A moderated, dynamic and inter-generational discussion of the history, current challenges and prospects for the Palestine solidarity movement in Canada.
Speakers: Hanna Kawas (Canada Palestine Association); Charlotte Kates (Samidoun); Bruce Katz (Palestinian and Jewish Unity); Moe Alqasem (Palestinian Youth Movement); Aiyanas Ormond (BDS Vancouver – Moderator)
The Canadian BDS Coalition joins more than 130 groups signed an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and members of his cabinet, raising concerns and calling for action in regards to the Canada Revenue Agency’s prejudiced audits of Muslim charities, under the auspices of countering terrorist financing.
The letter is in support of the revelations and recommendations included in ICLMG’s new report “The CRA’s Prejudiced Audits: Counter-terrorism and the targeting of Muslim charities in Canada.”
You can read the full report, executive summary, and write to Prime Minister Trudeau to add your voice at https://iclmg.ca/prejudiced-audits.
The emergency resolution was unanimously passed by the Canadian Council of CLC during its #CLC2021 session and calls on @CanadianLabour to work with global unions, affiliates and civil society on urgent campaign to stop Israel’s ethnic cleansing of #Palestinians#canlab#cdnpoli
This follows the call in May 2021 by two labour organizations in Canada,
call on the Government of Canada in the most urgent terms possible, to immediately suspend bilateral trade of all arms and related materials with the State of Israel.
To learn more about Canadian labour’s support of Palestine over the last 15 years, when in 2006, CUPE Ontario with 240,000 members supported call for boycott, divestment, and sanctions.
Garrison has repeatedly demanded more resources for the military, which has more than 10 times the budget of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Garrison recently complained to the Hill Times that the budget didn’t devote enough to the military, saying
we spent a decade not providing the military with an adequate operating budget to do the work we already asked them to do. It’s time to fix that.
Similarly, when the Liberals announced a 70 per cent increase in military spending in 2017, Garrison criticized the announcement for not putting up more money immediately.
Garrison supports the government’s plan to spend $19 billion – $77 billion over their lifecycle – on 88 new aggressive, climate destroying, fighter jets. He also wants Canada to purchase 15 surface combatant vessels armed with Tomahawk missiles that can travel 1,700 kilometers. The frigates are expected to cost $77 billion upfront and an eye-popping $286 billion over their lifecycle.
In mid-April, 85% of NDP convention delegates voted for the Palestine Resolution. It calls for “Ending all trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine” and “Suspending the bilateral trade of all arms and related materials with the State of Israel until Palestinian rights are upheld.”
In response to Israel’s recent ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem, attacks on the Al-Aqsa mosque and violence in Gaza, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh called for an arms embargo on Israel and the party promoted a petition making this demand, which most NDP MPs have shared.
Garrison has stayed quiet on the convention resolution and arms embargo. He also failed to criticize Israel’s recent violence and ethnic cleansing. Instead, on May 25 he signed a statement designed to shield Israel from criticism, which was promoted by lobby group Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).
Garrison is vice-chair of the Canada-Israel Interparliamentary Group (CIIG). Three years ago 200 well-known musicians, academics, trade unionists and NDP members called on NDP MPs to withdraw from CIIG. Most ultimately did so. Garrison has refused to leave a group that promotes “greater friendship” and “cooperation” between the Canadian and Israeli parliaments.
Garrison is out of step with NDP members on Palestinian rights. His militarism is also not shared by most in the party. It is time Garrison was removed as NDP defence critic.
Endorsing organizations:
Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste
Canadian BDS Coalition
Canada Palestine Association
Palestinian and Jewish Unity
World BEYOND War
Anti-Imperialist Alliance-Ottawa
World Beyond War Vancouver
Canadian Muslim Peace Alliance
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Network
Oakville Palestinian Rights Association (OPRA)
Canadian Foreign Policy Institute
Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine Israel
Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste
Regina Peace Council
NDP Socialist Caucus
Al-Quds Committee-Toronto
Victoria Peace Coalition
Yemeni Community in Canada
Pax Christi Toronto
St. John’s Solidarity for Palestine
Hamilton Coalition to Stop the WarTamam: Fine Palestinian Cuisine
The recent 2021 CPPIB Annual Report while showing that CPPIB has divested from General Mills, indicates increased investments in Israeli war crimes with at least 10 companies identified by the UN as complicit in war crimes.
