tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1049375727806243622024-03-15T20:01:26.928-04:00Humanists for Social and Environmental ActionEthical Action Alerts for Human Rights, Environmental Issues, Peace, and Social Justice, supporting the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Treaties and Conventions.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1047125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-25561426959960999762024-03-15T18:17:00.004-04:002024-03-15T18:17:29.160-04:00<p> https://www.ndp.ca/vote-for-peace?source=20240315_INBND_PLIS_1_FORWARD_NWMODE_NDP_EN_INBND&utm_medium=INBND&utm_source=NWMODE&utm_campaign=Palestine%2FIsrael_INBND&utm_content=20240315_INBND_PLIS_1_FORWARD_NWMODE_NDP_EN_INBND</p><p>For five months we have watched horror unfold in Gaza and in Israel. We grieve with two peoples utterly traumatized by violence, death, and terror. And we are outraged by Canada’s failure to take actions to try to stop it.</p><p>Palestinians are suffering on a massive scale from Netanyahu’s bombardments and ground offensive in Gaza. So many innocent people – including thousands of children – have been killed. Many more are forcibly displaced, injured, and now starving. Canadians are terrified for their friends and family in Gaza. Gaza is the worst place in the world to be a child. </p><p>Canadians also continue to mourn friends and family in Israel who were killed in the horrible Hamas terror attacks and fear for their futures. Those whose loved ones were taken hostage fear every day that they will never see them again. </p><p>We are witnessing the complete failure of the international community to uphold international law and the failure of the Liberal government to lead us in the right direction. </p><p>Prime Minister, for five months we have urged you to find the moral courage to take actions to stop this horror. We are outraged by your failure to act. </p><p>Canada cannot stand by while thousands more die. </p><p>In the absence of action from your government, the NDP have put forward a motion calling on your government to: </p><p>- Demand an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages; </p><p>- Suspend all trade in military goods and technology with Israel and increase efforts to stop the illegal trade of arms, including to Hamas; </p><p>- Immediately reinstate funding and ensure long-term continued funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and support the independent investigation; </p><p>- Support the prosecution of all crimes and violations of international law committed in the region, and support the work of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court; </p><p>- Demand unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza; </p><p>- Ensure Canadians trapped in Gaza can reach safety in Canada and lift the arbitrary cap of 1000 temporary resident visa applications; </p><p>- Ban extremist settlers from entering Canada, impose sanctions on Israeli officials who incite genocide, and maintain sanctions on Hamas leaders; </p><p>- Advocate for an end to the decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories and work toward a two-state solution; </p><p>- Officially recognize the State of Palestine and maintain Canada’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist and to live in peace with its neighbours. </p><p>Canada must call on Israel and Hamas to end this violence NOW, and work towards a sustainable solution where Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace and security, with full recognition of their human rights. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-66847674825277413852024-03-09T16:00:00.006-05:002024-03-09T16:00:49.124-05:00Amazon rainforest teetering on the brink of destruction - Petition<a href="https://us.engagingnetworks.app/page/email?mid=23f586f3ff744ec78c10ebf3c24d6e5c">Amazon rainforest teetering on the brink of destruction</a>: <div>in the vast, green heart of the Peruvian Amazon, a big problem runs deep – the threat of oil drilling and the decrepit “Oleoducto Norperuano” This pipeline, owned by PetroPerú, has caused over 90 oil spills over the last 20 years. Imagine crude oil spilling into rivers and forests, harming the land where Indigenous communities live, their water, and their food. It's a disaster that's happened too many times and one that never gets remediated. </div><div><br /></div><div> Now, here's where things get even more troubling. Spanish bank, Santander, has provided substantial financial support, approximately $1 billion, for the expansion and upgrade of the Talara refinery – directly contradicting its environmental commitments. The Talara refinery, also owned by PetroPerú is where the oil from the Oleoducto Norperuano is processed and exported. This makeover will see the refinery’s processing capability jump from 65,000 barrels of oil per day to 95, 000 – further exacerbating the oil demand and threat to the ecological integrity of Amazonia. With the bank's Annual General Meeting scheduled for March 22nd, the timing is critical for your voice to be heard. It is paramount that Santander is held accountable for its environmental policies and stop financing projects that harm vital ecosystems.</div><div><br /></div><div>PETITION on website for StandEarth, link above.