I am a resident of Mississauga-Streetsville, and I am horrified by the humanitarian catastrophe and loss of life in Gaza that has continued for over 110 days. This crisis has starkly revealed your failure to act on my concerns – along with those of the majority of Canadians – and your actions will influence what I do, including how I vote in the upcoming election.

I urge you to do everything in your power to bring about an immediate and permanent ceasefire by ending Canada’s complicity in Israeli aggression, including:

(1) Imposing a two-way arms embargo on Israel, including arms trade via the United States;

and

(2) Pressuring Israel to end the siege on Gaza.

I am well aware that Canada has sold at least 21 million dollars in weapons to Israel directly and shipped more via the United States. Canada also continues to buy weapons, including weapon parts that Israel has developed to carry out the genocide we’re currently witnessing today. This is direct Canadian complicity, and it must end now!

I am deeply ashamed of the fact that Canada has profited from these atrocities. As I previously stated, come the next federal election, I will only vote for political parties that support an immediate end to Israeli atrocities and call for accountability for the crimes against humanity that have taken place.

Israel has blockaded the movement of people and goods in Gaza since 2007, going on repeated wars of aggression since. Since October 8, in addition to the killings, 80% of Gazans, over 1.8 million people, have been displaced. Three-quarters of the homes in Gaza have been destroyed, as have most hospitals, schools, and historical and religious sites. This endless and immiserating siege on Gaza must end as the first step toward justice and peace.

Canada finally called for a ceasefire at the UN after millions of Canadians spoke up. Still, Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal Party continue to support Israel’s campaign of brutality. Canada has refused to join in with South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and is actively supporting and engaging in the bombing of Yemen for attempting to deter the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

As a Filipina-Canadian living in the diaspora and with a close connection to the Filipino community in Canada, you have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with Palestinians. The Philippines and Palestine share a long history of resistance against foreign occupation and colonial rule. Just like Filipinos who fought against Spanish colonialism, US imperialism, and later Japanese occupation, Palestinians have been resisting the annexation of their lands by US-backed Israel.

Every Member of Parliament, including you, has a role to play. You must call for an end to Canadian complicity in Israeli aggression to bring about an immediate and permanent ceasefire. The majority of your constituents demand that you do so. I know community members are reaching out to you across multiple platforms and are losing faith in your orientation toward justice. We ask YOU to be vocal and speak up in Parliament, as well as over social media and traditional media.

I and many of your other constituents will continue speaking up and taking action until justice and peace prevail. We hope we can count on you to do what is ethically correct and legally required by the International Court of Justice’s January 26th, 2024 ruling. The genocide in Gaza must end, and the international community (including Canada) must pressure Israel to prevent further harm to the Palestinian population. Come election time, I hope to be in the position to encourage others to support YOU - as a member of parliament who was on the right side of history.

I, along with many of your other constituents, will continue speaking up and taking action, and come election time, I will make sure everyone knows how you acted in these crucial days.