CJPME applauds new Green Party Resolution on Israel-Palestine
Montreal, November 11, 2016 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds the proposed Green Party of Canada (GPC) resolution on Israel-Palestine. The proposed resolution was emailed to party members Wednesday, and was a result of collaborative work between the GPC shadow cabinet and other party human rights activists. “We are pleased to see a fair-minded and inclusive resolution which addresses the concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians, and speaks to the long-standing human rights issues in the region,” declared Thomas Woodley, President of CJPME.
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
This one-page flyer on the BDS movement shows on the first side how BDS aligns perfectly with international law and Canadian policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And on the second side, it provides the maps of Palestinians dispossession, as well as answers to frequent questions and criticisms of BDS.
CJPME: Green Party BDS Resolution Supports Human Rights
Montreal, August 8, 2016 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) enthusiastically applauds the Green Party’s decision to support the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. “By voting overwhelmingly in support of this BDS resolution, Green Party members demonstrate their deep concern for the human rights of indigenous Palestinians,” asserted Thomas Woodley, president of CJPME. BDS is a movement applying economic pressure on Israel until it respects the human rights of Palestinians in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
Ontario Bill 202 criminalizes criticism of Israel
Montreal, May 19, 2016 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) denounces Ontario Bill 202 as an affront to free speech in Ontario. CJPME points out that Bill 202 both attacks Canadians’ right to express themselves through boycott action, and smears an entire movement of human rights activists by accusing them of anti-Semitism. Bill 202, the so-called “Standing Up Against Anti-Semitism in Ontario Act,” would prevent entities from entering into contract with provincial institutions if these entities support the “BDS” human rights movement based in Israel-Palestine. BDS stands for “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” and is a movement to put economic pressure on Israel so that it respects the human rights of Palestinians in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
BDS: Disinformation in Ontario’s Bill 202
CJPME Factsheet 200, published May, 2016: On Thursday, May 19, 2016, Ontario’s legislature voted down private member’s Bill 202 which would have prevented the provincial government from entering into contract with individuals or entities supporting the BDS movement. This factsheet summarizes the objectives of the BDS movement before explaining why the Ontario Bill 202 is not constitutional.
Read moreThe demands of the BDS movement are consistent with Canada’s foreign policy positions on these same issues, so why do some MPs condemn them?
CJPME Analysis, published February, 2016: This document lists the demands of the BDS movement and shows how they are consistent with Canada's foreign policy positions.
Position Paper: Canada and the BDS movement
BDS Movement – The international “Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions” (BDS) movement, established in 2005 to apply economic pressure on Israel to respect international law vis-à-vis the Palestinians and its occupation of Palestinian territories.
Trudeau gov’t unable to follow through on anti-BDS motion?
Montreal, March 31, 2016 — It has been over five weeks since the majority Liberal government of Justin Trudeau committed itself to condemning all Canadian groups and individuals who promote the boycott of Israel (i.e. BDS)[i] in Canada. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) points out that, despite the lip service that Liberal leaders gave in support of the motion at the time, government leaders have not yet condemned a single Canadian group or individual for BDS. CJPME leaders conclude that this is either because: 1) the Liberal government is not convinced of the merits of the motion, or 2) the Liberal government is concerned that the motion contradictsCanada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.