At the end of October, the United Nations General Assembly will vote to end the decades-long U.S. embargo on Cuba.

Canada must continue to vote "yes" in favour of ending the U.S. embargo, as it has done consistently for 33 years. This vote is another important opportunity for Canada to take clear and public action to respect the principles of national sovereignty and international norms and to prevent war against Cuba and to help end the full-blown humanitarian crisis.

Your letter is needed to tell Prime Minister Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anand that Canada should:

• Vote “YES” at the annual UN resolution to end the U.S. embargo on Cuba
• Publicly oppose and work to stop a U.S. military intervention in Cuba
• Speak out forcefully against unlawful U.S. coercive measures to withhold fuel and starve the Cuban people
• Work more determinedly with the United Nations and other countries, in ways that respect Cuban sovereignty, to get fuel and other life-sustaining supplies to Cuba.
• Increase Canadian government aid to Cuba (Just $13.5 million to date)

Canada must maintain its independent foreign policy on Cuba and take clear and public action now to prevent a war on Cuba.

Background:

The situation has already hit a full-blown crisis.

A group of independent experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council “urged the international community and civil society to act swiftly to prevent a “silent Gaza” from unfolding on the island.” They condemned the US government’s July 23 sanctions against Cuba, which target energy companies, “further block[ing] fuel procurements, even for humanitarian reasons, at a time when Cuba is facing acute fuel shortages” Energy, transport, irrigation, waste management and other basic services are all breaking down.

“Measures that knowingly deprive a population of the means to survive strike at the most basic guarantees of the rights to life and diminish the core of human dignity.”

Another expert report presented to the Human Rights Council in September asserts that the "unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States of America since 1962...have a devastating effect on the entire population, especially persons living in poverty, women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities and persons with chronic diseases."

The country has experienced multiple blackouts leaving the 100% of the population without power for extended periods of time. Rural areas are the hardest hit. This is echoed by first-hand testimonies from Canadian organizational partners in Cuba.

Given this context, Canada must maintain its independent foreign policy toward Cuba and continue to vote YES at the annual UN vote to end the U.S. embargo on Cuba.

Between 1993 and 2025, Canada has consistently voted in favour of Cuba’s annual resolution calling for an end to the U.S. embargo, including at the most recent October 2025 session. (165 countries supported Cuba at that session). On July 7 of this year, however, Canada chose to abstain from a vote on Cuba. The debate was urgently requested by the island nation given the heightened humanitarian crisis. Canada’s abstention raises serious concerns about the influence that the U.S. government may be having on Canada’s vote.

Furthermore, the Trump administration continues to threaten a military attack, causing increased stress and harm to the well-being of Cubans. While other courageous leaders across Latin America (including our CUSMA partner Mexico) condemn these threats to Cuban sovereignty and to the peace and security of the Cuban people, Canada has remained silent.