CJPME: Canada should follow Germany's example and halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia

Montreal, January 24, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) urges the Canadian government to follow the example of the German government vis-à-vis relations with Saudi Arabia.  On January 19th, the German government announced that it will be suspending all arms sales to Saudi Arabia, due to the Saudi documented human rights violations in Yemen. CJPME applauds Germany’s principled position, and calls on the Canadian government to likewise suspend all arms sales to the Saudis. Continue reading

 

CJPME Condemns Canada’s UNGA Vote on Jerusalem

Montreal, December 21, 2018 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) condemns the Trudeau government’s decision to abstain in today’s UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution A/ES-10/L.22.  The resolution demanded that “all States comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the Holy City of Jerusalem, and not recognize any actions or measures contrary to those resolutions.”  Like most Canadians, CJPME considers this UNGA demand to be reasonable and in line with Canada’s supposed wish to support international law and a negotiated two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.  Continue reading

 

CJPME Opposes Foreign Embassies in Jerusalem

Montreal, December 6, 2017 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) opposes the US Trump government’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and begin the process of relocating its embassy to Jerusalem. Like many Canadians, CJPME strongly believes that the world’s governments should not recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital until Israel has reached a just peace settlement with the Palestinians. Continue reading

 

CJPME Urges Amendments to C-47 Arms Control Legislation

Montreal, November 17, 2017 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) urges the Liberal government to make important amendments to bill C-47, an arms control bill currently before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  Bill C-47 is a bill intended to enable Canada to accede to the international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), but is highly flawed in its original draft.  Late last week, Foreign Affairs Committee chair Bob Nault suggested that the government may allow amendments to the bill, and CJPME strong urges it to do so.   Continue reading

 

CJPME Encourages Judicial Review of CFIA on Settlement Wines

Montreal, October 26, 2017  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds Dr. David Kattenburg for his application for judicial review of the decision of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in a matter of wines mislabelled as “Product of Israel.”  Kattenburg had originally filed a complaint in March to the CFIA demonstrating that the wines in question were actually being produced in the West Bank – a territory never attributed or recognized as being part of Israel proper. The CFIA ultimately decided that it would allow the wines to continue to be imported and labelled as “Product of Israel” concluding that the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) overrode Canadian consumer protection laws. Continue reading

 

CJPME Joins Amnesty in Critiquing Arms Control Legislation

Montreal, October 17, 2017 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is proud to join Amnesty International and nine other civil society organizations* in critiquing the federal government’s proposed arms control legislation encapsulated in Bill C-47. Bill C-47 is a bill intended to enable Canada to accede to the international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).  However, CJPME and its NGO partners consider C-47 to be highly flawed, such that Canada would not be fully compliant with the Treaty with the passage of C-47.  CJPME and its partners have issued a joint document highlighting their top 10 concerns with bill C-47. Continue reading

 

Canadian Labour Congress endorses "Peace in Palestine" Campaign

Montreal, October 5, 2017 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is thrilled to announce that the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) has officially endorsed its Peace in Palestine campaign. The campaign is a strategy to get Canada’s parliamentarians to pass a motion calling for an end to Israel’s illegal “settlements” (a.k.a. colonies.) Continue reading

 

CJPME launches Peace in Palestine campaign; pushes Parliament to condemn Israeli settlements

Montreal, September 27, 2017 – In light of Canada’s silence on Israel’s human rights abuses, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) launches the Peace in Palestine campaign in an effort to force Canada’s politicians to have an honest public discussion about Israel’s illegal settlements and how Canada must respond. The goal of the campaign is to have Parliament pass a motion condemning Israel’s illegal “settlements” (aka colonies), which are an ongoing obstacle to peace and violate Palestinians’ human rights.  Continue reading

 

CJPME delighted to have Dimitri Lascaris join Board

Montreal, September 18, 2017 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is pleased to announce that Dimitri Lascaris has joined CJPME’s Board of Directors, effective August 2017. CJPME’s Board has many key responsibilities, including appointing the president, representing the organization, and overseeing the financial stability and security of the organization.  Continue reading

 

CJPME congratulates UNIFOR for passage of BDS resolution

Montreal, September 6, 2017  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) congratulates UNIFOR, Canada’s largest private-sector union, for the passage of a BDS motion at its recent convention. Resolution no. 5, entitled, “Palestinian Self-Determination and the Movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions,” was put forth by the Oshawa-based Local 222 and was “easily” adopted at the Unifor Canadian Council, held in Winnipeg from August 18-20th.  Continue reading