It’s a great time to contact your MP about the arms trade, Gaza, and guaranteed livable basic income

Your Member of Parliament (MP) is beginning to debate bills and motions once again as Parliament resumes. If you feel led to call or write your MP, now is a great time. The following are issues that will be coming up for debate that CFSC is watching with concern:

No more loopholes act

Canada has signed onto the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and as such has is supposed to ensure that Canadian-made weapons aren’t used to fuel human rights abuses abroad. This is a requirement for Canada to not be complicit in war crimes. The system used is known as the Export and import permits act. But there’s a huge loophole to this Act. Canadian-made weapons are sent to the U.S. without any scrutiny. We now know that Canadian-made weapons have been used in Gaza, Yemen, Sudan, and the Caribbean.

As a party to the ATT, Canada needs to address this problem and stop Canadian-made weapons ending up in conflicts where there are serious human rights abuses occurring. This can be done by amending the Export and import permit act. Ask your MP where they stand on this issue and if they will vote yes. For more information see: https://ArmsEmbargoNow.ca/NoMoreLoopholes

Senate motion on the risk of Canada’s complicity in the Gaza genocide

With all that has happened in Gaza and the irreparable harms caused by the genocide (PDF) it’s important to reckon with the possibility of Canadian complicity. A Senator has proposed a motion to investigate this pressing issue and bring accountability and transparency to Canada’s possible role. You can express your support for this motion and contact the Senators from your province to ask them if they are willing to take the much needed step in accountability and adopt the motion at the Senate.

Link to the motion: https://senatoryuenpauwoo.ca/en/parliamentary-activities/speeches/motion-on-the-risk-of-canada-s-complicity-in-the-gaza-genocide/

List of Senators: https://sencanada.ca/en/senators/

Senator Woo who proposed the motion: YuenPau.Woo@sen.parl.gc.ca

Are you in Atlantic Canada?

Contact your MP and show your support for the Prince Edward Island demonstration project for a guaranteed livable basic income. It’s so important to invest in people, communities, and their wellbeing. If this is an important issue for you, reach out to your MP and let them know that you support their advocacy on it and for it! If they are not supported by their constituents, they cannot push for this meaningful project that could impact the rest of Canada.

Bill S-206: GLBI

Bill S-206 for a guaranteed livable basic income is now at the Senate Finance Committee for study. Contact members of the committee and express the importance and possibilities that a framework for a GLBI would have for Canadians. Make it personal—humanizing the support for a GLBI is key. When there are record amounts of spending going to the military, investing in people shouldn’t be put on the back burner!

Members of the Senate Finance Committee: https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/NFFN/45-1?v=committee-members

Information on the bill: https://senpate.sencanada.ca/en/current-work/s-206/

Feel free to contact Sandra Wiens, CFSC’s Government Relations Representative, if you’d like greater clarity on any of this Sandra@QuakerService.ca.