Montreal, August 25, 2017  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds the Canadian government’s decision this week to renew funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) – the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees.  Thursday, Canada’s Minister of International Development, Marie-Claude Bibeau announced that Canada would contribute $25 million total to support the organization’s work.  “CJPME and other human rights organizations would prefer that Canada and the international community find a permanent solution for the five million registered Palestinian refugees.  In the meantime, however, this funding is much needed by this vulnerable refugee population," declared Thomas Woodley, president of CJPME.  

Montreal, July 18, 2017  — Last week, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) issued a press release praising the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) decision to discontinue the importation of wines from Israeli colonies (aka “settlements”) mislabelled as “products of Israel.” CJPME is disappointed to learn that the CFIA has retracted its initial decision.  CJPME disagrees with this latest flip-flop, and believes the government's posture prioritizes Israeli business interests over the consumer protection of Canadians, and the human rights of Palestinians.

This paper discusses multiple subjects regarding Canada's engagement policies with Middle Eastern countries as well as with <regime changing> initiatives led by other Western countries. 

This position paper discusses how Canada could incite justice in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. 

CJPME Factsheet 202, published May 16, 2017: This factsheet addresses the recent criticism on Canada's funding of UNRWA. Most importantly, it discusses whether or not UNRWA has ties to Hamas, whether or not UNRWA allows Hamas to use its schools as weapons caches, and whether or not UNRWA incites hate against Israelis. Finally, CJPME suggests a way Canada should respond if ties to Hamas were found. 

On April 13, 2017, the Liberal government tabled Bill C-47 for Canada to accede to the Arms Trade Treaty.  MPs must strengthen Bill C-47 (tabled April 13, 2017) before voting in support of Canada’s accession to the international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).  There are several reasons both to accede the the treaty, and to modify Bill C-47. 

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 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. 

CJPME Factsheet 199, published April, 2016: The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is an international treaty which seeks to regulate the international arms trade and prevent human rights violations and armed conflict.  

Montreal, Nov. 29, 2015 – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) asserts that several of Canada’s recent votes at the United Nations (UN) are entirely unrepresentative of the position of the majority of Canadians. In annual votes concerning Israel, Palestine and related issues, the Liberal government continued a disturbing trend established by the previous Harper government of supporting untenable Israeli positions in the face of overwhelming international opposition. On six resolutions, Canada joined Israel, the US and four tiny Pacific island nations in extremely lopsided losses (details below.)