The CPP investments in the companies listed in the UN Database make up $513 M of $134,226 M of CPPForeign Publicly-Traded Equity Holdings as of March 31, 2021.
Legend
Human Rights Council resolution 31/36 defined the database by reference to the listed activities compiled by the fact-finding mission in its report, which include:
B: The supply of surveillance and identification equipment for settlements, the wall and checkpoints directly linked with settlements;
E: The provision of services and utilities supporting the maintenance and existence of settlements, including transport
F: Banking and financial operations helping to develop, expand or maintain settlements and their activities, including loans for housing and the development of businesses;
G: The use of natural resources, in particular water and land, for business purposes;
Given that the aggregate investments are a very small proportion of the foreign traded portfolio, it seems it is an easy move for the CPP Investment Board to divest from companies that have been named as complicit in acts contributing to the maintenance of illegal settlements.
This company, WSP Global, is a Canadian management and consulting firm that specializes in engineering projects. This company, according to Who Profits, is involved in the planning of the Israel railway system that crosses into the occupied West Bank and constitutes settlement infrastructure.The CPP investment in WSP Global is at over 21K shares with a market value that increased fromMarch 31, 2020 of $1,683 million, to $2,583 M as of March 31, 2021.
This certainly begs the question as to why the CPP has invested in one firm, WSP, so heavily within in Canadian Publicly Traded equity holding of the CPP in one company; beyond this one that is involved in illegal settlement activities.
There are a number of other companies of concern that can be identified, but given the recent large divestments from public pensions in New Zealand and Norway, join the call for the CPPIB to divest immediately from these United Nation identied companies, and WSP, the Canadian company which has been verified by Who Profits and AFSC.
The Call
1. The CPPIB immediately take steps to diversify the Canadian equity portfolio;
2.To divest from WSP
3.Review the Canadian portfolio for any other companies that are in violation of international law
4.Put in place a transparent process to ensure that companies are vetted for violations of human rights and international law.
The concerns that we raise are in the broader context of ethical investment related to Canada’s public pension fund investment.
We ask the CPPIB to take all steps necessary to ensure that the activities of all companies included in all of its portfolio are in compliance with international law governing war crimes. We remind you that in Canada, parties that are complicit in war crimes are liable to criminal prosecution under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act,[1] including corporations.[2]
This is the Second Call on CPPIB
In March 2021, 70+ organizations from across Canada and around the world, and 130+ individuals including former federal members of parliament Libby Davies & Jim Manly, former UN rapporteur John Dugard, Chris Hedges former NY Times bureau chief, academics, faith community leaders, labour leaders & many others demanded that Canada’s public pension divest from companies identified by the UN as supporting Israeli war crimes. Learn more & read list of all signatories. Subsequently, 500+ letters were sent to the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).
The United Nations (UN) Database of companies complicit with human rights violations
The UN Database was released on February 12, 2020 in the Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights(A/HRC/43/71) after the independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the oPt, including East Jerusalem. There are a total of 112 companies included on the UN list. Based on CPP’s March 31, 20201 annual listing of equity holding, the CPP is invested in at least ten companies that are listed in the United Nations database.
Note: information about the companies, verified byWho Profits, an independent Israeli research organization and/or the American Friends Service Committee “Investigate” as per links provided with each of companies listed.
The CPP investments in the companies listed in the UN Database make up $513 M of $134,226 M of CPPForeign Publicly-Traded Equity Holdings as of March 31, 2021. USA companies, Airbnb and Expedia make up $481M of this investment, with the other nine entities valued at $32 M.
Changes since March 31, 2020, include investment in Airbnb and Delek. There was decrease in shares held and value of Expedia and increase in shares held and value of Booking Holdings and Motorola.
We do consider it a victory that CPPIB has divested from General Mills, eliminating the 324 shares valued at $24 M in the March 2020 report.