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-26994315633202841432024-03-09T15:58:00.002-05:002024-03-09T15:58:22.833-05:00Canada reinstates UNRWA funding on International Women’s Day | Ceasefire.ca<a href="https://www.ceasefire.ca/canada-reinstates-unrwa-funding-on-international-womens-day/">Canada reinstates UNRWA funding on International Women’s Day | Ceasefire.ca</a>: <div><br /></div><div>Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 30,000 people, displaced more than 85% of the 2.3 million-strong population from their homes and left more than half of the strip’s infrastructure in ruins, according to data from Gaza’s health ministry and the UN. – The Guardian <div><br /></div><div> US plans to build a floating port off the Gaza coast to bring in more aid You need drivers, trucks and a distribution system that doesn’t exist. – President of Refugees International. The US plans to build a floating port off the Gaza coast on which shipborne food aid can be unloaded from ships from Larnaca, Cyprus and a causeway for it to be driven onshore. The question is, then what? Most of Gaza’s population, the majority of whom have been displaced several times over, are not concentrated at the beach. Jeremy Konyndyk, a former senior aid official in the Biden administration and now president of the Refugees International aid advocacy group, asks: Who is going to distribute it? [Our] presence in northern Gaza is pretty close to zero because the Israelis have wanted everyone out and then have been restricting access to the north ever since.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-8690565544803650472024-03-08T13:59:00.003-05:002024-03-08T14:04:07.757-05:00Tell your MP: Vote for the NDP motion on Palestine! - CJPME Content Site<a href="https://www.cjpmecontent.org/support_ndp_motion">Tell your MP: Vote for the NDP motion on Palestine! - CJPME Content Site</a><div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On March 18, Parliament will finally be voting on an important motion in support of Palestine. This the first opportunity since Oct. 7 that MPs will be asked to vote individually on questions related to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, so this is extremely significant. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The motion, introduced by the NDP, includes important proposals on how to respond to Israel’s current genocidal war on Gaza and the catastrophic humanitarian crisis that has ensued. These include an immediate ceasefire, an arms embargo, the resumption of aid funding for UNRWA, and more – items that CJPME and others have advocated for months. Please join CJPME in demanding that all MPs vote in support of the NDP motion on March 18.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; position: relative; z-index: 1000;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Use the fields below to send an email to your local MP and the political party leaders and demand that they vote YES in support of the NDP motion for Palestine. Parliament must stand up for an end to the bloodshed. Make sure that your MP is counted</span></strong></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-12718540272928236902024-03-08T13:48:00.002-05:002024-03-08T13:48:13.401-05:00Open Letter & Petition to the Israeli and U.S. Governments and Others Weaponizing the Issue of Rape <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://portside.org/2024-02-29/open-letter-israeli-and-us-governments-and-others-weaponizing-issue-rape">Open Letter to the Israeli and U.S. Governments and Others Weaponizing the Issue of Rape | Portside</a>: Whether we identify as feminists, as Jews, as anti-zionists, as all of the above, or as allies, and wherever we are based in the world, we proclaim that we can hold many truths simultaneously in our heads and in our hearts; that is what we do every minute of every day. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We excoriate rape and all forms of sexual assault against anyone of any gender or age – whether perpetrated by Hamas, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) or anyone else. We also excoriate carpet bombing of civilians, deadly blockades of food, water and fuel, use of illegal chemical weapons, targeted murders of journalists and aid workers, decimation of homes, hospitals, schools, houses of worship, infrastructure and entire family lines, annihilation of culture, kidnapping and hostage-taking, and all war crimes when committed by any party.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Israel’s current campaign to discredit feminists – especially feminists of color, Arab feminists and Jewish anti-zionist feminists – and others critical of its lethal offensive against Palestinians is insulting and dishonest, but it is nothing new. We see it for what it is: a cynical attempt to incite public fury and deflect attention from the genocide it is perpetrating. And far too many public figures and elected officials have allowed themselves to become participants in this onslaught of accusations against us.</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, let us once again make ourselves clear: We condemn rape. We condemn genocide. And we also condemn the opportunistic manipulation of the issue of sexual assault by those committing war crimes themselves – or by anyone else.</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We support the investigation initiated by the highly-qualified members of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry into the entire range of war crimes committed during both the October 7 Hamas attack and the Israeli state’s subsequent assault on Gaza – an effort in which Israel thus far has refused to participate. We also support additional inquiries into these sexual assault allegations conducted by impartial feminist and human rights authorities with proven expertise in, and sensitivity about, sexual violence, as well as provision of a comprehensive range of services for all survivors by those explicitly trained in addressing sexual trauma. Additionally, we urge investigation into reported atrocities by both Israeli military personnel and non-state actors – including vigilante settler groups – throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories.</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finally, we continue to raise our voices as part of the world-wide call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and political prisoners, termination of U.S. military aid to Israel and an end to Israeli apartheid.