We’re coming together to demand the Canadian government impose a full, immediate arms embargo on Israel.

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Read the Arms Embargo Now Statement

As the catastrophe wrought by Israel’s continued assault on Gaza grows, Canadian civil society organizations across multiple sectors are calling on the Canadian government to immediately suspend all trade in arms and military technology with Israel.

United Nations human rights experts warn that sending Israel weapons, ammunition or components that it would use in Gaza likely violates international humanitarian law, and the United Nations Human Rights Council has called on all states to immediately “cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel.”

Canada’s own laws, based on the Arms Trade Treaty, require that it stop permitting the export of military technology when there’s a substantial risk those exports could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law, or commit serious acts of violence against women and children.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that there is a “plausible” case that Israel is committing acts of genocide in Gaza, and that Palestinians there face a “real and imminent risk” of genocide. By reiterating that States have an obligation to prevent genocide, the ICJ ruling puts Canada on notice that, as a party to the Genocide Convention, it must do everything within its power to prevent genocide in Gaza.

That is not what Canada is currently doing.

Canadian companies export weapons, components, and military technology to Israel, including via the United States. These military exports, whether directly or by way of intermediaries, put Canada at risk of complicity in Israel’s grave human rights violations in Gaza and the West Bank.

Canada also buys and permits the import of military technology from Israel. It is Israel’s sixth largest arms buyer. Gaza and the West Bank function as a laboratory for Israeli arms manufacturers. The weapons deployed against Palestinians, including during Israel’s wars on Gaza, are marketed to international customers like the Government of Canada as “battle-tested” and “combat-proven.” Canadian tax-dollars pay for these Israeli-made weapons, providing profits to the Israeli arms industry and giving Israel moral cover for using those weapons against Palestinians.

While the Minister of Foreign Affairs has verbally committed to pausing approvals of future arms export permits to Israel, Canada must go further. It must cancel existing export permits, close all export loopholes, and implement an Arms Embargo under Canada’s Special Economic Measures Act, which recognizes the necessity of a two-way prohibition.

The Government of Canada defines an arms embargo as a sanction that “aims to prevent weapons and military equipment from leaving or reaching a targeted country. It prohibits exporting and importing arms and related materials to and from the targeted country, and may also prohibit communicating technical data or financial transactions related to military activities.”

Under the Special Economic Measures Act, Canada can and should also ban the export to and import from Israel of surveillance, security, and intelligence technologies, as well as a broad range of dual use items (electronics, computers, sensors, lasers, avionics, etc.) that may not be considered strictly “military” in nature but are integral to Israel’s siege and assault on Gaza and its continual annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Ending Canadian arms exports to Israel may impact some workers in the arms and technology industries. We urge the government to work with trade unions representing these workers to develop short and long term plans for a just transition that will secure their livelihoods and enable them to work without the fear of being complicit with Israel’s war crimes and possible genocide in Gaza.

Israel’s actions in Gaza have made clear that the time for vague promises and half-measures is long over. We call on the Canadian government to uphold its moral and legal responsibilities and impose a full and immediate arms embargo on Israel.

The Initial Signatories

350 Canada
Arab Canadian Lawyers Association
Canadian Arab Federation
Canadian Arab Network
Canadian Association of Professional Employees
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC)
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
Community Peacemaker Teams
Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain – CSN
Council of Canadians – Le Conseil des Canadiens
Independent Jewish Voices
Indigenous Climate Action
Labour for Palestine
Labour Against the Arms Trade (LAAT)
Leadnow
National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)
Ontario Palestinian Rights Association
Palestine Solidarity Network
Palestinian Youth Movement
Public Service Alliance of Canada – Alliance de la Fonction Publique du Canada
United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI)
World BEYOND War

