MP Garrison and NDP Caucus Sign a Letter to PM Trudeau Calling for an Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

November 1, 2023

New Democrats signed the letter below to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the situation in Gaza.

November 1, 2023

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau

Prime Minister of Canada

Office of the Prime Minister

80 Wellington Street

Ottawa, ON K1A OA2

Dear Prime Minister,

Since the horrifying terrorist attacks on Isreali civilians on October 7th and the beginning of this latest siege of Gaza, we, members of the New Democrat cacus, are united in grief and despair.

Our constituents are in pain. Many have lost family members and friends in Gaza and in Israel. Many fear for their loved ones.

We mourn with the Jewish community who are traumatized by the horrendous terrorist attacks by Hamas. We urge you to work harder to secure the release of all hostages, including the Canadians believed to be among them.

Canadian Palestinian and Muslim communities are telling us they are feeling unheard by this government. They, too, are in deep pain.

We condem the alarming rise in antisemitism, anti-Palestinian racism and islamophobia in our communities and across Canada and we ask for a stronger response from your government.

Over the past three weeks more than one hundred thousand Canadians have written to us asking Canada to call for a ceasefire.

And as we write today, over 400 Canadians are trapped in the siege of Gaza, trying to survive amid the most terrible conditions and under constant bombing. People with disabilities, children, and seniors are amongst the Canadian citizens affected.

We are horrified of reports of airstrikes near hospitals, schools, and cancer facilities. We are appalled by the indiscriminate and unjustified bombing by Israel of the Jabalia refugee camp on October 31.

Israel's siege of Gaza has killed doctors, journalists, UN staff, poets, students, parents, and over 3,000 children. Each of these people had a name, a family, hopes and dreams for their futures.

This week, Save The Children confirmed that more children have been killed in Gaza than in global conflicts annually over the past four years. One Child is killed every ten minutes.

None of these children were responsible for the grave crimes of October 7th.

Humanitarian organizations and the United Nations are sounding the alarm at the shocking levels of human suffering in Gaza. Nearly a million people have been made homeless, with no access to food, water, fuel, medicine, or sanitation. Tens of thousands of pregnant women and babies are drinking contaminated water. Women are undergoing c-sections without anaesthetic. Children's wounds are sanitized with vinegar from the corner store.

And in the West Bank, extremist right-wing settlers are harassing, threatening and killing innocent Palestinians as Isreali security forces watch. It has to stop, and these crimes must be prosecuted.

Prime Minister, these are extremely serious violations of international law.

This is the worst crisis in the Middle East in our lifetimes - and your government is failing to meet this moment.

Since October 11th, New Democrats are calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, an end to the siege of Gaza, unimpeded and immediate humanitarian access, and full respect for international law.

We are profoundly alarmed by your refusal to call for a ceasefire.

We condemn Canada's absention at the United Nations General Assembly on a resolution calling for "an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities."

We do not accept Canada's brazen refusal to support ICC and ICJ investigations into the situation in Israel and Palestine. The rules of international humanitarian law apply universally and equally to all parties of an armed conflict; one war crime does not excuse another. All victims in Israel and Gaza deserve justice.

We call for an end to Canada's arms sales to Israel. Global Affairs Canada officials cannot confirm whether Canadian weapons, components or technology are used by Israel in this latest bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza. Canadians deserve to know the extent of Canada's complicity in this conflict. And Canada must to more to end illegal arms transfers to Hamas.

Prime Minister, your government has long promoted the rules-based international order.

But it is clear that, in Israel and Gaza, those rules are abandoned.

We are urgently asking Canada to do the following:

-Call for an immediate ceasefire and release of all hostages;

-Demand unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza;

-Ensure all Canadians can safely leave the region;

-Support ICC and ICJ investigations into the situation in Israel and Palestine;

-Halt arms sales to Israel and work with partners to end illegal arms transfers to Hamas;

-Advocate for an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories and work toward a two-state solution;

-Continue to work with partners to counter terrorism in the region;

-Invest in building a just and sustainable peace for Palestinians and Isrealis.

Our goal as New Democrats has always been a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Isrealis. The global community, Canada included, must work towards a credible peace process that will finally bring peace and security to all in the region, while respecting the humanity and rights of all civilians, Isreali and Palestinian.

We urge you to understand the seriousness of this moment. Canadians are in deep pain and are looking for global leadership.

Canada must not abandon the principles of international law and justice. We urge you to take action today. Many lives depend on it.

Sincerely,

Signed

Jagmeets Singh, MP Burnaby South

Heather McPherson, MP Edmonton Strathcona

Charlie Angus, MP Timmins-James Bay

Niki Ashton, MP Churchill-Keewatinook Aski

Taylor Bachrach, MP Skeena-Bulkley Valley

Lisa Marie Barron, MP Nanaimo-Ladysmith

Daniel Blaikie, MP Elmwood-Transcona

Rachel Blaney, MP North Island-Powell River

Alexandre Boulerice, MP Rosemont- La-Petite-Patrie

Richard Cannings, MP South Okanagan-West Kootenay

Laurel Collins, MP Victoria

Don Davies, MP Vancouver Kingsway

Blake Desjarlais, MP Edmonton Griesbach

Randall Garrison, MP Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke

Leah Gazan, MP Winnipeg Centre

Matthew Green, MP Hamilton Centre

Carol Hughes, MP Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing

Lori Idlout, MP Nunavut

Gord Johns, MP Courtenay-Alberni

Peter Julian, MP New Westminster-Burnaby

Jenny Kwan, MP Vancouver East

Alistair MacGregor, MP Cowichan-Malahat-Langford

Brian Masse, MP Windsor West

Lindsay Mathyssen, MP London-Fanshawe

Bonita Zarrillo, MP Port Moody-Coquitlam