</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Below is a list of initial signers of this statement.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJfU_ooRqCKA8u3-PB8mV0FBkqoBelFN1VH_u3-MqWWQdFXQ/viewform" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #337ab7; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Please click here</a> if you would like to add your name; the list will be updated periodically.</span></span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-25322394377620746112024-02-28T14:31:00.001-05:002024-02-28T14:31:03.920-05:00War on Gaza: SIGN THE PETITION NOW - Canadian Voice of Women for Peace<a href="https://vowpeace.org/war-on-gaza-vows-sign-on-letter/">War on Gaza: SIGN THE PETITION NOW - Canadian Voice of Women for Peace</a>: <div><br /></div><div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #414141; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;">The war on Gaza continues. Last Friday the International Court of Justice concluded that Israel is plausibly committing genocide. This charge will be pursued. In the meantime the ICJ called for interim provisional measures to ensure that genocidal acts are prevented and that aid is delivered. In the days that followed hundreds more Palestinians have been killed and injured. There has not been a ceasefire, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">which would stop the bombing and be the best chance for both releasing the hostages and releasing Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Right now, everyone in Gaza is being held hostage in a horrific war that has killed or injured 5% of the population and destroyed 60% of the country’s buildings and infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and universities.</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #414141; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><mark class="has-inline-color has-luminous-vivid-orange-color" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box;">Canadian Voice of Women for Peace calls on Canada to stop sending arms to Israel, to restore funding to UNRWA and for steps to be taken for a just resolution. </mark></strong></p></div><div><a href="https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/stop-arming-israel-restore-funding-to-unrwa?source=rawlink&utm_source=rawlink&share=f673286e-2e0c-4c8f-9ad3-712fda823bdd" target="_blank">Petition:</a></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-34744755552753413402024-02-28T14:27:00.002-05:002024-02-28T14:27:37.207-05:00Israel Not Complying with World Court Order in Genocide Case | Human Rights Watch<a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/26/israel-not-complying-world-court-order-genocide-case">Israel Not Complying with World Court Order in Genocide Case | Human Rights Watch</a>: <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Freight Text W01", Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 20px;">Other countries should use all forms of leverage, including sanctions and embargoes, to press the Israeli government to comply with the court’s binding orders in the genocide case, Human Rights Watch said.</span></p><div><p style="border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "Freight Text W01", Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5rem 0px;">Israeli authorities have kept its supply of electricity for Gaza <a href="https://www.ochaopt.org/content/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-reported-impact-day-122" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">shut off</a> since the October 7 Hamas-led attacks. After initially cutting the entire supply of water that Israel provides to Gaza via three pipelines, Israel resumed piping on two of its three lines. However, due to the cuts and widespread destruction to <a href="https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-flash-update-101-enarhe" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">water infrastructure</a> amid unrelenting Israeli air and ground operations, only <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/gaza-strip-brink-public-health-catastrophe-health-and-wash-clusters-reassert-calls-immediate-long-lasting-ceasefire" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">one of those lines remained</a> operational at only 47 percent capacity as of February 20. Officials at the Gaza Coastal Municipalities Water Utility told Human Rights Watch on February 20 that Israeli authorities have obstructed efforts to repair the water infrastructure.</p><p style="border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "Freight Text W01", Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5rem 0px;">According to data published by OCHA and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the <a href="https://www.ochaopt.org/content/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-reported-impact-day-140" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">daily average</a> number of trucks entering Gaza with food, aid, and medicine dropped by more than a third in the weeks following the ICJ ruling: 93 trucks between January 27 and February 21, 2024, compared to 147 trucks between January 1 and 26, and only <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZTVkYmEwNmMtZWYxNy00ODhlLWI2ZjctNjIzMzQ5OGQxNzY5IiwidCI6IjI2MmY2YTQxLTIwZTktNDE0MC04ZDNlLWZkZjVlZWNiNDE1NyIsImMiOjl9&pageName=ReportSection3306863add46319dc574" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">57</a> between February 9 and 21. A <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/snapshot-deprivation-humanitarian-aid-gaza-strip-january-2024" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">survey</a> of impediments to the entry of aid faced by 24 humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza between January 26 and February 15 pointed to a lack of transparency around how aid trucks can enter Gaza, delays and denials at Israeli crossings and inspection points, and concerns about safety of trucks.