Given that the aggregate investments are a very small proportion (less than one-percent) of the foreign traded portfolio, it seems it is an easy move for the CPP Investment Board to divest from companies that have been named as complicit in acts of military occupation and contributing to the maintenance of illegal settlements (aka “war crimes”)
Join MBA graduates from Schulich School of Business to urge Dean Zwick to stop the study abroad exchange with Israel, as the settler colonial state continues to occupy and kill Palestinians.
The Schulich School of Business conducts a “Doing Business in Israel” seminar, which entails sending Schulich students to study in Israel for a 10-day, 36-contact hour seminar.
Initiated by concerned MBA graduates from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto.
We are watching in horror as Israel continues its relentless violence and brutality against the people of Palestine.
As proud Schulich MBA graduates, we are disappointed that our alma mater continues to conduct business with Israel, which is an apartheid state, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report.
Our alma mater runs a “Doing Business in Israel” seminar, which entails sending Schulich students to study in Israel for a 10-day, 36-contact hour seminar.
Our ask is simple: We ask Dean Detlev Zwick to cancel this seminar, which is a mark of shame on our illustrious school. We ask ourselves: would we conduct a study abroad opportunity with South Africa when it was an apartheid state? The answer is a resounding “No”.
We expect the same answer from the Schulich School of Business in its dealings with Israel.
The Canadian BDS Coalition welcomes the news that Reimagine Co. in London Ontario has announced it is apartheid free. The Coalition applauds Reimagine Co on being a space of proactive solidarity with the Palestinian people and committing not to sell products from the illegal Israeli settlements or from any Israeli or international company that profits from violations of Palestinian human rights.
The announcement today is in solidarity with Palestine following the ongoing escalation of violence This comes after calls from Palestinian civil society for a General Strike and Day of Action on Tuesday May 18th.
Reimagine Co. is urging other London businesses, institutions and community groups to join in becoming an Apartheid Free Zone.
Inspired by the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, being apartheid-free seeks to cut links of complicity with Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights, especially those related to the UN-defined crime of apartheid. This is one important action that civil society can take to put our government on notice that we will not be complicit in war crimes enacted by Israel upon the Palestinian people
The Canadian BDS Coalition encourages businesses, institutes, and community groups across Canada to join in becoming apartheid-free.
The Canadian BDS Coalition
Thanks to one of the founding members of the Canadian BDS Coalition, People for Peace in London Ontario for their leadership.
Take other actions in support of Palestine General Strike HERE
As Israel is continuing its massacres in Gaza, its attacks in Al Quds and settler mob violence throughout colonized historic Palestine, Palestinians have called for a general strike.
This call has been supported by the Palestinian prisoners’ movement and popular movements, youth organizations, labor unions, political parties, and other mobilizations from the river to the sea inside occupied Palestine, and the call is expected to grow even further. As Palestinians are united with the #PalestineStrike
Actions You Can Take
The following link you to actions you can take.
Social Media:
Use Hashtags
#BDS #GazaUnderAttack #SaveSheikhJarrah
Change your profile to include Palestine flag or other solidarity frame.
As we approach the 73rd anniversary of the Nakba, the Israeli colonization of Palestine and the forced expulsion of Palestinians, the Nakba continues.
May 15 marks 73 years of Palestinian dispossession and attempts to erase Palestine from the map of the world. It also marks decades of Palestinian resistance and refusal to accept Israeli settler colonialism and occupation.
May 15, 2 pm, CBC Vancouver Plaza (700 Hamilton St.)
Bring your keffiyeh and mask and join us on May 15 for a physically distanced Nakba73 Flash Picket at the CBC Plaza.
May 15 marks 73 years of Palestinian dispossession and attempts to erase Palestine from the map of the world. It also marks decades of Palestinian resistance and refusal to accept Israeli settler colonialism and occupation.
Lets hold the Palestinian flag high in Vancouver; and show CBC that Palestine does indeed exist, contrary to its biased and racist language guide.
