My petition closed after its 30 day run with nearly 10k signatures. Here’s our sponsor, Mike Morrice (Kitchener Centre MP) presenting it in the House of Commons. https://youtu.be/U2sN4MS96gY
The government has something like 45 days in which to reply.
Thoughts:
In a day or two, the countries that have been pledging financial support for UNWRA pulled their funding because Israel made unfounded accusations about a tiny percentage of UNWRA workers. Months later, many have still not restored funding, even though no evidence to support the allegations has come from Israel.
Why does everybody believe Israel?
If you’re friends with a pathological liar, you need to learn to get the evidence before you believe.
On Friday, the Government of Canada finally made an announcement about restoring its pledged UNWRA funding:
News release
March 8, 2024 – Mississauga, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
Canada is deeply concerned by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza that is worsening by the hour. Help must reach civilians as quickly as possible. Canada is working to overcome challenges related to humanitarian access and the delivery of life-saving relief so that more assistance can reach those in need.
Canada was the first G7 country to provide support to Gaza after October 7, 2023, and is one of the world’s largest donors of assistance to address the current crisis. Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, announced that Canada will be lifting its temporary pause on funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). UNRWA plays a vital role in Gaza, providing over 2 million people with humanitarian relief, in addition to its crucial operations supporting 4 million people elsewhere in the region. Other organizations also rely on UNRWA’s experience and infrastructure to deliver humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
Following allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas’s heinous terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, the UN has put in place several significant processes to address the allegations and reinforce its zero tolerance for terror within the UN, including UNRWA. Canada has reviewed the interim report of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) on this matter and looks forward to the final report. Canada commends the independent review of UNRWA currently underway, led by Catherine Colonna, and anticipates reviewing the report assessing UNRWA’s neutrality mechanisms. While these investigative processes continue, UNRWA has taken immediate measures to strengthen oversight, accountability and transparency.
Canada is committed to ensuring full accountability, decisive action and the implementation of necessary reforms within UNRWA. Canada will work with fellow donors, the UN and UNRWA to ensure that the recommendations stemming from both the OIOS investigation and the independent review are fully implemented. Canada expects UNRWA to meet its obligations and uphold the UN’s value of neutrality: this is an essential component of UNRWA’s mandate.
Women and children are bearing the heaviest toll as a result of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Over 1.7 million Gazans are displaced, with the majority living in crowded and unsanitary conditions in Rafah. Most of the population is severely food insecure and there is a growing risk of widespread famine. Access to life-saving medical services is heavily limited.
Every amount of assistance is critical, which is why Canada is pursuing all avenues to deliver assistance into Gaza. One way Canada is doing this is by supporting Jordan and the World Food Programme (WFP) to conduct airdrops in Gaza delivering essential items that Palestinian civilians desperately need.
Jordan has been playing a key role in delivering desperately needed supplies by both land and air to Gaza. To bolster these efforts, Canada is providing $100,000 in funding to the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation for the purchase of supplies such as food, blankets and winter clothing, which will be delivered to Gazans in need, including through Jordanian airdrops. Additionally, Canada has allocated substantial funding to the WFP, part of which will be used for airdrops.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will be providing approximately 300 cargo parachutes from the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre in Trenton to the Royal Jordanian Air Force to assist them in conducting the airdrops of critical supplies into Gaza.
Airdrops are absolutely not a substitute for deliveries via land and sea routes. Canada continues to call for more entry points, expanded access, protection of humanitarian workers, and a humanitarian ceasefire.
Canada continues to call on all parties to respect their international humanitarian law obligations. This includes immediately releasing all hostages, ceasing to employ human shields, respecting and protecting medical and humanitarian personnel, and taking all feasible precautions to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities. Furthermore, the parties must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.
Canada is committed to a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security, with dignity and without fear.
Quotes
“Since the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, Canada has centred its decisions on the protection of civilians. Both Israelis and Palestinians have the fundamental human right to live in peace, dignity and security, without fear. As a government, we have a responsibility to ensure that Canadians have confidence in the organizations we support, which is why we have taken prudent measures to allow for a necessary investigation to take place. In recognition of the robust investigative processes underway, UNRWA’s efforts to address serious allegations made against some of its staff, including the implementation of internal measures to improve oversight and accountability, as well as the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, Canada is resuming its funding to UNRWA so more can be done to respond to the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians. Canada will continue to take the allegations against some of UNRWA’s staff extremely seriously and we will remain closely engaged with UNRWA and the UN to pursue accountability and reforms.”
– Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development
“This donation of parachutes from the Canadian Armed Forces will help to replenish the Royal Jordanian Air Force’s supplies for humanitarian airdrops, supporting the delivery of life-saving assistance to the Palestinian people. Through this donation and our significant financial contributions to trusted partners, Canada will continue to provide the Palestinian people with access to critical humanitarian relief.”
– Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence
“Canada is resuming its funding to UNRWA, so more can be done to respond to the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians. We shall continue to be closely engaged with UNRWA on investigations, reviews and audits currently underway. All of these will require the full cooperation of the Government of Israel, as well as the determination of UNRWA itself to improve its own security systems. The United Nations Secretary-General has given member states and donors his personal assurance that these issues have his full attention.”
– Bob Rae, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York
Quick facts
No regularly scheduled payment that was intended to go to UNRWA was missed during the temporary pause. By providing certainty that Canada’s planned contribution will proceed, this will help prevent the imminent collapse of this essential organization.
The CAF is making available approximately 300 cargo parachutes for the purpose of dropping cargo.
