12-Month Lobbying Summary - In-house Organization

Subject Matters

• Budget
• Defence
• Foreign Affairs
• Government Procurement
• Immigration
• International Development
• International Relations
• International Trade
• Justice and Law Enforcement
• National Security/Security

Subject Matter Details

Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit, Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution, Policies or Program, Regulation

• Adding anti-Palestinian racism to Canada's Federal anti-racism strategy. Ensuring Canada views settler colonialism as central to our analysis of racism and our anti-racism strategy. Ensuring our anti-racism programming respects political and civil rights of Palestinians, including Charter Rights. Ensuring Canadian policy does not suppress Palestinians right to speak on their experience of structural racism in Israel and Canada.

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution

• Encouraging legislative options to stop the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

Policies or Program

• Advocating for the appointment of a Special Envoy to monitor and advocate for the rights of Palestinian children under occupation.
• Canada’s record and reputation at the United Nations General Assembly – encouraging the principled support for all resolutions which aim to uphold human rights in the Middle East.
• Canadian policy supporting a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine
• Encouraging meaningful engagement with the analysis and recommendations of human rights organizations on the ground in Palestine-Israel, including support for the legal analysis of crimes of apartheid as defined by international law.
• Encouraging participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Promote Palestinian Human Rights. The Task Force brings together legislators from North America and Europe to discuss initiatives to promote human rights in the region.
• Encouraging strengthened support for Palestinian civil society, and clear opposition to Israel’s terrorism designations which unjustly criminalize civil society organizations in occupied territory.
• Expressing concerns over the federal government’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, and the negative impacts on free expression and human rights advocacy.
• Getting Canada to call for a Ceasefire in Israel/Palestine
• Increased funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
• Recognition of the State of Palestine.
• Shifting Canada’s approach to the Israel-Palestinian conflict to reflect the fact that there are no negotiations presently taking place, and emphasizing the need for urgent action in support of human rights.
• Urging government attention to address all forms of racism and discrimination, including hatred against Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian Canadians.

Policies or Program, Regulation

• Demanding Canada implement a two-way arms embargo between Canada and Israel.
• Ensuring that Canada has proper human rights screening in our Public and Government procurement processes. Pushing Canada to ban 'battle-tested" goods from Israel.

Regulation

• Advocating for the review of Canada-Israel bilateral agreements to make sure that these do not contribute to violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.
• Advocating for the suspension of arms sales to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, and for proper adherence to the terms of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).