Lets also tell the Canadian government that their complicity in Israeli war crimes must end! FB Event Page
St. John’s, NL: Calling all families, communities, organizations, and friends of Palestine to join us in taking action to commemorate the 73rd year of the Palestinian catastrophe and on-going ethnic cleansing of Palestine, Al Nakba.Date: Sunday May 16th, 2021 12PM – 2 PM RALLY
(Tentative)Speakers: To be announcedAs we approach the anniversary of the Nakba (May 15th, 1948), the colonization of Palestine and the forced expulsion of Palestinians continues.
The threat of Zionist expulsion is a reality for Palestinians everywhere in the occupied territories, but nowhere is it more evident today than in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. There, at the heart of Palestine’s capital, Palestinian families are confronting the threat of imminent expulsion from their homes as the Israeli regime attempts to move settlers into the area.
As we mark 73 years of Nakba, we recognize the Nakba itself to be an ongoing catastrophe, not a completed one. We commend our people’s steadfast resistance and stand with them as the struggle for liberation continues. Until liberation and return!NOTE: There will be sanitizers and face masks, and water available at the event, and we will be abiding by COVID-19 guidelines, including social distancing measures. For more information on the guidelines and restrictions set by Newfoundland and Labrador, click on https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/guidance-for-gatherings/
(At the moment, outdoor gatherings permits the gathering of a maximum of 100 people)We look forward to seeing you there! Feel free to bring any Palestinian flags/cardboards/artwork/clothing with you.
The 3rd Annual Nakba Day of Action – Saturday, May 15, 2021
73 years ago, over 750,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes and their homeland by the establishment of the Zionist state, backed by the big powers. This displacement is ongoing and must be stopped! Our demands include: End the occupation. No annexation of any portion of the West Bank. Lift the siege of Gaza. Tear down the apartheid wall. For Israel to provide full health services and vaccination against the pandemic for all Palestinians in the territories it controls. For the right of all Palestinian refugees to return home. Boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel and its economy until Palestinian rights are fully respected. When: Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm (EST) Where:https://youtu.be/t7hA1uUx_6Y We aim to express our solidarity with the Palestinian people by presenting a number of speakers and performers of music and poetry. If you are part of an organization, please endorse this important event. Organized by the Greater Toronto BDS Committee, a member of the Canadian BDS Coalition For more information call Stephen at 647 869 7651
Rally chairperson: Sarah Abu-Sharar speakers Rana Shubair – poet (Gaza) Sue Goldstein – Independent Jewish Voices Barry Weisleder – Socialist Action Father Boulos Saleh – witness to Nakba Yves Engler – Canadian Foreign Policy Institute Roula Said – singer Kim Hawkins – Foodbenders Yara Ghaddan – poet Dimitri Lascaris – prominent Green Party, activist and lawyer in Montreal Robert Massoud – Beit Zatoun Issam Adwan – We are Not Numbers (Gaza) Ehab Lotayef – poet and activist Zafar Bangash – Al Quds Committee James Clark – Spring magazine Rachelle Friesen – Canada Coordinator, Christian Peacemaker Teams Herman Rosenfeld, Socialist Project List of endorsing organizations: Greater Toronto BDS Coalition, Canadian BDS Coalition, Independent Jewish Voices, PSN Edmonton, Peace Alliance Winnipeg, Oakville Palestine Rights Association, Solidarity with Palestine-St. John’s, NL, Samidoun, Just Peace Advocates, Palestine Canadian Community Centre, Socialist Action, NDP Socialist Caucus, Spring magazine, Socialist Project, and Al Quds Committee
The Canadian BDS Coalition is pleased to be one of over 50 organizations representing more than 1 million Canadians sent a letter to Justice Minister David Lametti – LaSalle Émard Verdun & Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault today regarding the soon-to-be tabled online hate legislation.
Together, we are calling on the government to take strong measures to combat online hate, but not by incorporating the dangerously flawed IHRA antisemitism definition.
“Let’s tackle online hate, but let’s do so while protecting our Charter-protected freedoms of thought, belief, opinion and expression.
We stand firm in this position and we urge you to do the same by not adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism into online hate legislation or any accompanying interpretative guidelines and affiliated policies.”
