Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East

Latest from the blog

Palestinian-Canadian Community Calls for Human Rights Leadership from Trudeau Gov’t

Montreal, October 28, 2019 — With several Palestinian-Canadian organizations, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling the new Liberal government to show leadership on human rights in Palestine-Israel. In addition to CJPME, the letter is signed by 13 other Canadian civic organizations, most of them representing the Palestinian-Canadian community in various cities across Canada. While congratulating Trudeau on his election win, the signatories to the letter call Trudeau to a higher human rights standard, enumerating six areas of need.

Election Result Unlikely to Improve Canada’s Stance on Human Rights in Middle East

Montreal, October 22, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is not optimistic that Canada’s attitude toward human rights in the Middle East will change following the most recent federal elections. Among other issues, Canada has come under harsh domestic and international criticism for its refusal to abandon arms sales to Saudi Arabia, despite that country’s atrocious human rights record. Canada also continues to vote with a small minority at the UN, in an effort to shield Israel from criticism for its human rights abuses. On these and other positions, Canada’s behaviour is unlikely to improve with the most recent election result.

Latest from the blog

Make the Middle East a Nuclear-Free Zone

The proposal for the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East was formally introduced by Iran and Egypt in a resolution submitted to the UN General Assembly in 1974. This UN resolution initiated the global push for nuclear disarmament in the region. In 1995, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference adopted a resolution which called upon states to take the necessary measures to ensure the establishment of a NWFZ in the Middle East. Despite officially supporting the creation of a NWFZ in the Middle East, Canada has consistently voted against resolutions that call upon Israel to sign the NPT and dismantle its nuclear weapons program. It has also repeatedly blocked resolutions calling for a regional conference on the establishment of a NWFZ. Canada should play a more active role in advancing negotiations on a NWFZ in the Middle East. Instead of blocking attempts to convene a conference on this matter, Canada should lead the push for disarmament in the region. Canada should leverage its relationship with Israel in order to encourage its participation in disarmament negotiations.

Cease Arms Sales to Autocratic Governments

In recent years, Canada has soared in global rankings to become the second largest arms dealer to the Middle East. Its position as such is largely owed to its $15-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia—the largest military contract in Canadian history. Aside from Saudi Arabia, Canada also sells a considerable amount annually in defence and security equipment to Egypt ($2.8 million in 2017) and the United Arab Emirates ($6.3 million in 2017). Each of these countries has been deemed “not free” by watchdog organization Freedom House, with Saudi Arabia ranking among the worst of the worst on human rights. Nonetheless, the Canadian government has continued to sell weapons and military technology to these autocratic regimes. In order to comply fully with the requirements outlined in the Arms Trade Treaty, Canada must cancel what is left of its $15 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The Liberal Party cannot condemn Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses while simultaneously arming the very same regime.

Latest from the blog

Position Paper: Response to Motion M-153

This chart compares the various violent incidents cited by Scott Reid's Motion 153 and shows how they fail to relate to each other, contrary to what the motion suggests.

Position Paper: Quebec’s Bill 21: Islamophobia manifested again

Bill 21, which in the name of government “secularism,” will now bar Quebeckers who wear religious symbols from taking certain government positions. Despite months of public outcry and severe criticism from human rights groups, the Quebec government passed Bill 21 into law on June 16th. Bill 21 will further entrench division and difference, while infringing on the democratic values of Quebeckers, such as the rights to religious equality and gender equality.

Sign up to get the latest updates