Inter Pares' letter to Prime Minister Trudeau on Gaza

Dear Prime Minister and Members of Parliament,

Inter Pares is a Canadian feminist social justice organization that has been working in solidarity with courageous activists and inspiring organizations around the world for fifty years to build peace, advance food sovereignty, climate justice, and promote equality in Canada and globally. We support the human rights, emergency, and development efforts of social justice activists in many parts of the world embroiled in conflict. These include Sudan, Burma, and Burkina Faso, countries where civilians are facing atrocities including genocidal violence, the weaponization of food and other forms of aid, conflict-related sexual violence, the targeting of civilian infrastructure, and mass displacement. Of vital importance to us is the role of our government internationally in promoting human rights, justice, and peace, including in Palestine.

In its reaction to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, Israel’s war in Gaza has inflicted a devastating and ever-growing number of civilians killed. Its measures systematically target everything essential to life and survival, from schools to hospitals, from arable land to food distribution sites, displacing two million people and throwing over half the population – the majority women and children – into malnutrition and starvation.

Currently, a ceasefire is the only possible measure to end further civilian casualties and to ensure immediate access to humanitarian aid in Gaza.

We laud Canada’s recent actions, including joining repeatedly with allies to call for an urgent ceasefire, recognizing the crucial role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and reinstating its funding, providing funding for the UN Project Support Unit to establish emergency supply chains to Gaza, and initiating emergency immigration measures aimed at assisting those fleeing the catastrophe in Gaza. Further, we applaud Canada’s rapid response to the ICJ Advisory Opinion on July 19, 2024, that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, insisting that Israel “respond substantively” to the Advisory Opinion, and declaring the situation in Gaza “catastrophic” and the human suffering “unacceptable.”

Yet, while these actions are necessary, they are not sufficient. Canada can and must do more.

Canada is committed to upholding international humanitarian law erga omnes in all circumstances in order to preserve the life, dignity and humanity of all persons affected by armed conflict. As party to the Genocide Convention, Canada must take concrete and immediate action to avoid contributing to the continuation of irreparable harm in Gaza and to prevent genocidal acts as described in a recent UN report on the situation in Gaza. This is all the more fundamental for Canada after the Prime Minister and his government, following the MMIWG report which recognizes the genocide in Canada perpetrated against First Nations and Indigenous peoples, committed to making Canada a country that defends rights, a country of justice and opportunity. Therefore:

• We urge the Government of Canada to fulfill its legal and ethical obligations, and its commitment to uphold the values of justice and substantive equality, by actively supporting the emergency measures recommended by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to prevent genocide in Gaza.

• We urge Canada to immediately suspend military cooperation with Israel and stop all arms transfers, including continued exports, both direct and indirect, under existing permits to Israel. Canadian laws, based on the Arms Trade Treaty to which Canada is a signatory, require the government to stop authorizing the export of military technology when doing so would facilitate violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.

• We urge Canada to align its policies on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) with international law as per the recommendations of the ICJ by suspending the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement. Under the CIFTA, Israel purports to act for the OPT, and the economic benefit of the treaty acts to entrench and maintain Israel’s illegal presence there. The ICJ Advisory Opinion of July 19, 2024, specifies that states have the obligation to refrain from such treaties with Israel.

• We call on the Government of Canada to continue and to reinforce its urgent action with allies to restore and ensure the right to food and health of civilians in Gaza, and to decisively counter the use of food as a weapon of war. This includes working with allies to reach people facing elevated levels of food insecurity and hunger, especially women and children, to ensure rapid, sustainable, and unhindered access by civilians to culturally appropriate and healthy food, as well as access to urgently needed water and medical supplies.

• We call for the acceleration of the visa program to bring Palestinian refugees living in Gaza to safety and urge the removal of discriminatory, arbitrary and racist barriers on family reunification visas for Palestinian family members.

• Finally, we urge respect for the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as an end to all forms of threats and violence against protesters.

It is essential that our government ensure that Canadian policy and action do not contribute to genocidal acts and the reinforcement of criminal abuses committed in Gaza and other armed conflicts around the world. Canada has the opportunity to work within the international community to effectively address the roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and work towards a lasting and definitive peace agreement.

Sincerely, 

Samantha McGavin, Executive Director

Amanda Dale, Chair, Board of Directors

This letter was sent to :

• The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Canada

• The Honourable Mélanie Joly, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs

• The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P., Minister of International Development

• The Honourable Marc Miller, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

• The Honourable Bill Blair, P.C., M.P., Minister of Defence

• The Honourable Marci Ien, P.C., M.P., Minister for Women, Gender Equality and Youth

• The Honourable Fayçal El-Khoury, P.C., M.P., Chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

• The Honourable Ali Ehsassi, P.C., M.P., Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development