiist, Retired Journalist, Montreal

Kim Petersen, Human rights activist, Nanaimo

Konstantine Malakos, 2019 & 2021 NDP Candidate, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell

L. Balsam, Activist, Canada

Lana Robinson, Quaker, Duncan

Larry French, Retired union professional, Toronto

Larry Grand, Retired, Eganville

Larry Hannant, Historian, activist, Victoria

Larry Neufeld, Activist, Regina

Larry Wartels, MA Urban Planning UCLA 1985, Victoria

Lawrence Sutherland, Human Rights Activist, Winnipeg

Lesley Levy, Activist, Montreal

Lia Walsh, Activist, Ottawa

Linda Scherzinger, Longtime supporter of Palestinian human rights and International law, Halifax

Lisa Rofel, Academic, San Francisco, USA

Lorraine Michael, Activist, St. John’s

Louise Seidel, Artist, Saskatoon SK

M. Boudjenane, Activist, Toronto

M. Lombard, Academic, United States

M.A. Henderson, Media, Montreal

Mackenzie A Gospodin, Peace activist/supporter, Surrey BC

Malek Abisaab, Professor, Montreal

Marco Procaccini, Activist, Vancouver

Maria Landi, Activist, blogger, Montevideo, Uruguay

Marie Myers Lloyd, Activist, Kingston Ontario

Marilyn Porter, Academic and activist, St. John’s

Marion Pollack, Human Rights Activist, Vancouver

Martin Duckworth, Retired documentary filmmaker, Montreal

Martin Fontaine, Agent de pastorale, Montréal

Mary Brown, Concerned individual, Toronto

Mary Carlisle, Interested retiree, Victoria, Canada

Mary Girard, Activist, Thornhill

Mary Honderich, Activist, Geneva, Switzerland

Mary Lou Jorgensen-Bacher, Retired, Toronto

Mary Mouammar, Former Member, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Richmond Hill

Michael Keefer, Professor Emeritus University of Guelph, Toronto

Michael Lebowitz, Academic, Vancouver

Michelle Weinroth, Retired academic and activist, Ottawa

Mitchell Shore, Activist, Toronto

Muazzam Orakzai, Academic, Ottawa

Murray Lumley, Activist, retired person, Toronto

Nora Loreto, author, Quebec City

Nadege Couamin, Human rights activist, Montreal

Odette Dabit, Activist, Milton

Patrick Furey, Supporter of Palestine, Toronto

Paul Salvatori, Journalist, musician, activist, Toronto

Paul Tetrault, Human Rights Activist, Vancouver

Peter Eglin, Retired professor, Kitchener

Peter Purich, Technical Writer (retired), Ottawa

Pierre Labossiere, Activist, Oakland, USA

Randy Janzen, Academic, Nelson, BC

Renee Nunan-Rappard, Retired nurse, Lanigan

Reuben Roth, Academic, Oshawa

Rev. Lilian Patey, Clergy, Windsor

Rob Lyons, Political analyst, writer, Perez Zeledon  Costa Rica

Robert D. Kent, Academic (retired), Elkford, BC

Robert Fantina, Author, Kitchener

Robert Masssoud, Activist, GTA

Robin Boodle, Anti-apartheid Activist, Victoria

Roswitha Adriana Shaw,  Retired, Ottawa

Roz Isaac, Anti-racist activist, View Royal

S M Simpson, Citizen, Winlaw, BC

Said Salameh, Realtor, Markham

Sally Campbell Activist, Hornby Island

Sandra Macpherson, Concerned citizen, Canada

Sandy Greenberg, Musician, Halifax

Sarah Teacher, Education, London, UK

Shaheen Junaid, Human Rights Activist, Pointe-Claire

Sherry Ann Chapman, Engaged citizen, Edmonton

Shirel Pegios, Mom, teacher, activist, Mississauga

Sibel Ataogul, Lawyer, Montreal

Sibel Epi Atao?ul, Labour and human rights lawyer and lecturer at the University of Montreal, founding member of the Association des juristes progressistes

Sid Shniad, Founding member, Independent Jewish Voices Canada, Vancouver

SL Bondarchuk, Artist, Edmonton

Steffen Lauge Sørensen, Care about human rights, Rønde, Denmark

Sufiya Mary Reid, Retired teacher, Toronto

Sumi Hasegawa, Retired faculty lecturer

Susan Bender, Activist, Toronto

Susan Stout, Activist, North Vancouver

Sylvat Aziz, Academic, Kingston

Taina Chahal, Academic, Thunder Bay

Tamara Lorincz,  Academic, Waterloo

Terry Engler, Retiree, Vancouver

Thomas C Brown, Academic, Vancouver

Trevor Goodger-Hill, Citizen of the World (Human Being), Trottier Mills

V. Kurban, Canadian, Toronto

Victor M., Far left activist, Gander

W. T. Beckett, Human Rights Activist, St. John’s

Wael Ghuneim, Activist, Hamilton

Wael Hallaq, Professor, Montreal

Warren Kazor, Political, party, community, union activist, Burnt Church NB

William Carroll, Professor, Victoria

Yavar Hameed, Human Rights Lawyer, Ottawa

Yves Engler, Author and activist, Montreal

Dimitri Lascaris, Lawyer, journalist and activist, Montreal

Zohar Chamberlain Regev, Activist, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Curtis Marwood, Clergy (retired), Tottenham

Ken McEvoy, Retired, Canada

Muslim Nazari, Malaysia

Reem Kelani, Singer, musicologist & broadcaster, London

Chris Somes-Charlton    Artist manager  London

Zvi Gaster, Activist, Toronto

Judith Deutsch, Psychoanalyst/psychotherapist, Toronto

Eva Manly, Retired filmmaker, activist

Sid Ryan, Former president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, NDP member since 1981

 

Organizations endorsing this statement include:

Academics for Palestine-Concordia

Al-Haq, Palestine

Al-Quds Committee Toronto

Australians for Palestine

BDS Vancouver/Coast Salish Territories

Beit Zatoun Art & Culture House

Canada Palestine Association-Vancouver

Canadian Arab Federation

Canadian Arab Society Of London

Canadian BDS Coalition

Canadian Foreign Policy Institute

Canadian Women’s Declaration

Chrysalis Theatre, Saskatoon

Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, Victoria

Coordinación por Palestina, Uruguay

Early Childhood Development Intercultural Partnerships, Victoria

Edmonton Small Press Association

Free Palestine Halifax

Global Compliance Research Project, Victoria

Global Peace Alliance BC Society

Greater Toronto for BDS ( GT4BDS)

Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War

Human Rights for All (HR4A) Saskatchewan

Human Without Borders Organization

Justice for Palestinains – Calgary

Montreal for a World BEYOND War

NDP Socialist Caucus

Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel (NMJPI)

Oakville Palestinian Rights Association

Palestine House, Missisauga

Palestine Solidarity, St. John’s NL

Palestinian and Jewish Unity

Palestinian Association of Hamilton

Palestinian Canadian Congress

People for Peace London

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

SE London Lewisham Friends of Palestine

Social Justice Centre UBC

Socialist Action

Sustainable Development Association & Indigene Community

The Canada Files

The University of British Columbia (UBC)’s Solidarity For Palestinian Human Rights Club

Victoria Peace Coalition