All Signatories

350 Canada
4Rs Youth Movement
AAAPNB
Academics for Palestine Concordia
Action 4 Palestine Healthcare Workers Coalition
Action socialiste de libération nationale (ASLN)
ADOO
Afghan Association of Waterloo Region
Alternatives
Amnesty International Canada Group 9
Amnistie internationale Canada francophone
Anglican Church of Canada
Anjou4Palestine
Anti-Police Power Surrey
Arab Canadian Lawyers Association
ARP Books
Arts and Cultural Workers Union, IATSE B778
Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)
Atlantic Canada Palestinian Society – Halifax
Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network (ARSN)
Avrenim Consultancy
AwfullyPolitical.com
Axe and Reel
BC General Employees’ Union
BC Poverty Reduction Coalition
BCTF Divest Now
Birth Cove
Black Sheep Inn
Boma Learning Centre
Bonfire Counselling
BradfordWG4Palestine
Brampton4Ceasefire
Brampton4Palestine
Bridges Not Borders – Créons des ponts
British Columbia Teachers’ Federation
Brossard4Palestine
CALACS de l’Est du BSL
Cambridge NDP
Campus United Calgary
Canada-Wide Peace & Justice Network (CWPJN)
Canadian Arab Federation
Canadian Arab Network
Canadian Association of Professional Employees
Canadian BDS Coalition
Canadian Cedars of Hope
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) Montreal
Canadian Federation of Students
Canadian Friends of Sabeel
Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity (CHASE)
Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR)
Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC)
Canadian Peace Congress
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association of Calgary
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East: Okanagan (CJPME:Okanagan)
Canadians in Support of Refugees in Dire Need
CAPE Local 522
Cariboo Chilcotin Teachers Association
CC4P
Ceasefire Grey Bruce
Centre de femmes l’Éclaircie
Centre des Femmes du Témiscouata
Centre femmes de La Mitis
Centre Intégral
Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
Centre-femmes Catherine Leblond
Christians for a Free Palestine—Toronto Chapter
Citizens for Peace – Citoyens pour la paix: Moncton, NB
Citizens in Action
Citizens of the World
CJPME Saskatoon Chapter
Climate Action Network Canada
Climate Justice Edmonton
Climate Justice Toronto
Clov-Lang for Palestine
Club Ami
Coalition Against Pinkwashing
Coalition to Prevent Genocide in Gaza
Coffee Revolution London Ontario
Collectif de Québec pour la paix
Collectif Échec à la guerre
Collectif Le Récif
Collectif Waterloo Durable
Comité de Solidarité de Trois-Rivières
Comité de Solidarité/Trois-Rivières
Comité Marche mondiale des femmes – Estrie
Common Frontiers
Common Horizon | Horizon commun
Communist Party of Canada
Community Forests International
Community Peacemaker Teams
Community Solidarity Manitoba
Comox Valley 4 Palestine
Conscience Canada
Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain – CSN
Conseil régional FTQ Montréal métropolitain
Cool World Technologies
Coordinating Council for Palestine
Coquitlam – Port Coquitlam NDP Electoral District Association
Council of Canadians – Avalon Chapter
Council of Canadians – Calgary
Council of Canadians – Edmonton Chapter
Council of Canadians – Guelph District Chapter
Council of Canadians – Hamilton Chapter
Council of Canadians – HRM Chapter
Council of Canadians – Le Conseil des Canadiens
Council of Canadians – London Chapter
Council of Canadians – Mid-Island – Nanaimo Chapter
Council of Canadians – North Shore NS Chapter
Council of Canadians – Ottawa Chapter
Council of Canadians – P.E.I. Chapter
Council of Canadians – Peterborough and Kawarthas
Council of Canadians – Qathet Chapter
Council of Canadians – South Shore Chapter
Council of Canadians – Victoria
Council of Canadians – Waterloo Region Chapter
Council of Canadians – Yukon Chapter
Cowichan Valley Monthly Meeting (Quakers)
CPSA London
Cube Gallery
CUPE 2348
CUPE 2722
CUPE 3903
CUPE Ontario
Daraja Press
Dark Woods of Grief
Davenport for Ceasefire
Debaser
Decolonial Solidarity
DiEM25
Doctors for Planetary Health – West Coast
Dose Smart Imaging
DPCM
Drawing Wisdom
Dulcet Communications
East End Acts
Eastern Shore For Palestine
ECU4Pal
Edmonton Climate Strike
Edmonton Solidarity with Cuba
Edmonton Youth For Climate
Environmental Defence
EOS Eco-Energy
Equality Fund
Equity Network
Eurocan
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
experienCity
F4P WLU-UW
Faculty for Palestine (F4P) SMU
Faculty for Palestine, University of Western Ontario
Famiglia Tattoo
Fédération des femmes du Québec
Feminist Media Studio
Femmes en Mouvement
Fernwood Publishing
Filipinos United 4 Palestine
Flag Outlet Ltd
Fridays For Future Manitoba
Friends of Palestine Canada
G.A. Paper International
Gerry Ruecker Artworks
GFS4P (Guelph Faculty and Staff 4 Palestine)
Global Compliance research Project
Global Grassroots Support Network
Good Medicine Counselling & Consulting
GOOD TO BE GOOD
GreaterToronto4BDS
GreenHut Whole foods eatery
Greenpeace Canada
Halifax Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Harm Reduction Nurses Association
Health workers Alliance for Palestine
Hochelaga pour la Palestine
Humanity in Revelstoke
ICNA Sisters Canada Brampton
IfNotNow Toronto
Independent Jewish Voices
Independent Jewish Voices – Kingston
Independent Jewish Voices – New Brunswick
Independent Jewish Voices – Toronto and York Region
Independent Jewish Voices – Vancouver
Independent Jewish Voices – Victoria
Independent Jewish Voices – Waterloo Region
Indigenous Climate Action
Indo Canadian Workers Association
Ingonish Chalets
Intercontinental Cargo Canada
International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group
International League of People’s Struggle in Canada
Japanese Canadians for Social Justice
Jews For A Free Palestine (Nogojiwanong) Peterborough
Jews Say No to Genocide
John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste
Just Peace: United Church of Canada Regions East
Justice For All Canada
Justice For Palestinians
KAIROS Halifax
Kashmir Gulposh
Keepers of the Water
Kenora Seniors Coalition
Kind Society
Knix
Koreans4Liberation
La Débrouille Inc.
Laboratoire de formation populaire de l’Outaouais
Labour Against the Arms Trade (LAAT)