I’ve heard many people say Canada has no International political influence, but that just isn’t so. We still have the reputation of being nice, deserved or not. When Canada went along with Israel’s push to defund UNWRA in hopes of distracting the world from the compelling Genocide case before the International Court of Justice, other countries did too.
That’s why the second part of the “ask” in Petition e-4802 was:
2. Advocating other countries do the same to prevent the collapse of UNRWA when Gaza’s lifeline is needed most.
Despite the fact Canada is restoring UNWRA funding (for today, anyway) Petition E-482 will remain Open for Signature until 2:02 p.m. on March 13, 2024. (EDT)
Because of this, I ask petition supporters to continue signing and sharing for the few days that remain.
This is so important because the more signatures e-Petition 4802 receives, the more seriously the Government of Canada will take it, so please keep signing and sharing!
Thank you for your support!
Many thanks to everyone who helps keep this terrible issue in the public eye.
Israel doesn’t like UNWRA. Of course it doesn’t. UNWRA was created to help the Palestinian Refugees that resulted from the League of Nations decision to partition the land of Palestine to create space for a Jewish homeland where none existed.
When the International Court of Justice cited UNWRA testimony when issuing its Provisional Orders to Israel (South Africa vs Israel), Israel fought back by making spurious unfounded accusations against UNWRA that *still* remain unverified.
As Mr Eide indicates, UNWRA is *the* crucial humanitarian aid provider (and facilitator) in Gaza. Even if it were possible for another Humanitarian Aid Organization to take over, Canada was one of those donors. would try to smear it too.
I hope anyone who hasn’t will sign & share Petition e-4802 as widely as possible.
As I write this, at 9,419 signatures it needs only 581 signatures to reach 10,000!!! This is so important because the more signatures e-Petition 4802 receives, the more seriously the Government of Canada will take it, so please keep signing and sharing!
Thank you for your support!
Many thanks to everyone who signs and shares, helping to keep this terrible thing in the public eye.
Lisa MacLeod is a Progressive Conservative Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ms MacLeod’s tweet begins with an #AdHominem attacks accusing the “Jews Say No To Genocide” protest of “hate speech,” then characterizes their protest as a “sick” “antisemitic” “intimidation fest.
In the following @cbcnews clip, the “Jews Say No To Genocide” explain that they’re protesting an Israeli sale of illegally occupied Palestinian land being held in a synagogue.
I was nervous when CKMS journalist Dan Kellar asked to interview me about my petition to restore UNWRA funding. I’ve never done anything like this before, and am much more comfortable writing than talking. But I ventured outside my comfort zone because this is such an important issue.
Frankly I was afraid to listen to it. I only got up the nerve after my sister-in-law told me how much she enjoyed the interview and appreciated all the information in it. And fortunately it’s not just me! You’ll also get to hear from Mike Morrice and government Minister Melanie Joly.
Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled
Whereas:
• In 1949 the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was established to carry out direct relief and works programs for Palestinian refugees.
• UNRWA is the primary provider of humanitarian aid: food, social services, healthcare, schools, refugee camps, and microfinance, sustaining the lives of millions of civilians, more than half of them children, in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, blockaded by Israel since 2007.
This series of excellent videos, produced by the The Palestine Festival of Literature helps clarify what is happening at the International Court of Justice tomorrow afternoon.
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has provided Canadians with an easy way to support the South African invocation of the UN’s Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). If the ICJ finds merit in the South African case against Israel, the Court could impose “provisional measures,” including an end to Israel’s military operations against Gaza. We can let our government know where we Canadians stand by telling them in a letter.
“I think it’s incumbent on the national government and (the Fisheries Department) to quickly pull together a meeting that brings all sides together to find a solution that the courts told us 21 years ago we needed to find, and that has to happen soon.” — Premier Stephen McNeil, Nova Scotia
Vehicle torched, lobster pounds storing Mi’kmaw catches trashed during night of unrest in N.S. : https://www.cbc.ca/1.5761468
I live in Ontario, have never been to Nova Scotia, nor am I Indigenous and I don’t eat lobster. But all the same I am furious about this entire situation. Mobs of white racist fishers are attacking Indigenous fishers, trespassing and destroying their property while RCMP stand around and do nothing more than turning their body cams off. These guys might as well be wearing white hoods and hammering burning crosses into the ground.
What ever happened to Canada’s vaunted rule of law? Mobs of white vigilantes are trespassing and destroying property.
It is up to the Federal Government DFO to announce that the Indigenous fishers are not breaking the law.
It is up to the Nova Scotia government to ensure the RCMP upholds thd law, which includes keeping the peace, preventing violence and arresting perpetrators.
If there are any non-racist white people in Nova Scotia, they need to get out and stand with their Indigenous neighbors.
What is Decolonization?Mi’kmaw Ancestral Relational Understandings and Anthropological Perspectives on Treaty Relations (Chapter 1): https://bit.ly/3cisdwY
UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES:
“Food Fish, Commercial Fish, and Fish to Support a Moderate Livelihood: Characterizing Aboriginal and Treaty Rights to Canadian Fisheries” by Douglas Harris & Peter Millerd:
NEWS ARTICLES:
AMBER BERNARD – “MODERATE LIVELIHOOD IS NOT AN ILLEGAL FISHERY”:
CBC – Mi’kmaw journalist assesses media coverage of fisheries dispute: https://bit.ly/35NKmBv
The Nova Scotia Advocate – After 21 years of government inaction Mi’kmaq assert their right to fish: https://bit.ly/3ccehV6
contact charlotteroseconnolly@gmail.com with questions