Reunite Gazan Families Now November 19: National Day of Action Across Canada

Written by Gazan Canadians

Published in News

Families are suffering, losing loved ones to violence and blockades while waiting for Canadian help that still hasn’t come.

On November 19th, Gazan Canadians, with the support of She Associates, Amnesty International, Righting Relations, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) and Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) are holding a press conference and sit-in at Parliament Hill to call on our government to bring our families to safety.

The Day of Action on November 19th is intended to begin a broader campaign to raise awareness of the shortcomings of the existing Special Measures program for Gazans seeking to come to Canada.

The Day of Action is intended to inform the Government of Canada that Canadians are committed to ensuring that Palestinians fleeing violence in Gaza have access to equitable and just mechanisms to bring them to Canada and reunite them with their families. It is designed to inform the Government of Canada that we are paying attention and demanding better.

It's time for all hands on deck: Canada must issue urgent visas for Gazans and reunite Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Nephews, Nieces, Siblings, ALL FAMILY MEMBERS!

Join us on November 19th for a day of action to launch a campaign to raise awareness of the shortcomings of the existing Special Measures program for Gazans seeking to come to Canada.

The Day of Action will start with press conferences in Ottawa and Vancouver at 10am EST which should be available on CPAC and our Instagram page here, followed by silent vigils in Ottawa, London, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver with Gazan Canadian families.

Use our engagement toolkit (available online here) to learn how to support the campaign on social media (Share using the hashtag #ReuniteGazansNow) and engage with your local Members of Parliament (MPs).

We need:

Help with border crossing!
Fast processing times!
Reform the Special Measures Program!
Lift the cap!
Medical coverage on entry!

We've done the math: the Ukrainian temporary residence visa program saw nearly 300,000 arrivals in Canada, while the Gaza program has seen only 330.

Immigration delays are killing hope and killing Gazans; it's time to root out the anti-Palestinian racism in Foreign Affairs and the IRCC. Ministers Joly and Miller, we will not accept another holiday season without Gazan families safely reunited in Canada!