Labour for Palestine
Labour for Palestine Ottawa
Labour for Palestine St. John’s
Latin American Canadian Solidarity Association
Laurier–Sainte-Marie pour la Palestine
Law Students for Palestine at McGill
Leadnow
Les Artistes pour la Paix
Ligue des droits et libertés
Little Chamber Music
London Ontario Coffee Revolution
London’s Queer Muslims Association
Longueuil Pour la Palestine
LU Solidarity with Palestine
Maalamba
Manitoba Healthcare Workers for Ceasefire
Manitoba Peace Council
Maple Ridge Friends For Peace
Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN)
Mayworks
Mennonite Action-Niagara
Mennonite Church Canada Palestine-Israel Network
Mères au front/Mothers step-in
Midnight Oil Print & Design House
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network (MISN)
Miscellaneum Studios
Mississauga-Streetsville for Palestine
Montreal for a World BEYOND War
Montréal pour la paix
Moonfruits
Moroccan Organization for the Protection of Human Rights
National Council on Canada Arab Relations
National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)
Neighbours for Palestine: Waterloo Region
New/Mode
Neworld Theatre
Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel (NMJPI)
Ninth and Brick Studios
No Arms In The Arts Campaign
North Shore for Palestine
Oakville-Halton 4 Palestine
Ocean Minded
Ontario Digital Literacy and Access Network (ODLAN)
Ontario Palestinian Rights Association (OPRA)
OPIRG Toronto
OPIRG-GRIPO Ottawa
Other Hearts
Ottawa Health Care Professionals for Palestine
Ottawa Quaker Meeting
Ottawa Raging Grannies
Our Lady of Guadalupe Tonantzin Community
PAJU-Palestinians and Jews United-Montreal
Palestine House
Palestine Solidarity Network
Palestine Solidarity Sudbury
Palestine Solidarity Thunder Bay
Palestinian House Association (PHA) – Calgary
Palestinian Youth Movement
Palestinian-Canadian Academics and Artists Network
Panospria
Pansy Club
Papineau pour Palestine
Pasto-Art-Mobile
Pax Christi Toronto
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Peace and Socil Concerns Comittee Ottawa Quakers
Peace Brigades International-Canada
Peace Council, Calgary
Peace Train Canada
PEI for Palestine
Peterborough Pollinators
Photographers Without Borders
Pivot Legal Society
Pivot2Peace
Plant Powered Radio
PODER Afro y Abya Yala Fuerza Feminista
Professeur.es de l’Université Laval en solidarité avec la Palestine
Progress Belleville
Project 1907
Propagandhi
Public Service Alliance of Canada – Alliance de la Fonction Publique du Canada
Public Studio
QT Fatties in NB
Qu’ART – Ottawa Queer Arts Collective
Quebec Public Interest Research Group – Concordia
Québec solidaire Bertrand
Queer Muslim Network Toronto
Queers 4 Palestine
Queers for Palestine – Winnipeg
Recover & Rise
Red Gate Arts Society
Reform Jews for Human Rights
Regina & District Labour Council
Regina Peace Council
Regroupement pour la Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises (RRSE)
Religions for Peace Canada
Religions pour la Paix – Québec
Réseau des Tables régionales de groupes de femmes du Québec (RTRGFQ)
Richmond 4 Palestine
Righting Relations Canada
Rights Action
Rising Tide Squamish
Rohingya Human Rights Network
Roundhouse Pediatrics
Rye floral co
Sackville Ceasefire Now
Sankara Market
Scarborough Campus Students Union
Scarborough Rouge Park for Palestine
Scarborough Southwest 4 Palestine
Sea to Sky to Palestine
