Montreal, April 18, 2024 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes today’s introduction of official Parliamentary Petition e-4745, which calls for a two-way arms embargo on Israel and was sponsored by NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Heather McPherson. With 82,248 signatures, it is the 9th most popular e-petition in the history of Parliament. CJPME urges the Canadian government to finally listen to Canadians and immediately impose an arms embargo on all military trade with Israel using the Special Economic Measures Act.
“We are thrilled to see such a positive response to this petition for a total embargo on military trade with Israel. Canadians are sending this government a clear message that they do not want to be arming Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, nor do they want Canada to purchase weapons from Israel’s military-industrial complex,” said Michael Bueckert, Vice President of CJPME and creator of the petition. CJPME thanks MP McPherson for supporting our petition and for her ongoing advocacy in Parliament on the Canada-Israel arms trade.
Petition e-4745 was initiated by CJPME and sponsored by Heather McPherson, MP for Edmonton Strathcona and NDP Foreign Affairs Critic. The petition calls upon the Canadian government to:
- Impose a two-way embargo on arms between Canada and Israel;
- Investigate whether Canadian weapons or weapons components have been used against Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, including during the current war on Gaza;
- Review all military and security cooperation between Canada and Israel; and
- Close loopholes that allow the unregulated and unreported transfer of military goods to Israel through the United States.
On March 18, Parliament voted to “cease the further authorization and transfer of arms exports to Israel to ensure compliance with Canada’s arms export regime.” CJPME has warned that Canada is stalling on implementing this policy and that Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has introduced loopholes that unacceptable narrow the scope of the ban. Moreover, CJPME notes that we need to go further: the initial text of the motion introduced by the NDP called on Canada to “suspend all trade in military goods and technology with Israel,” and would have received the support of the Bloc Québecois, Green MPs, and reportedly up to 90 Liberal MPs.
“Evidently, there is historic popular and political interest in a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel. The Trudeau government has no excuse not to break all military ties with Israel immediately,” added Bueckert.
About CJPME – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is a non-profit and secular organization bringing together men and women of all backgrounds who labour to see justice and peace take root again in the Middle East. Its mission is to empower decision-makers to view all sides with fairness and to promote the equitable and sustainable development of the region.
For more information, please contact Michael Bueckert, VP CJPME, 613-315-7947
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East www.cjpme.org
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