“Justice for Some:” A Talk with Noura Erakat Hosted by CJPME
Montreal, August 28, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is pleased to announce a three-city tour and talk with Noura Erakat, Palestinian-American author and law professor, centered around her new book “Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine.” The talk will be presented in three Canadian cities: Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto, September 11, 12 and 13.
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Before Elections, CJPME Urges Federal Parties to Oppose Quebec Law 21
Montreal, August 27, 2019 — In advance of federal elections, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) urges Canada’s federal parties to take a position against Quebec’s law 21. Entitled “An act respecting the laicity of the state,” the law bars public servants in positions of authority, including judges, police officers, and teachers from wearing religious symbols while on the job. A secular organization, CJPME opposes the bill as an infringement on the rights of Canadians of Middle East origin, especially Muslim-Canadians. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms prevents the government from passing laws which prevent or inhibit Canadians from practicing their religion.
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CJPME: Canada Must Respect Court Decision on Settlement Wines
Montreal, August 22, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) urges the Canadian government to respect the July 29 Federal Court decision in David Kattenburg vs. Attorney General of Canadadetermining that labelling Israeli “settlement” wines as “Products of Israel” is both inaccurate and misleading. In respect of this ruling, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) must henceforth insist that, to be sold in Canada, such wines conform to this decision. To demonstrate respect for international law, CJPME urges the Canadian government to accept – and not to appeal – the July 29 Federal Court ruling.
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Canada Must Maintain Support for Palestinian Refugees
Montreal, August 13, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) urges the Canadian government to maintain its support for the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). CJPME urges this support in spite of recent calls from pro-Israel organizations B’nai Brith and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) to end Canadian support for UNRWA, in light of recent allegations of mismanagement. Conservative leader Andrew Scheer has also echoed the call to end Canadian funding to UNRWA.
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CJPME Applauds Federal Court Decision on Settlement Wines
Montreal, July 29, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds the Federal Court of Canada’s ruling against “Product of Israel” labels on wines produced in Israeli colonies (aka “settlements”). This morning, the Federal Court rejected this practice, calling the mislabelling “false, misleading and deceptive.” CJPME agrees with the Federal Court's principled decision on this matter and renews its call for the Canadian government to distinguish between products originating from Israel and Israeli colonies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
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CJPME: Canada Must Condemn Israeli Demolition of Palestinian Homes
Montreal, July 23, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is deeply concerned by Israel’s demolition of Palestinian housing units in East Jerusalem. Yesterday, Israeli Occupation Forces entered the Palestinian East Jerusalem village of Sur Bahir in the middle of the night, forcibly displacing Palestinian families to demolish nearly a hundred of their homes. CJPME calls on the Canadian government to break its silence on Israeli human rights violations and condemn Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem.
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CJPME Condemns Lebanon’s New Work Permit Laws
Montreal, July 23, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) condemns the Lebanese government’s new work permit laws which discriminate against Syrian and Palestinian refugees working in the country. CJPME urges the Lebanese government to put an end to its xenophobic discourse and drop the idea of insisting that Palestinian and Syrian refugees obtain work permits.
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CJPME: UN Expert Warns of Further Israeli Abuses, Annexation
Montreal, July 12, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is alarmed by an independent UN expert’s warning against Israeli designs on the occupied Palestinian territories. This morning, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) broadcasted the findings of an independent report that raises serious concerns over Israel’s prolonged occupation and human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories. In wake of this report, CJPME renews its call for the Canadian government to take immediate action to hold Israel accountable for its human rights violations.
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Statement by CSO’s on the occasion of Canada’s accession to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
We Canadian civil society organizations, namely, Amnesty International Canada, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam- Quebec, Project Ploughshares and the Rideau Institute, long active in the effort to strengthen Canadian controls on the export of military equipment, today applaud the Government of Canada’s formal announcement of this country’s accession to the global Arms Trade Treaty.
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CJPME: Federal Anti-Racism Strategy Avoids Real Action
Montreal, June 26, 2019 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) skeptically welcomes the Trudeau government’s announcement of its new anti-racism strategy, which includes a definition of Islamophobia. Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez unveiled “Building a Foundation for Change” yesterday, a plan that allocates $45 million to fight racism through community initiatives, public education campaigns and combatting online hate. While CJPME is encouraged to see the federal government take steps toward addressing racism in Canada, there are still significant gaps in the strategy, which ultimately fails to enumerate any concrete actions on the urgent problem of Islamophobia in Canada.
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