Seated Perspectives
Seeds — Jewish Anti Zionist Network
Seniors For Climate Action Now! (SCAN!)
Service Employees International Union Local 2
Shelter & Housing Justice Network
Short Ends Collective
Simcoe County 4 Palestine
Soul Sister
South Shore Ceasefire Now
Spoken Word St. John’s
Sqalli
Squamish Earth First
Students for Justice in Palestine (University of Regina)
Sunshine Coast Peace Group
SURJ Saskatoon/Treaty 6
SURJ Toronto
Surrey Muse Arts Society
Syndicat des enseignantes et des enseignants du cégep Montmorency
Syndicat des travailleuses et travailleurs de la Centre de Santé Tulattavik de l’Ungava – CSN (STTCSTU-CSN)
Syndicat des travailleuses et travailleurs du CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Ile de Montréal-CSN
Table de concertation de Laval en condition féminine (TCLCF)
Table de concertation des groupes de femmes Bas-St-Laurent
Table de concertation du mouvement des femmes Centre-du-Québec (TCMFCQ)
Table des groupes de femmes de Montréal
Table régionale des organismes communautaires autonomes de l’Outaouais (TROCAO)
Tamil Workers Network
TCRI
Teachers for Future Turtle Island
Teachers For Palestine – Toronto
The Centre for Access to Information and Justice (CAIJ)
The Gravity Well
THE KOLLECTIVE
The Obstetric Justice Project
The Shift
The United Church of Canada
Theatre of the Beat
Toronto Directory
Toronto Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Toronto Metropolitan University Faculty Association
Toronto St. Paul’s for Palestine
Toronto World BEYOND War
Toronto4Palestine
Trailblaze Sex Education
Tribal Vibes Wild Fire Productions Inc.
TwoBirds Counselling
UBC Centre for Climate Justice
Uni-e-s pour la Palestine
Unifor Local 2025
United Church of Canada
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 1518
United Jewish People’s Order
United Jewish Peoples’ Order (UJPO ) / Jews for Social Justice Winnipeg Chapter
United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI)
University-Rosedale for Palestine
USW Local 7536
Vancouver Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Vancouver Tenants Union
Vancouver-Quadra for Palestine
Victoria Peace Coalition
Voices 4 Unhoused Liberation
Watermelon Foundation for Justice
West Coast LEAF
Wijhah Initiative
Wild Peace
WILPF Canada
Winnipeg Film Group
Wise Courage Project
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Workers Action Center
World BEYOND War
World Beyond War Montreal
Woven Architecture and Design
Writers Against The War On Gaza Toronto
Yemeni Community in Canada
YK Citizens for Ceasefire
York Federation of Students
Yukoners Solidarity
Zamalek Montréal
ZOFF Custom Designs

Member of Parliament Signatories

22/24 NDP MPs
Charlie Angus
Niki Ashton
Taylor Bachrach
Lisa Marie Barron
Rachel Blaney
Alexandre Boulerice
Richard Cannings
Laurel Collins
Don Davies
Blake Desjarlais
Leah Gazan
Matthew Green
Lori Idlout
Gord Johns
Peter Julian
Jenny Kwan
Alistair MacGregor
Brian Masse
Lindsay Mathyssen
Heather McPherson
Jagmeet Singh
Bonita Zarrillo

2/2 Green Party MPs
Elizabeth May
Mike Morrice

22/155 Liberal MPs
Shafqat Ali
Jenica Atwin
Sean Casey
Shaun Chen
Paul Chiang
Chad Collins
Julie Dzerowicz
Nate Erskine-Smith
Brendan Hanley
Helena Jaczek
Arielle Kayabaga
Iqra Khalid
Joël Lightbound
Tim Louis
Yasir Naqvi
Leah Taylor Roy
Patrick Weiler
Tony Van Bynen
Adam van Koeverden
Jean Yip
Salma Zahid
Sameer Zuberi