</p><p style="border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "Freight Text W01", Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5rem 0px;">By comparison, an <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-war-inflicts-catastrophic-damage-infrastructure-economy-2023-11-17/#:~:text=On%20average%20500%20trucks%20of,21." rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">average of 500 trucks of food and goods</a> entered Gaza each day before the escalation in hostilities in October, during which time 1.2 million people in Gaza were estimated to be <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/world-cannot-stand-starvation-used-weapon-war-gaza" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">facing acute food insecurity</a><u style="border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box;">,</u> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/25/un-report-80-per-cent-of-gaza-inhabitants-relied-on-international-aid-before-war" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">80 percent of Gaza’s population</a> were reliant on humanitarian aid amid Israel's more than <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/14/gaza-israels-open-air-prison-15" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;">16-year-long unlawful closure</a>.<br style="border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box;" />High-ranking Israeli officials have articulated a policy to deprive civilians of food, water, and fuel, as Human Rights Watch <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/18/israel-starvation-used-weapon-war-gaza" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;">has documented</a>. The Israeli government spokesperson <a href="https://twitter.com/EylonALevy/status/1744051926453346699" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">said</a><u style="border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box;"> </u>more recently that there are “no limits” to aid entering Gaza, outside of security. Some Israeli officials <a href="https://twitter.com/EylonALevy/status/1760357301855175020?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">blame</a> the UN for distribution delays and <a href="https://www.arabnews.com/node/2463496/middle-east" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">accuse</a> Hamas of diverting aid or Gaza police for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/world/middleeast/gaza-aid-convoys-ambush.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="--text-opacity: 1; border: 0px solid; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: inherit; transition-duration: 0.4s; transition-property: color, background-color;" target="_blank">failing to secure convoys</a>.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-24758471514823905812024-02-26T18:17:00.001-05:002024-02-26T18:17:35.160-05:00Pope Francis renews call for Ceasefire in Gaza - <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NIWGOiplNM&ab_channel=NBCNews" target="_blank"> YOUTUBE VIDEO</a></p><p>January 27, 2024</p><p><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); color: #131313; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pope Francis made a renewed call for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying that because of global conflict “too many children continue to suffer, to be exploited and to die.” Francis made the remarks during an address to an Italian nonprofit fundraising for a Rwandan orphanage.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-88307322391477068162024-02-26T18:15:00.001-05:002024-02-26T18:15:07.207-05:00Quaker organisations call for a ceasefire and humanitarian protections in Gaza | QUNO<a href="https://quno.org/timeline/2023/10/quaker-organisations-call-ceasefire-and-humanitarian-protections-gaza">Quaker organisations call for a ceasefire and humanitarian protections in Gaza | QUNO</a>: Stop the violence and allow humanitarian access to Gaza — this is the strong call from Quakers from around the world in a statement issued this week. The Quaker United Nations Office was among signatories to this statement, along with Quaker organisations that work on the ground in Palestine and Israel. <div> “The Israeli government must grant access and safety to the U.N. (United Nations) and humanitarian agencies to fulfill their duties. Instead of further bloodshed, we need immediate humanitarian access for Gaza and adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law,” reads the statement. </div><div> “We demand that national leaders, faith leaders, and journalists use their power and influence to bring a bold voice for humanitarian protection and to end ongoing war crimes. Wherever there have been war crimes and violations of International Humanitarian Law, there must be accountability.” In their statement, Quakers also said that “violence such as this is never justifiable, and we insist that a ceasefire must be realized along with the return of all hostages”.</div><div> “Following the start of Israel’s attack, Israel also intensified its siege of Gaza, blocking access to water, food, fuel, electricity, and medicine in an act of collective punishment. It directly impacts all people in Gaza. “People are going hungry and thirsty, and thousands are injured. Medicine is running out, hospitals do not have power and are operating on generators with limited fuel supplies, and overwhelmed medical facilities cannot help those in need. People are dying as a preventable humanitarian crisis deepens. “The moral authority of the international community will be evaluated based on its response to the needs of communities in peril. The time for action is now.”