May 15th: Vancouver Rally to Commemorate the Nakba

Date: Sunday, May 15
Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Vancouver Public… Read more

Date: Sunday, May 15
Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia Street)

On May 15, 1948 David Ben Gurion proclaimed the establishment of the state of Israel. This is day for the Palestinian people is know as the Nakba and every year since then, they’ve been commemorating it hoping that they would return to their homelands one day.

The Palestinian were forcibly expelled from over 500 Palestinian villages in a vicious and ugly process of ethnic cleansing. Massacres were committed, houses and field were burned and water wells were poisoned.

In Vancouver, we will commemorate this day and we will reaffirm the Palestinian right to return to Palestine UNCONDITIONALLY!!

Join the Palestinian community on May 15, in front of the Vancouver Public Library at 1:00 PM to remember the victims of the Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people.

This rally is for all the Arabs who are revolting against their dictatorships. Please bring as many flags as possible .. Libyan, Bahraini, Syrian, Yemeni, Iraqi … and all the other Arabs countries.

Endorsed by:

  • Afghans for Peace
  • Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign (BIAC) – Vancouver
  • Canada Palestine Association (CPA) – Vancouver
  • Canadian Boat to Gaza (CBG) – Vancouver
  • Jews for Just Peace (JJP) – Vancouver
  • Palestine Speaks – Vancouver
  • Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) – UBC
  • StopWar.ca

Please join Facebook event at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179730222077531

For endorsements and questions send an email to: vancouver.may15@gmail.com

Canadian Boat to Gaza: A Fundraising Event

Date: Saturday, May 7th, 2011
Time: 7:00pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Location:… Read more

Date: Saturday, May 7th, 2011
Time: 7:00pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Location: Confederation Community Centre – 4585 Albert Street, Burnaby (Parking available, accessible by transit)
Admission: By donation

Help break the siege of Gaza!

with guest speaker Monzer Zimmo
Palestinian Canadian activist, born in Gaza, Palestine

Film and eye witness account with Kevin Neish
Human rights activist & survivor of the attack on the Mavi Marmara

Spoken word performances and music
Reception with refreshments and silent auction to follow

Admission by donation | Doors open 6:30pm
For more information: Irene @604-737-1299 | Mahmoud @604-366-4225

Canadaboatgaza.org | facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza | twitter.com/CanadaBoatGaza
Sponsored by Canadian Boat to Gaza (Vancouver), SPHR (UBC) and Westcoast Sheen

Fundraising event: Canadian Boat to Gaza

Date: Sunday, April 10th, 2011
Time: Presentation at 7:30pm. (Come for … Read more

Date: Sunday, April 10th, 2011
Time: Presentation at 7:30pm. (Come for soup @6:45pm)
Location: Grandview Calvary Baptist Church 1803 East 1st Avenue

Special Guests

Kevin Neish: a survivor of the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara in May, 2010. He will share his experience through story and film.
Hanna Kawas: a Palestinian from Bethlehem who will provide us with the historical context of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict
Mahmoud Hmouz: A Palestinian refugee and local activist living in Canada who will share his perspective on the situation in Gaza today.

Help us send a Canadian Boat to Gaza.

End the siege of Gaza now!

Cashing out from MEC

“The Global Educator”, the Journal of the British Columbia Teachers for Peace and Global Education Winter 2011 issue offers a variety of indepth articles, including the following one by Patrik Parkes on page 25. Please note that Patrik is not a member of the Canada Palestine Association but we are publishing his article on our site on his behalf. (http://pagebc.ca/documents/Winter_2011_Journal.pdf)

In the last issue of The Global Educator, I made a case against shopping at Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). One reason is that MEC markets itself as green and ethical, while shipping products halfway around the world instead of manufacturing them here in Canada. Moreover, some of these products are manufactured in human-rights deficient countries, including Israel, where MEC buys from a military supplier. More recently, MEC has gotten into the bicycle business, importing bicycles from Taiwan to sell at a boutique-shop price point, presumably in order to put smaller, independent stores out of business. Even worse, if MEC members want to change it, AGM resolutions now have to be vetted by the MEC executive, which isn’t very democratic.

Fortunately, there’s still a way to let them know how you feel: cancel your membership and cash out. MEC doesn’t advertise it, but when you quit your membership they owe you dividends.

Having learned this, I recently mailed in a withdrawal form (page 26), and am awaiting a cheque for what I am told will amount to approximately $120.

According to the fine print, no longer wishing to be a member of MEC is an acceptable reason for cancellation, so I filled out the “other reason” section with some of the aforementioned complaints.

I recommend this as an easy way to send MEC a message, while making some money at the same time. Just keep in mind that, if you withdraw, you will have to wait two years before you can apply for membership again.

Egyptian Army Must Stop Being Israel’s Guards on Gaza Border

Canada Palestine Association, Vancouver and Voice of Palestine, Canada… Read more

Canada Palestine Association, Vancouver and Voice of Palestine, Canada endorse the call by solidarity groups and civil society organizations to the Egyptian Military and government to immediately open the Rafah crossing. The crossing opening seems to be the last thing on the Egyptian military rulers’ agenda. Thousands of Palestinians are stranded at the Cairo airport, and all over the world. Some have gone on hunger strike and the last decision taken by the deposed Mubarak government was to ban Palestinians from entering Egypt.

Consequently, we call on you to sign the attached letter and fax and/or email it to the Egyptian embassy in Canada (or your country of residence). Demand action now.

Send letters in Canada to:
Wael Ahmed Kamal Aboul Magd,
Ambassador of Egypt to Canada
Fax: (613) 234 4937 & (613) 234 4398
Email: egyptemb@sympatico.ca
Or Phone: (613) 234 4931 & (613) 234 4935

Feb. 16, 2011
OPEN THE RAFAH CROSSING

The situation for the hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children in Egypt who have been trapped at the airport since Jan. 25, 2011, the beginning of the Egyptian Revolution, is dreadful and getting worse each day. Most people don’t have money for food or medicine. Some of them went on hunger strike for some days. The vulnerable are getting sicker and some are in urgent need of medical treatment. There are also more Palestinians waiting elsewhere in Egypt to cross into Gaza, not to mention those waiting in other countries.

It has come to our knowledge that on Feb.8, 2011, the deposed government issued new travel regulations with regard to Palestinians effective immediately and till further notice. The following categories of passengers are NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER EGYPT, even if they are holding visa or security approval or resident permits:

  • Holders of Palestinian Passports.
  • Holders of Jordanian Passports without national number.
  • Travel documents for Palestinians issued by Egypt.

This is unacceptable. All the Palestinians at the airport and those using the Rafah Crossing, the only exit Gaza has to the external world, are civilians. Under the Geneva Conventions they are entitled to freedom of movement and protection from collective punishment.
The great sacrifices of the Egyptian people were for human rights and democracy. These demands are supported by all freedom loving people, who also oppose the suppression of Palestinians by Israel. It is time for the new rulers of Egypt to annul the decision taken by the previous government and open the Rafah Crossing immediately so that people and goods can pass.

OPEN THE RAFAH CROSSING NOW.

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