Every two years, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is required to hold public meetings in every participating province and allow the public to ask questions and comment. Since 2022, organizations and individuals have attended these meetings to ask the CPPIB about their complicity in Israel’s apartheid, genocide, and illegal occupation. These questions, along with concerns about fossil fuel investments and Indigenous Rights violations, have dominated the meetings. This year has been no different.

So far, CPPIB has hosted meetings in Ottawa and Vancouver. They have been met with legitimate questions and concerns, only to be dismissed with indirect and patronizing responses. In one case, CPPIB leadership walked off stage at 7:00pm while a mother holding her infant was in about to ask question.

Meetings continue in Winnipeg (October 14), Saskatoon (October 15), Halifax (October 19), St. John’s (October 21), Charlottetown (October 26) and Fredericton (October 27).

See details about CPP's over $54 Billion investment in companies complicit with war crimes and genocide. This includes over $1.2 Billion invested in 19 companies deemed by the UN to be complicit.

CPPIB is required, by law, to hold these meetings. But their disdain and lack of genuine engagement with concerns is tangible. Read the reports from Ottawa and Vancouver!

On August 21, 2026, the Trade Commissioner Service put on an Advisory to Canadian businesses. The Government re-iterated its position that Israeli settlements are illegal. They said that “Engagement in, or connection to, settlement-related activities present significant legal, financial and reputational risks.” They advised businesses “not to participate in activities that directly or indirectly support or facilitate settlements or associated violence. This includes, but is not limited to, investments, financial transactions, procurement, purchases and tourism linked to settlement activities” [emphasis added]. Yet, Canada’s federal pension plan continues to double down.

Since 2021, Just Peace Advocates and other organizations have been demanding the CPPIB divest from Israeli war crimes. In March 2021, over 70 organizations globally and 130+ individuals including former federal members of parliament Libby Davies & Jim Manly, former UN rapporteur John Dugard, former NY Times bureau chief Chris Hedges, academics, faith community leaders, and labour leaders signed a letter urging CPPIB to divest. Jeffrey Hodgson, Director, Industry and Stakeholder Affairs at CPPIB wrote to us stating they would review the information, but no further action or response was provided. They have been reminded of this by email annually, and in-person at the 2022 and 2024, and now 2026 stakeholder meetings.

Despite this, CPPIB leadership still claims ignorance.

This work is part of long-standing efforts to call on pension plans, including the CPPIB, to divest from companies complicit in human rights violations. For example, the Coalition Against Arms Trade produced reports calling on CPPIB’s divestment from Israeli apartheid in the early 2010’s. This work inspired Just Peace Advocates to continue this analysis beginning in 2020/21. We have also analyzed the Quebec pension plan (CDPQ) for the last four years, including most recently the 2025 Annual Report. Alongside the Coalition du Québec URGENCE Palestine, we found the CDPQ has $26.4 billion CAD invested in 81 complicit companies. Other organizations like SHIFT Action for Pension Wealth and Planet Health advocate for other changes, like comprehensive climate change strategies.

Quotes:

“CPPIB continues to minimize and dismiss the concerns of its investors. Attendees are not simply third-party observers, they are the funders of CPP. The disrespect CPPIB leadership shows the Canadian public is shameful. From brushing off the concerns of Indigenous leaders and communities, to cutting off individuals, to treating attendees like they are incompetent, CPPIB leadership demonstrates these public meetings are simply about fulfilling their legislated responsibility, not to any meaningful engagement. Despite that, we will continue to ensure the CPP Board has no peace until accountability. Until Indigenous Rights and Nations are respected, until our money stops being used to fund the climate crisis, until CPPIB ends its—and our—complicity in Israel’s apartheid, genocide, and illegal occupation.” — Becca Steckle, Just Peace Advocates