</div><div><br /></div><div>(the Quakers issued this in Oct 2023). </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-66272844908930913392024-02-26T18:13:00.004-05:002024-02-26T18:13:42.994-05:00UUA Condemns Violence Against Gaza, Urges Immediate and Total Ceasefire | Press Releases | UUA.org<a href="https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/uua-condemns-violence-urges-ceasefire">UUA Condemns Violence Against Gaza, Urges Immediate and Total Ceasefire | Press Releases | UUA.org</a>: This statement was developed by the Office of the President and other senior national staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), grounded in the values of Unitarian Universalism and in conversation with previous resolutions, statements, and actions passed by General Assembly, the UUA’s democratically-elected governing body. <div><br /></div><div> There are crystallizing moments in the course of history when, in spite of the differences that exist among us, our common reverence for life demands that we speak with moral courage and clarity on the side of love. As people of faith and conviction, Unitarian Universalists share a belief that every human life is sacred, endowed with worth and dignity from the moment of birth, with no person more deserving of freedom and flourishing than any other. Our living tradition has long maintained that the only hells that exist are those that we create for one another, here on earth.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-50925484668523385302024-02-23T18:13:00.001-05:002024-02-23T18:13:14.835-05:00J Street Welcomes Resetting American Policy on Settlements: ‘Inconsistent with International Law’ - <a href="https://jstreet.org/press-releases/j-street-welcomes-resetting-american-policy-on-settlements-inconsistent-with-international-law/">J Street Welcomes Resetting American Policy on Settlements: ‘Inconsistent with International Law’ - J Street</a><div><br /></div><div><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #171717; font-family: "Conv_Gotham Narrow Light"; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">J Street welcomes Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s clear statement today that “new settlements are counterproductive to reaching an enduring peace,” are “inconsistent with international law” and expansion “only weakens, doesn’t strengthen” Israel’s security.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #171717; font-family: "Conv_Gotham Narrow Light"; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">This move marks an explicit rejection of the Trump-era ‘Pompeo Doctrine’ – restoring US acknowledgment that settlement construction on occupied territory is a violation of international law.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #171717; font-family: "Conv_Gotham Narrow Light"; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami said, “J Street called on candidate Joe Biden during the 2020 campaign to reverse the Trump Administration’s permissive view of settlements, which overturned decades of bipartisan American policy. This has been a clear, consistent request by J Street over the last three years, and we welcome the Secretary’s remarks today.”</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #171717; font-family: "Conv_Gotham Narrow Light"; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">“Now, the administration must make clear that, particularly in light of the volatility of the current situation between Israelis and Palestinians, there must be no further expansion of the settlement enterprise. The United States government should take further steps to enforce its view – and the view of the international community – that the creeping annexation of the West Bank must stop, including through use of the Executive Order issued by President Biden on February 1.”</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #171717; font-family: "Conv_Gotham Narrow Light"; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.8px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">The Secretary’s comments follow a provocative announcement yesterday by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of plans to advance over 3,000 settlement units as part of “deepening our eternal grip on the entire Land of Israel.”</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-41215475500182397352024-02-13T14:43:00.003-05:002024-02-13T14:43:25.662-05:00Danielle Smith and gender affirming care - petition<p>Right now in Alberta, <b>Premier Danielle Smith is launching an all-cylinder assault on medically-necessary healthcare for trans people.</b><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/danielle-smith-unveils-sweeping-changes-to-alberta-s-student-gender-identity-sports-and-surgery-policies-1.7101053"><sup>1</sup></a><br />
<br />
<b>It’s nothing more than a cynical move to pander to her far right base
amid the rising popularity of Trump-style culture wars in Canada. </b>But
if she gets her way, Smith’s latest fixation will harm queer and trans
people across the province – forcing young people back into the closet
and drastically increasing the incidences of youth self-harm and
suicides.<a href="https://www.hcplive.com/view/suicide-risk-reduces-73-transgender-nonbinary-youths-gender-affirming-care"><sup>2</sup></a><br />
<br />
<b>It’s a well-documented fact: gender-affirming care saves lives.</b><sup><a href="https://cps.ca/en/documents/position/an-affirming-approach-to-caring-for-transgender-and-gender-diverse-youth">3</a>,<a href="https://transhealthproject.org/resources/medical-organization-statements/american-academy-pediatrics-statements/">4</a></sup><b> And denying medically-necessary care to <i>anyone</i> goes against the very premise of Canada’s health care system. </b><br />
<br />
Alberta receives billions every year in federal healthcare funding via the Canada Health Transfer.<sup><a href="https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2023/02/07/working-together-improve-health-care-canadians">5</a></sup> <b>Will
you sign the petition calling on federal Minister of Health Mark
Holland to make access to gender-affirming care a condition of the
