March 18, 2025, Oakville, ON – The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) calls on Prime Minister Carney to take urgent action in response to the escalating Israeli violence in Gaza. In the last 24 hours alone, Israel has intensified its assault, resulting in over 400 Palestinian deaths, including women and children. Residential areas, hospitals, and schools, already devastated by months of siege, are being relentlessly bombed. While the international community watches in disbelief, Canada’s continued silence on this ongoing tragedy is no longer justifiable. This crisis has been unfolding since October 7, and meaningful intervention is long overdue.
The situation in Gaza has crossed the threshold of genocide, as affirmed by leading human rights organizations, legal experts, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ongoing blockade has left 2 million Palestinians without access to basic necessities like food, medicine, and clean water, while Israel’s military actions constitute war crimes. Despite widespread international condemnation, Canada’s response remains insufficient. The Trudeau government’s unwavering support for Israel’s military actions, both diplomatically and militarily, has enabled this violence to persist unchecked.
CMPAC’s March 14 open letter to Prime Minister Carney urged immediate action. As Israel intensifies its attacks and ignores ceasefire agreements, Canada has failed to take the necessary leadership in this critical moment. Now is the time for action.
CMPAC demands the Prime Minister of Canada to take the following steps without delay:
- Condemn Israeli Aggressions, Blockade and Starvation Tactics: Prime Minister Carney must publicly condemn Israel’s recent violence against Palestinians in Gaza, the breach of the ceasefire agreement, and the ongoing blockade causing starvation. Canada should call for the immediate lifting of the illegal blockade.
- Arms Embargo and Suspension of Military Support: The Canadian government must enforce a two-way arms embargo and suspend military aid and arms sales to Israel.
- Recognize Palestinian Statehood: The Canadian government must immediately recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, affirming its commitment to Palestinian identity and sovereignty in the face of Israel’s ongoing efforts to erase it.
- Combat Anti-Palestinian Racism and Reform TRV Program: The Canadian government must act against Anti-Palestinian Racism (APR) and reform the TRV Gaza Reunification Program to streamline Palestinian family reunification.
This is Prime Minister Carney’s defining moment to show true leadership, to act decisively to end the violence in Gaza, and to uphold the rights of innocent civilians. Prime Minister Trudeau’s silence in the face of Israel’s war crimes has drawn widespread condemnation and has undermined the values of justice and fairness that Canada purports to stand for. The world is watching, and Canada’s failure to act threatens its credibility as a champion of human rights. Now is the time for Prime Minister Carney and his government to break from this legacy of inaction and to choose a path that reaffirms Canada’s commitment to justice, peace, and moral leadership.
