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Phone zap: Call MPs to demand a full arms embargo on Israel

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has described Israel’s assault on Gaza as plausible genocide. To date, over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, including over 16,000 children. These atrocities are facilitated by the continued flow of weapons between Canada and Israel.

Please use the tool below to urge MPs, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to immediately suspend all arms exports and imports to and from Israel.

Make a call now

TALKING POINTS / SAMPLE CALL SCRIPT

Hello, my name is [introduce yourself]. I’m a constituent of [your/X riding] and my postal code is [postal code].

I am calling on you to implement a full and immediate, two-way arms embargo with Israel. Canadian political leaders voted on March 18 to suspend approval of new weapons export permits to Israel, but military goods continue to flow between the two countries through existing permits and Canada’s purchasing of weapons from Israel.

The International Court of Justice has described Israel’s assault on Gaza as plausible genocide. To date, over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, including over 16,000 children. Canada can help prevent more deaths with an arms embargo and has a moral and legal obligation to do so following the international court’s rulings.

I urge you to join millions of Canadians and show us that you are listening to [residents of your riding/Canada] by implementing the arms embargo today.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Have your phone handy and open your computer.
  2. On your computer, go to this link to access the calling tool: https://canadians.org/action/gaza-ceasefire-call/.
  3. Enter your information in the web form.
  4. Get your phone ready and then, on your computer, click ‘Make the Call’.
  5. Your phone will ring. Answer it! At the same time, scroll down on the web page to see the phone script.
  6. Your phone will now automatically connect you to MPs. Leave a message on each answering machine using the script (feel free to modify as you see fit!).
  7. After each message you leave, DON’T HANG UP! Press * and you’ll automatically be connected to the next MP.
  8. Repeat until the end. When you’ve left a message for all 12 MPs you’re ready to hang up.

Targets

Note: We will randomize the order in which these MPs are called in order to reduce busy signals.

Members of the standing committee on foreign affairs (FAAE), and PM Justin Trudeau:

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hill Office: 613-992-4211
  • Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hill Office (Liberal): 613-992-0983
  • Ali Ehsassi, FAAE Chair, Hill Office (Liberal): 613-992-4964
  • Micheal Chong, FAAE Vice-Chair, Hill Office (Conservative): 613-992-4179
  • Stephane Bergeron, FAAE Vice-Chair, Hill Office (Bloc Québécois): 613-996-2416
  • Ziad Aboultaif, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Conservative): 613-992-0946
  • Omar Alghabra, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Liberal): 613-992-1301
  • Sophie Chatel, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Liberal): 613-995-3950
  • Dave Epp, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Conservative): 613-992-2612
  • Hedy Fry, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Liberal): 613-992-3213
  • Randy Hoback, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Conservative): 613-995-3295
  • Heather McPherson, FAAE Member, Hill Office (NDP): 613-995-7325
  • Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary secretary to Joly, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Liberal): 613-992-2855
  • Sameer Zuberi, FAAE Member, Hill Office (Liberal): 613-992-2689 

Background Information

Canada-Israel arms trade: Over 42,000 Palestinians, among them over 16,000 children, have been killed in the Israeli assault on Gaza since October 7. Still, Canada accelerated military exports to Israel ($28 million in export permits in the last 3 months of 2023 alone) and continues to buy millions of dollars of Israeli weapons that are used on civilians in Gaza. The Canadian government promised in March and again in September to pause approving any new arms permits to Israel. We are waiting to see it realized. However, Canada can actively prevent future deaths by stopping the transport of all military goods to and from Israel, including those with previously approved permits.

UN call for arms embargo: The urgent need for an arms embargo has never been clearer. United Nations experts have officially called for an immediate arms embargo on Israel, especially naming Canada as a military exporter that might be held liable for aiding and abetting war crimes. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which is the UN’s top human rights body, has passed a resolution calling for all countries to impose an arms embargo on Israel. 

More information at https://armsembargonow.ca/learn-more/. 

You can read our most recent letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Joly here. 

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