Canada Health Transfer for all provinces?</b></p><p><b><a href="https://act.leadnow.ca/AB-trans-healthcare/?utm_source=leadnow&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=blast2024-02-13&source=k"> PETITION </a></b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-72870106544943692382024-02-01T19:46:00.003-05:002024-02-01T19:46:26.043-05:00Council of Canadians 2nd letter calling for ceasefirel<p><a href="https://canadians.org/update/calling-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza-open-letter-to-pm-trudeau-and-minister-joly/?link_id=5&can_id=09bb219b4cf6fddc41a7e3e51f47e44c&source=email-ceasefire-now-open-letter-to-pm-trudeau-and-minister-joly&email_referrer=email_2190659&email_subject=calling-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza" target="_blank"> LINK</a></p><div class="entry-header" style="--color: var(--nv-text-dark-bg); --textalign: left; background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: var(--spacing,60px); margin-top: 60px; text-align: var(--textalign,center);"><div class="nv-title-meta-wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><h1 class="title entry-title" style="--texttransform: uppercase; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--headingsfontfamily),var(--nv-fallback-ff); font-size: var(--fontsize,var(--h1fontsize)); font-weight: var(--fontweight,var(--h1fontweight)); letter-spacing: var(--letterspacing,var(--h1letterspacing)); line-height: var(--lineheight,var(--h1lineheight)); margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-transform: var(--texttransform,var(--h1texttransform));">CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA: OPEN LETTER TO PM TRUDEAU AND MINISTER JOLY</h1><ul class="nv-meta-list" style="--avatarsize: 20px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.9em; list-style: var(--liststyle,none); margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: var(--listpad,0); padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="meta author vcard " style="--fontweight: 700; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-size: var(--fontsize); font-weight: var(--fontweight); letter-spacing: var(--letterspacing); line-height: var(--lineheight); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: var(--texttransform);"><span class="author-name fn" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block;">by <a href="https://canadians.org/author/council-of-canadians/" rel="author" style="--linkdeco: none; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: var(--linkdeco);" title="Posts by Council of Canadians">Council of Canadians</a></span></li><li class="meta date posted-on " style="--fontweight: 700; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-size: var(--fontsize); font-weight: var(--fontweight); letter-spacing: var(--letterspacing); line-height: var(--lineheight); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: var(--texttransform);"><time class="entry-date published" content="2024-02-01" datetime="2024-02-01T16:24:59-05:00" style="box-sizing: border-box;">February 1, 2024</time></li><li class="meta category last" style="--fontweight: 700; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-size: var(--fontsize); font-weight: var(--fontweight); letter-spacing: var(--letterspacing); line-height: var(--lineheight); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: var(--texttransform);"><a href="https://canadians.org/category/update/" rel="category tag" style="--linkdeco: none; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: var(--linkdeco);">Update</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="nv-content-wrap entry-content" style="--img-m: 24px; --listpad: 20px; --liststyle: disc; background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; counter-reset: footnotes 0; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: var(--spacing,60px);"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;">Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Joly,</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;">I am writing on behalf of the Council of Canadians, including 150,000 supporters and 45 chapters across the country, to urge your government to publicly support the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and take immediate measures to comply with its orders that all states must work to prevent genocide in the Gaza strip. Your government must:</p><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: var(--liststyle,none); margin: 30px 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: var(--listpad,0); padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">actively work for an immediate ceasefire, a negotiated release of all hostages, and an end to the longstanding blockade of Gaza by the Israeli government;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">ensure increased and uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the Gaza strip, including by reversing your pause in funding for UNRWA, and;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">immediately suspend all arms exports to Israel, which in 2022 were valued at more than $21 million.</li></ul><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;">While the full ICJ investigation is ongoing, the Court has found that there is a plausible case that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide, and the provisional measures it recommended on January 26, 2024, were clear: Israel and the international community must take immediate steps to prevent a genocide and any further loss of life. To date, more than 27,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, including nearly 10,000 children.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;">This ruling has major implications for Canada and must be treated with utmost seriousness. As a signatory to the Genocide Convention, Canada is obliged to act in accordance with the court’s ruling and take steps to end the destruction of civilian life in Gaza.