As residents of Toronto-Centre, we are horrified at the genocide in Gaza committed by Israel, with the funding and backing of Canada. Over 30,000 people (including over 12,000 children) , journalists, doctors, mothers, fathers, have lost their lives since October 7th, 2023, and over 70,000 have been injured, and 1.8 million people are displaced. This represents more than 80% of the population of Gaza. This is appalling to anyone with a conscience.

While Canada had officially (after a prolonged outcry from Canadian citizens) called for a ceasefire, it has done nothing to push for real steps towards implementing it. It needs to do so, now. Israel has an obligation to abide by the International Court of Justice rulings and Canada is required under the Geneva Conventions to prevent and punish genocide as it relates to the Palestinians in Gaza. This goes hand in hand with demanding that Canada stop authorizing arms sales and military exports to Israel, and towards investigating the questionable $28.5 million of military exports that the Liberal government has authorized to Israel since October 2023. This urgency is further reinforced by the recent UN Statement released on February 24, calling for an immediate arms embargo. Global Affairs Canada maintains that permits are issued only for ‘non-lethal’ goods, however, this is not a legally recognized term, and Canada is obligated to stop military exports of any kind, lest Canada too be a participant in Israel’s genocide.

To further escalate the already horrific conditions, Israel is now planning to invade Rafah. Israel declared Rafah a safe zone yet have been open about their plans for a military ground invasion, during the month of Ramadan, on the area that is a refuge to over a million displaced Palestinians that have nowhere else to go. Meanwhile, and during the time most needed, Canada’s funding to UNRWA was halted by the Liberal government, by your fellow Cabinet Minister Hussen. UNRWA is the lifeline support to all the civilians and refugees who suffer from lack of shelter, food, water, medics. We demand its funding be reinstated immediately.

As the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth, we expect you to be vocal on the tragic situations women and girls are being subjected to. Pregnant women are giving birth in the worst medical and sanitary conditions, often resulting in either the death of their newborn, or their own. UN Women estimates that the eruption of violence and destruction has already resulted in close to 493,000 women and girls being displaced from their homes in Gaza. Additionally, the violence has tragically resulted in a growing number of widows, as an estimated 900 women have become the heads of households following their male partner’s death. Make no mistake, Israel's siege on Gaza is a feminist problem.

Israel has occupied the land and resources of historic Palestine, and displaced millions of Palestinians from their homes for over 75 years, subjecting them to systematic human rights abuses, severe discrimination, poverty, and deadly military force. This has to STOP and your voice in this context matters.

As community members and constituents in your ward, we ask YOU to be vocal and speak up in Parliament, we ask you to meet with our community representatives, and we will persist in reaching out to you until our demands are met. I am calling on you to represent my voice in Parliament as I demand:

- The tangible implementation of permanent ceasefire;
- Lifting the siege on Gaza to allow for urgent aid;
- An end to Canada’s complicity in Israel’s war crimes, including an arms embargo;
- Resume Canadian funding of UNRWA;
- An end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, including the release of Palestinian political prisoners; and
- A lifting of Canada’s racist cap of 1,000 refugees from Gaza who are facing the worst humanitarian conditions, such that it mirrors the program for Ukrainian refugees having no such cap on their refugee applications.

We thank you and look forward to your immediate response and action.