Month: October 2019

#RaptorsDontGo Campaign Declares Victory

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Statement of Canadian BDS Coalition
October 22, 2019

The Canadian BDS Coalition is pleased to announce that the #RaptorsDontGo campaign has been successful. Our campaign was launched in June 2019, immediately following the Raptors victory in the NBA championship; and after team co-owner Larry Tanenbaum received extensive coverage in the Israeli media stating he would bring the team to visit Israel if they won the championship. The Israeli Embassy in Ottawa highlighted the issue, and tweeted the Raptors promising “we’ll call you…to help with the arrangements”.
However, the 2019-20 NBA new season has now begun and there has been no reported public team visit; and continued silence from all of the team owners on this issue.
The campaign from the onset seemed to strike a chord with many people, both in Canada and globally. Although the Israeli lobby has engaged in other sportswashing events, this particular attempt struck many as an incredibly blatant and crude exploitation of a popular victory for an overt political agenda.

#RaptorsDontGo took off on social media and the Coalition would like to thank all of the individuals and groups who helped the campaign become so popular so quickly. Our petition gathered over 6500 signatures, a parallel petition in the U.S., started by CodePink, had over 2700 people sign on, and Jewish Voice for Peace also picked up the campaign on social media.
The Chair of BDS Vancouver, Aiyanas Ormond, stated in an open letter: “Around the world poor and oppressed people have embraced basketball as a sport of the people, and basketball players, many of whom come from poor and struggling backgrounds, have an important history of taking progressive positions and giving back to their communities. From Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bill Russel’s stand with Mohammed Ali against the draft and the Vietnam War to public and collective statements against police brutality against Black people in America, NBA players have stood on the side of social and racial justice.”
Why exactly the Raptors team never went on the “promised trip” may have been the result of several factors, not the least of which was the quick and overwhelmingly negative response by so many basketball fans. This must surely have been noticed by the team’s owners – Bell 37.5%, Rogers 37.5% and Tanenbaum’s company Kilmer Sports 25%. Although Tanenbaum’s entity may not be impacted by public opinion on this issue, Bell and Rogers certainly are and have their broader business agenda to consider. Also, the protests that happened in Israel after the police shooting of an Ethiopian teenager on June 30, 2019, some referencing slogans of the Black Lives Matter movement, would have been a politically damaging backdrop for such a team visit.

The Canadian BDS Coalition is grateful that this visit did not materialize, as it would have given legitimacy to Israel’s war crimes. We feel the #RaptorsDontGo campaign also demonstrated the strength of popular grassroots campaigns that can mobilize to achieve justice for Palestinians. As with the Boycott Puma campaign, that calls out that company’s sponsorship of the Israeli Football Association which includes teams from the illegal settlements, the push-back on sportswashing of Israel’s dispossession of a whole nation and people is a critical part of the struggle for Palestinian rights.

Check out the new articles in Mondoweiss and Palestine Chronicle

Liberal Party Position on Palestine

Oct. 18, 2019
Since the Liberal Party chose to not respond to I Vote Palestine questions, we have summarized their position in their response to the Zionist organization, the B’nai Brith. Highlights were:
BDS is anti-Semitic, Yes to IHRA, No to “Singling-out Israel”, and the Gaza March of Return is an Iranian conspiracy!

More details:

On BDS:
“the Prime Minister and Liberal Caucus supported a resolution in the House of Commons condemning the BDS movement … rejecting “the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel.”

On IHRA:
“...earlier this year the Liberal Government adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as Government policy.”

On “Singling out Israel”
“As the only true democracy in the Middle East, it is the Liberal Party’s position to oppose efforts that unfairly and unjustly single-out Israel for condemnation through demonization, delegitimization, and holding Israel to a double-standard.”

On the “unshakable friendship”
“we have always been clear: Canada’s friendship with Israel is unshakeable.”

On voting at the UN:
“As promised in the 2015 election, for the past four years Canada has an unbroken record of voting against the annual slate of unjust UN General Assembly resolutions that vilify Israel.”

On UN Human Rights Council:
“While Canada is not a member of the UN Human Rights Council, and cannot vote on its agenda items, the Liberal Party opposes all efforts that unfairly single-out Israel, at this and other international fora.”

On “democratic values”:
“As Prime Minister Trudeau said during Israeli President Reuven Rivlin’s state visit to Canada in April 2019: ‘Canada and Israel are close friends and steadfast allies united by democratic values and deep people-to-people bonds. We are proud to stand with Israel’.”

On Israel’s right to defend itself:
“As Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in 2018, ‘We know Israel is a democratic state in a dangerous neighbourhood. And … we fully support Israel’s right to defend itself against aggression – whether it is from Iran or from terrorist groups such as Hamas’.”

On Iran’s support for the resistance organizations:
“As Prime Minister Trudeau stated in 2018, ‘we deeply oppose Iran’s support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime [in Syria]. We will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions’.”

On Gaza’s march of return:
That is why the Liberal Party supported a House of Commons motion in June 2018 that “strongly condemns the current regime in Iran for its ongoing sponsorship of terrorism around the world, including instigating violent attacks on the Gaza border”

Canada’s Anti-Palestinian Racism Evident at the UN

Canada Palestine Association has compiled a comprehensive look at the U.N. voting pattern of Canada from 2013-2018. This pattern, which was identical under both the Harper and Trudeau governments, highlights the anti-Palestinian racism in Canadian foreign policy. The new analysis details 16 U.N. resolutions on Palestine and the Arab world, and the respective votes from Canada that are overwhelmingly against with a few abstentions. This complements our earlier study of Canada’s voting on 4 other resolutions regarding Palestinian refugees (included at the end of this study), which showed the same pattern of hypocrisy and disrespect, and also augments a previous 2014 review.
One of the resolutions in our new study that we would like to highlight is: “Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories”. Official Canadian policy states: “Canada does not recognize permanent Israeli control over territories occupied in 1967 (the Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip). The Fourth Geneva Convention applies in the occupied territories and establishes Israel’s obligations as an occupying power, in particular with respect to the humane treatment of the inhabitants of the occupied territories.” Despite this seemingly clear statement, which should be easy enough to interpret, every Canadian government in the study period voted against the resolution affirming the applicability of the Geneva Convention.
Additionally, Canada states it “recognizes the Palestinian right to self-determination”. Again, with the resolution relevant to this issue, Canada for the last 6 years has joined with a small number of countries and voted against.
This disconnect between what is said by the Canadian government and what they do is so obvious and jarring that they have even been obliged to add a new section to their policy statement explaining their votes at the U.N. Not surprisingly, they justify their actions by claiming that support for Palestinian rights is “one-sided”. They state that, “Canada advocates a fair-minded approach and rejects one-sided resolutions and any politicization of the issues”.
And its not as if their votes at the U.N. don’t reflect the actual policies that are being implemented on the ground. They do. And they are profoundly anti-Palestinian. Be it institutional support for products from illegal Israeli settlements, be it expanding and entrenching the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, be it denouncing BDS at every turn, be it cementing Canada’s military ties with Israel – both the Trudeau and Harper governments have not missed a chance to further marginalize and demonize the Palestinian people and their narrative.
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1. Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/81 (2013) 169 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/69/91 (2014) 163 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 9 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/88 (2015) 163 votes in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/71/96 (2016) 168 votes in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 6 abstentions.
A/RES/72/85 (2017) 157 votes in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 10 abstentions.
A/RES/73/97 (2018) 158 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States), with 14 abstentions.

2. The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/154 (2013) 178 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions.
A/RES/69/165 (2014) 180 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/141 (2015) 177 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions.
A/RES/71/184 (2016) 177 in favour, to 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions.
A/RES/72/160 (2017) 176 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions.
A/RES/73/158 (2018) 172 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States), with 11 abstentions.

3. Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/80 (2013) 95 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, Panama, United States), with 75 abstentions.
A/RES/69/90 (2014) 88 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 79 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/87 (2015) 92 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 75 abstentions
A/RES/71/95 (2016) 91 in favour to 11 against including Canada, with 73 abstentions
A/RES/72/84 (2017) 83 in favour to 10 against (Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 77 abstentions.
A/RES/73/96 (2018) 78 in favour to 10 against (Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Solomon Islands, United States), with 84 abstentions.

4. Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/235 (2013) 168 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 9 abstentions.
A/RES/69/241(2014) 165 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Palau, United States) with 9 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/225 (2015) 164 in favour to 5 against, (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, United States), with 10 abstentions.
A/RES/71/247 (2016) 168 in favour and 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 11 abstentions.
A/RES/72/240 (2017) 163 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, United States), with 11 abstentions
A/RES/73/255 (2018) 159 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, United States), with 13 abstentions

5. Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/82 (2013) 167 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 9 abstentions.
A/RES/69/92 (2014) 159 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 12 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/89 (2015) 161 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/71/97 (2016) 165 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/72/86 (2017) 155 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 12 abstentions.
A/RES/73/98 (2018) 154 votes in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States), with 15 abstentions.

6. Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/83 (2013) 165 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, Panama, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/69/93 (2014) 158 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 11 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/90 (2015) 158 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 10 abstentions.
A/RES/71/98 (2016) 162 votes in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/72/87 (2017) 153 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 10 abstentions.
A/RES/73/99 (2018) adopted it by a recorded vote of 152 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Solomon Islands, United States), with 13 abstentions.

7. Jerusalem

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/16 (2013) 162 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/69/24 (2014) 144 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Palau and the United States), with 10 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/16 (2015) 153 votes in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/71/25 (2016) 149 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/72/15 (2017) 151 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 9 abstentions.
A/RES/73/22 (2018) 148 in favour to 11 against including Canada with 14 abstentions.

8. Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/15 (2013) 165 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 6 abstentions.
A/RES/69/23 (2014) 148 delegates in favour, 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Palau and United States) and 8 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/15 (2015) 155 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/71/23 (2016) 153 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/72/14 (2017) 157 in favour to 7 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, United States) with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/73/19 (2018) 156 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States) with 12 abstentions.

9. Special information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/14 (2013) 163 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/69/22 (2014) 147 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 9 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/14 (2015) 155 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/71/22 (2016) 153 votes in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/72/12 (2017) 155 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, United States), with 8 abstentions.
A/RES/73/20 (2018) 152 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States) with 14 abstentions

10. Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/13 (2013) 108 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 59 abstentions
A/RES/69/21 (2014) 91 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 59 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/13 (2015) 99 votes in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 59 abstentions.
A/RES/71/21 (2016) 98 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Guatemala, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 57 abstentions.
A/RES/72/11 (2017) 100 in favour to 10 against including Canada, with 59 abstentions
A/RES/73/21 (2018) 96 in favour to 13 against including Canada with 64 abstentions

11. Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/12 (2013) 110 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 56 abstentions
A/RES/69/20 (2014) 94 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 56 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/12 (2015) 102 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 57 abstentions
A/RES/71/20 (2016) 100 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Guatemala, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 55 abstentions
A/RES/72/13 (2017) 103 in favour to 10 against including Canada, with 57 abstentions.
A/RES/73/18 (2018) 100 in favour to 12 against including Canada with 62 abstentions.

12. The Syrian Golan

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/17 (2013) 112 in favour to 6 against ( Canada, Israel, Marshall Island, Palau, United States) with 58 abstentions.
A/RES/69/25 (2014) 99 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, and the United States), with 57 abstaining.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/17 (2015) 105 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 56 abstentions.
A/RES/71/24 (2016) 103 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 56 abstentions
A/RES/72/16 (2017) 105 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, United Kingdom, United States) with 58 abstentions
A/RES/73/23 (2018) 99 in favour to 10 against including Canada with 66 abstentions.

13. Oil slick on Lebanese shores

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/206 (2013) 169 in favour to 6 against (Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions.
A/RES/69/212 (2014) 170 in favour and 6 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), United States), and 3 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/194 (2015) 171 in favour to 6 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, United States), with 3 abstentions.
A/RES/71/218 (2016) 166 in favour to 8 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 7 abstentions.
A/RES/72/209 (2017) 163 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, United States), with 9 abstentions.
A/RES/73/224 (2018) 166 in favour to 7 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, United States), with 7 abstentions.

14. The occupied Syrian Golan

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/84 (2013) 169 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 12 abstentions including Canada.
A/RES/69/94 (2014) 162 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 15 abstentions including Canada.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/91 (2015) 160 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 16 abstentions including Canada.
A/RES/71/99 (2016) 163 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 15 abstentions including Canada.
A/RES/72/88 (2017) 151 in favour to 2 against, with 20 abstentions including Canada.
A/RES/73/100 (2018) 149 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 22 abstention including Canada.

15. The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/65 (2013) 169 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Palau, United States), with 6 abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, India, Panama).
A/RES/69/78 (2014) 161 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Palau, United States), with 18 abstentions.

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/70 (2015) 157 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Israel, Federated States of Micronesia, Panama, United States), with 20 abstentions.
A/RES/71/83 (2016) 157 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Palau, United States), with 22 abstentions
A/RES/72/67 (2017) 157 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Palau, United States), with 20 abstentions
A/RES/73/83 (2018) By a recorded vote of 158 in favour to 6 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States), with 21 abstentions.

16. Comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East (new resolution introduced in 2018)

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/73/89 (2018) 156 in favour to 6 against (Australia, Israel, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, United States), with 12 abstentions including Canada

On resolutions relating to Palestinian refugees

17. Assistance to Palestine refugees

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/76 (2013), 173 in favour to 1 against ( Israel) with 8 abstentions including Canada
A/RES/69/86 (2014), 163 in favour to 1 against (Israel) with 10 abstentions including Canada

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/83 (2015), 167 in favour to 1 against (Israel) with 11 abstentions including Canada
A/RES/71/91 (2016), 167 in favour to 1 against (Israel) with 9 abstentions including Canada
A/RES/72/80 (2017), 162 in favour to 1 against (Israel) with 12 abstentions including Canada
A/RES/73/92 (2018), 163 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States) with 13 abstentions including Canada

18. Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/77 (2013), 170 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 6 abstentions
A/RES/69/87 (2014), 165 in favour to 7 against including Canada with 6 abstention

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/84 (2015), 164 in favour to 7 against including Canada with 7 abstentions
A/RES/71/92 (2016), 166 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 6 abstentions
A/RES/72/81 (2017), 158 in favour to 7 against including Canada with 10 abstentions
A/RES/73/93 (2018), 155 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 13 abstentions

19. Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/78 (2013), 170 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 6 abstentions
A/RES/69/88 (2014), 166 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 6 abstentions

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/85 (2015), 169 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 5 abstentions
A/RES/71/93 (2016), 167 votes in favour to 6 against including Canada with 5 abstentions
A/RES/72/82 (2017), 162 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 7 abstentions
A/RES/73/94 (2018), 159 in favour to 5 against including Canada with 12 abstentions

20. Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues

Canadian vote at the UN (under Harper)
A/RES/68/79 (2013), 172 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 5 abstentions
A/RES/69/89 (2014), 165 in favour to 7 against including Canada with 6 abstentions

Canadian vote at the UN (under Trudeau)
A/RES/70/86 (2015), 167 in favour to 7 against including Canada with 4 abstentions
A/RES/71/94 (2016), 165 in favour to 7 against including Canada with 5 abstentions
A/RES/72/83 (2017), 159 in favour to 7 against including Canada with 9 abstentions
A/RES/73/95 (2018), 156 in favour to 6 against including Canada with 14 abstentions

The NDP responds to I Vote Palestine questions

Text version of the New Democratic Party NDP response to the I Vote Palestine letter with the nine questions sent by CPA (in the name of 21 organizations) to all party leaders.

Oct. 8, 2019
NDP Response: Canada Palestine Association

We stand for freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people, and
we ask you to clarify where you and your party stand on the following:

* Do you support Palestinian human and national rights including the inalienable right to self-determination?
A. Yes, we are committed to the protection of Palestinian human rights, including the inalienable right to self-determination.

* Do you oppose Israeli ethnic cleansing, war crimes and apartheid?
A. We oppose all human-rights abuses committed by Israel, including killings, arbitrary and abusive detention, forced displacement, restrictions on movement, the expansion of illegal settlements, and all other human-rights abuses.

* Do you recognize the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality?
A. Yes, we stand for full equality of Arab Israelis and against the discrimination that exists against them in Israel today.

* Do you respect, protect and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194?
A. We fully support UN resolutions with respect to Israel and Palestine, including UN General Assembly resolution 194.

* Do you support ending Israeli occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall?
A. Yes. Canada should play a more active role in calling for the end of Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

* Do you oppose Canadian tax-deductible status for the Jewish National Fund JNF, HESEG Foundation and all Zionist organizations that are disguised as charities while supporting the Israeli military and settlements?
A. These are matters for the CRA to determine. Having said that, NDP MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault sponsored a parliamentary petition calling on the Minister of National Revenue to revoke JNF Canada’s charitable status if found to be in violation of the Income Tax Act and CRA guidelines and policies.

* Do you recognize the rights of Canadians to support the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions BDS movement as a non-violent strategy to force Israel to abide by UN resolutions and all international humanitarian laws?
A. Yes.

* Do you oppose condemning or criminalizing people or organizations who support the BDS Movement?
A. Yes.

* Do you oppose the anti-Palestinian, anti-democratic and politically charged IHRA definition of anti-Semitism?
A. We believe the government of Canada must have a clear definition of anti-Semitism so we can better gauge, report, and work towards ending it. We have some concerns that the IHRA definition and its associated examples could undermine those who wish to speak out in favour of the human rights of Palestinians.