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;">Canada has the power and leverage – and indeed a moral and legal obligation – to help bring an immediate end to the violence and destruction inflicted on Palestinians. Your government’s inaction places Canada at odds with the majority of Western governments, including the European Union, Norway, New Zealand, Slovenia, Spain, Ireland, and Belgium.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;">While the recent announcement of $40 million in aid is an important ongoing commitment, pausing funding to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) makes it more likely that Gazans will die from famine and increased diseases they are facing because of Israel’s military actions. UNRWA is a critical agency on the ground whose services cannot be replaced by other organizations. It has said it will be forced to stop operations by the end of February if funding is not restored. We are adding our voices to the dozens of leading aid groups around the world in urging you to change course.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 0px;">There can be no military solution to this crisis. The humanitarian crisis, ICJ ruling, and spreading conflict across the region require immediate action to prevent further violence. Only a durable ceasefire can prevent further loss of life and create the conditions for a lasting and just peace.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-46798944385304076832024-02-01T11:14:00.000-05:002024-02-01T11:14:06.948-05:00Guyana, Leading the UN Security Council, Is Not Giving Up on a Ceasefire in Gaza<p><a href=" https://www.passblue.com/2024/01/31/guyana-leading-the-un-security-council-is-not-giving-up-on-a-ceasefire-in-gaza/?utm_source=PassBlue%20List&fbclid=IwAR1-ayIcgNSi1sqzUAWIMGBRX9BNvlPo2iXJUNQfUJOICq3sZ2OZA2Ndt_s" target="_blank">PassBlue LInk</a></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; padding: 0px;">The United Nations Security Council’s continuing failure to agree on a ceasefire in Gaza is troubling many members, including Guyana, which assumes the rotating presidency of the Council on Feb. 1. <a href="https://parliament.gov.gy/about-parliament/parliamentarian/carolyn-rodrigues-birkett" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-shadow: none; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, background-color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett</a>, Guyana’s permanent representative to the UN, told PassBlue that her country would continue to lead the conversation to get more humanitarian support to the people of Gaza.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; padding: 0px;">“Several members of the Council continue to call for a ceasefire, but we have at least one Council member that is not at that point as yet,” Rodrigues-Birkett said. “I can tell you that Guyana will continue to call for this as it is with the other members. We have to go back to the mandate of the Council in the maintenance of peace and security around the world.”</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; padding: 0px;">The United States, a permanent Council member, is the only country in the body still resisting calls for a ceasefire. <a href="https://web.njeda.com/ccrc/page.aspx?id=2474" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-shadow: none; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, background-color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;">Jeffrey Laurenti</a>, an international affairs analyst formerly with the Century Foundation think tank and a UN expert, told PassBlue that Guyana’s effort as rotating president would achieve nothing until President Joe Biden is ready to push “a ceasefire down Israel’s throat.”</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-85539436448220859082024-01-31T18:31:00.005-05:002024-01-31T18:31:51.095-05:00How To Read the ICJ Decision and End Genocide, War and Settler Colonialism<p><a href="https://portside.org/2024-01-30/how-read-icj-decision-and-end-genocide-war-and-settler-colonialism?utm_source=portside-general&utm_medium=email"> ARTICLE</a><br /><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; font-size: 22.5px;">On Jan. 26, the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, issued a historic decision that some progressives applauded while others decried it as not going far enough to demand a ceasefire in the Israeli war on Gaza.</span></p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; font-size: 22.5px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;">The decision was a partial ruling in a case taken against Israel by the government of South Africa, an interesting note given that some — myself included — have been suggesting for months that the best path for peace and justice in the region will follow a pattern similar to the one that brought an end to the political apartheid of the racist South African regime of the 20th century.</p><p style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363636; font-family: georgia; font-size: 22.5px; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 1.2em;">In order to not lose sight of the ultimate goal — an end to the genocide, war and settler colonialism in Palestine — a better understanding of the ICJ decision is crucial. Here then, are answers to four of the most common questions stemming from the legalese inherent to international law mandates. As you’ll see, this better understanding reveals the tools activists can use to organize more strategically</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-36616041542337056422024-01-31T17:06:00.005-05:002024-01-31T17:07:50.949-05:00South Africa says Israel ignoring UN court's ruling to prevent deaths in Gaza<p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-south-africa-palestinians-d4724119dfd23d118350175c39fb4534">LINK TO AP ARTICLE</a><br /><br />PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Israel has ignored the ruling by the </span><span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06" rel="noopener" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">U.N.'s top court</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"> last week by killing hundreds more civilians in a matter of days in Gaza, South Africa’s foreign minister said Wednesday, adding that her country has asked why an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not been issued in a case South Africa filed at the separate International Criminal Court.