The contents of this post are under review and should be treated as unofficial, for the moment.

Despite the horrific devastation and suffering in Gaza, the Canadian government’s actions have fallen far short of its duties to Canadians trying to be reunited with family members trapped in Gaza.

Canada did put in place a “Special Immigration Measure for families in Gaza”, however, it has been so ineffective that it would be hard to fault you for suspecting it was merely providing diplomatic cover for inaction and indifference.

Canada’s efforts have been put to shame by those of other countries — including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Ireland — who have evacuated people from Gaza with success rates of over 95%.

In Canada’s case, other than receiving the full 5000 applications the program allows, not much of import has happened. After more than two years of jumping through bureaucratic hoops, applicants remain trapped in a nightmare of death and destruction.

Not a single evacuation has been coordinated by Canada.

On the other hand, Canada has been admirably effective in already welcoming nearly 300,000 Ukrainians to Canada, with another 650,000 approved to arrive, and no visible limit on further applications. Of course, the situation there is different. Ukraine has not been under a total blockade in all directions for two years. But that’s all the more reason why Canada must use all its considerable resources and influence to overcome the obstacles in the case of Gaza, as other nations have done. Why is there such a discrepancy?

We, at North Shore For Palestine, believe that Canada must do better. We support Gazan Canadians in their efforts to be reunited with their family members. We collect proof of support from the North Shore, in the form of petition signatures, and advocate for the families with our politicians.

We ask for your help:

  • Support the Gazan Canadian Families League directly.
  • Follow them on Instagram (@gazancanadians).
  • Visit us at our North Shore For Palestine community outreach events and sign our petitions.
  • Join us when we visit our MPs to discuss this and other matters.
  • Contact us and let us know you want to help.