‘Ceasefire now!’ Pan-Canadian civil society, faith, and labour groups issue joint statement to Canadian government

Written by National Council of Canadian Muslims

Published in News

TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2023 A broad ad hoc coalition of over 50 pan-Canadian civil society, faith, Arab, Jewish, labour, and peace and justice organizations are demanding that the federal government call for an immediate ceasefire of all hostilities in Israel-Palestine and an end to the blockade of Gaza and for the restoration of humanitarian aid and access to the basic necessities of life.

“There is no justification for war crimes,” said Dania Majid, a Palestinian member of the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association. “The Canadian government’s failure to call for an immediate ceasefire is giving Israel cover for a genocide in Gaza.”

Faith communities, especially Muslim and Jewish organizations, are prominent among the statement’s signatories.

“Thousands of innocent civilians, including children, have been killed,” said Stephen Brown, CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims. “Canada cannot remain silent, nor support the indiscriminate bombing in Gaza. We must prioritize the sanctity of human life and call for a ceasefire immediately.”

Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) echoed the call for an immediate ceasefire.

“Our members are proud to join with this powerhouse coalition of civil society groups to demand an end to the bloodshed now,” said Corey Balsam, IJV National Coordinator. “In the spirit of ‘never again’, we must act now to stop a genocide from taking place in Gaza and do everything we can to bring about a true just-peace in Palestine-Israel.”

The statement also has significant labour support, including several pan-Canadian trade unions.

The full statement and list of signatories is available here: https://ceasefirenow.ca.

Watch the coalition's press conference on Parliament Hill below: