Category: CPA Statements

Open letters and statements to the public from the Canada Palestine Association.

Join us on March 15 to Shut Down Genocide Profiteering at Scotiabank Branches

All out on March 15 for complete divestment! No Genocide Profiteering! Shame on Scotiabank!
We are proud to be part of the global campaign to #ShutElbitDown and hold Israel’s arms industry and its investors accountable for their complicity in war crimes. MARCH 15: SHUT DOWN GENOCIDE PROFITEERING! Shut Down Scotiabank

Let’s keep up the pressure, our grassroots campaign is working. ScotiaBank reduced its Elbit Systems investment in the last quarter, but still stands as the largest foreign investor in this Israeli arms company, profiting off the killing and maiming of Palestinians.

Here is an initial list of Scotiabank branches with actions that you can join on March 15:

Vancouver and BC:

Chinatown – 268 Keefer – 11am
Downtown – Granville & Georgia – 12 Noon
Granville – 12th and Granville – 11:30
Kits – MacDonald & W. Broadway – 2pm
West End – 1669 Davie St – 12 Noon
Commercial Drive – Broadway & Commercial – 11am
Oak & Broadway – 7:30-8:30 am

Burnaby (SFU) – 8972 University High St –  11:00 am
Surrey – Guildford Mall – 3pm
Coquitlam – Coquitlam Centre – 3pm
Port Moody – 2501 St. John’s St – 4pm
North Vancouver – 1357 Lonsdale Ave – 11am

Kamloops – 276 Victoria St – 2pm
Kelowna – 488 Bernard Ave – 12 Noon
Powell River – 7030 Alberni St – 11:30am
Nanaimo – 65 Commercial St – 11am
Victoria – 702 Yates Street, 11am
Courtenay Courthouse – 11:30 am

Prairies: 

Regina – 1901 Hamilton St – 12pm

Ontario:

Toronto – 70 Carlton St. – 12 Noon
Toronto – 19 Bloor St W – 9am
Toronto – 992 Bloor St W – 9am
Toronto – 222 Queen St W – 9am
Peterbourough – 111 Hunter St. W – 11am
St. Catharines – 185 St Paul St, #177 – 10:45 am

Maritimes:

Scotiabank – 780 Main St, Moncton – 12 noon

The End of Settler Colonialism

The connections between indigenous people in Turtle Island and the indigenous people of Palestine run deep. Here on unceded territory in “Vancouver”, the unflinching solidarity from indigenous brothers and sisters has been essential in maintaining support for the five-month (and counting) battle against Israeli genocide and settler colonialism.  

In January of this year, a Liberation Conference was held that focused on and strengthened these bonds. It was a unique and inspiring event, that brought together inter-generational Palestinian and indigenous speakers and artists to share the experiences that unite them. 

Nowhere were the connections between the two struggles more evident than in the recent outrage over the comments and racist history of former BC Cabinet Minister Selina Robinson. Her final Zionist rant about Palestine being “a crappy piece of land” with “nothing on it”…“didn’t produce an economy” struck to the heart of settler colonialism logic. The centuries old traditions and lifestyle of indigenous people constituted “nothing” until settlers came to civilize and develop them. In the case of Palestine, to “make the desert bloom”. 

Robinson has now come full circle with the Zionist mantra, by finally leaving even her party caucus with (guess what!) a charge of “anti-Semitism” against her former colleagues. 

Ironically, Selina Robinson’s comments even included the feeble Zionist attempt of claiming indigenous roots to Palestine. No-one indigenous to a beloved land, no matter what state of “development” it was in, would ever label their home as “a crappy piece of land”. 

Zionists were openly colonialist from the beginning. Theodor Herzl, the founder of political Zionism, wrote in his book The Jewish State in 1896: “We should there form a portion of the rampart of Europe against Asia, an outpost of civilization as opposed to barbarism.” 

The Assembly of First Nations, in a resolution in December 2023, has also grasped the obvious. According to media reports: “An emergency resolution advocating for a permanent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine, which recognizes the Palestinians as an Indigenous People under international law, passed unanimously.” 

By now, any decent peace-loving individual or organization should have recognized that Zionism is a deeply flawed and vicious settler colonialist enterprise. It is way past time for all those who claim to support Palestine to disassociate from this stain on humanity. As Zionism enters its final death throes and inflicts even greater horrors on Palestinian civilians, we know that their end is within sight.  

For years, the chair of Canada Palestine Association has noted that the brutal and arrogant behaviour of the Zionist regime will bring it to a miserable end .. “their end will be ugly”. Based on the inevitable resentment and hatred that Israel, its military forces, and its backers have engendered in the Arab world, compounded a thousand times in the last five months, that sentiment rings truer than ever. This resentment is also evident in many areas of the global South, as multiple leaders in South America, South Africa and beyond have taken clear stands against the naked Israeli aggression. 

Yes, the end of Zionism and its cruel brand of fascism will be ugly. It is a sad comment on the inaction of the leaders of the “international community” that this is now the only possible outcome in the region. 

(by Marion Kawas, cover photo Michael YC Tseng)

Endorsers for March 15: End Genocide Profiteering, Shame on Scotiabank

On Friday, March 15, “adopt” a Scotiabank branch and picket/ leaflet / shut it down! 

Endorsing Groups: 
BDS Vancouver-Coast Salish 
Canada Palestine Association 
Anakbayan BC 
BAYAN Canada 
Canada Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights 
Canadian BDS Coalition
Decolonial Solidarity Vancouver
Free Palestine BC
Freedom from War Coalition, Cowichan
Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle 
Gabriela BC 
Global Peace Alliance BC
ILPS Canada 
Independent Jewish Voices – Vancouver 
Jews Say No to Genocide
Just Peace Advocates
Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel (NMJPI) 
North Shore for Palestine
Ontario Palestinian Rights Association (OPRA)
Palestine Solidarity Regina
Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU)
Project of Heart
Richmond4Palestine 
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Students for Palestine Committee on Vancouver Island
Sulong UBC
Teachers for Palestine 
Toronto World Beyond War
United in Struggle
Vancouver Palestine Action Coalition
Vancouver Region CPC 
Youth for Palestine Vancouver

One hundred and fifty days into Israel’s latest genocidal massacre in Gaza, Canada’s political establishment remains wholly committed to providing diplomatic, military and economic support to Israel, even while the majority of people in this country support a ceasefire.  Across this country, in communities large and small, hundreds of thousands have marched for Palestine, one of the largest political mobilizations in recent memory.

Why is the gap between the sentiments of the mass of people and that of the political establishment so wide?  Because the Canadian ruling class is totally invested in Israel.  They rely on Israel to act as an armed outpost of the Anglo-American imperialist alliance, of which they are a part. They do $2 billion+ in annual trade with Israel via the Canada Israel Free Trade Agreement. And the big Canadian banks, the cornerstone of Canadian imperialism, have billions invested in Israel, and particularly in its military and ‘security’ industries. Scotiabank with its $500 million investment in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems is Exhibit A of Canadian capital’s genocide profiteering.  

As a Palestine solidarity movement, we need to start to address these concrete financial links, and raise the cost of the Canadian ruling class, and its political functionaries, support for Israeli colonization, occupation, war crimes and genocide.  

Join us on the March 15 day of action to shut down Scotiabank! Shame on Scotiabank! Endorsements can be sent to cpavancouver@gmail.com.
More Info: MARCH 15: SHUT DOWN GENOCIDE PROFITEERING! Shut Down Scotiabank – Canada Palestine Association (cpavancouver.org)

MARCH 15: SHUT DOWN GENOCIDE PROFITEERING! Shut Down Scotiabank

UPDATE: Check out the endorsers list for March 15 Day of Action.
On Friday, March 15, “adopt” a Scotiabank branch and picket/ leaflet / shut it down!
18+ ScotiaBank Branches Adopted so far for March 15 Day of Action to End Genocide Profiteering!

Over one hundred and forty days into Israel’s latest genocidal massacre in Gaza, Canada’s political establishment remains wholly committed to providing diplomatic, military and economic support to Israel, even while the majority of people in this country support a ceasefire.  Across this country, in communities large and small, hundreds of thousands have marched for Palestine, one of the largest political mobilizations in recent memory. 

Why is the gap between the sentiments of the mass of people and that of the political establishment so wide?  Because the Canadian ruling class is totally invested in Israel.  They rely on Israel to act as an armed outpost of the Anglo-American imperialist alliance, of which they are a part. They do $2 billion+ in annual trade with Israel via the Canada Israel Free Trade Agreement. And the big Canadian banks, the cornerstone of Canadian imperialism, have billions invested in Israel, and particularly in its military and ‘security’ industries. Scotiabank with its $500 million investment in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems is Exhibit A of Canadian capital’s genocide profiteering. 

As a Palestine solidarity movement, we need to start to address these concrete financial links, and raise the cost of the Canadian ruling class, and its political functionaries, support for Israeli colonization, occupation, war crimes and genocide. 

Join the March 15 day of action to shut down Scotiabank! Shame on Scotiabank!

  1. Make an organisational endorsement by emailing cpavancouver@gmail.com
  2. Have a representative of your group sign up to the signal group “Adopt an S-B” for planning, updates & coordination: https://signal.group/#CjQKIBZ0E9XAUJjIXzy-xan34amlPtX8W96TUVVZxYkLZ3fVEhDyjklJTgWTxFIABmDXyjBA
  3. Ask group members, family and friends to close their Scotiabank account on, or leading up to March 15 and tell the branch manager the reason
  4. Choose one or more branches that your organisation will picket/ leaflet/ shut down on Friday March 15 and let us know via the Signal Group

Background info:
Canada’s Scotiabank is funding Israeli war crimes – Mondoweiss
Activists vow to #ShutElbitDown | Al Mayadeen English
Send a letter: Tell Scotiabank to Divest Now from Elbit Systems – Action Network