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px;">Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said South Africa would “look at proposing other measures to the global community” in a bid to stop Israel killing civilians during its war in Gaza against Hamas militants, but didn’t go into details.</p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px;">The preliminary ruling by the U.N.’s International Court of Justice in South Africa’s case <span class="LinkEnhancement" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/genocide-explainer-israel-hamas-africa-court-7b74e7a1fdf4512e44a42066581fa587" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank">accusing Israel of genocide</a></span> in Gaza ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide against Palestinians in the territory. It stopped short of ordering a cease-fire. It also ruled Israel must urgently get basic humanitarian aid to Gaza and submit a report on steps taken to abide by the ruling within a month.</p><p style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: var(--font-1); font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.55; margin: 20px 0px;">A top official in South Africa’s foreign ministry has said the country hopes that Friday’s ruling, and whether Israel is abiding by it, will be discussed on a wider level at the United Nations, possibly as early as Wednesday.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-56185391931250985072023-08-25T13:52:00.004-04:002023-08-25T13:52:38.478-04:00Petition to House of Commons on Universal Contraception<p> https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4516</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Martel, serif; font-size: 1.5em; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">Petition to the Government of Canada</h3><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Whereas:</div><ul class="whereas" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 20px; padding-left: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px; padding-top: 0.5em;">A federal policy for free prescription birth control in Canada is projected to create money, with studies showing up to $9 saved in managing unplanned pregnancies for each $1 invested in universal contraception;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">Furthermore, fiscal benefits are predicted to be achieved quickly, with cost neutrality at year one and significant net savings within two years of implementation;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">Reproductive rights are human rights and cannot be left to the whim of changing provincial governments;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">Reproductive rights are currently being systematically dismantled south of Canada’s border in the United States at an alarming rate;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">Worldwide, Canada ranks poorly compared to 46 European nations in universal access to contraceptive supplies, counseling and information;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">British Columbia offers universal coverage of contraception, Quebec provides 80% coverage, while other provinces have programs that are patchy or difficult to access;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">There exists an equity issue within Canada in accessing contraception;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">Now is the time for the Government of Canada to introduce a federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception and reaffirm its commitment to reproductive rights for all Canadians;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">Canada is the only country worldwide with universal healthcare that lacks coverage for prescription drugs;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">The Government of Canada has committed to the implementation of a national pharmacare program; and</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px;">A federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception in Canada could be an important, immediate and symbolic first step in the implementation of a national pharmacare program.</li></ul><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><div class="pet-para" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 0em; text-indent: 0em;">We, the undersigned, <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">citizens of Canada</b>, call upon the <b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Government of Canada</b> to commit to a federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception by World Contraception Day on September 26, 2023.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-20979359888936468922023-08-11T14:36:00.001-04:002023-08-11T14:36:07.401-04:00Humanist International Meeting (Amsterdam, 2023)<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #313a41; font-family: proxima-nova-n4, proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Over the weekend, more than 400 humanists from around the globe attended the </span><a class="external" href="https://whc2023.com/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px dotted transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #db5a29; font-family: proxima-nova-n4, proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">2023 World Humanist Congress</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #313a41; font-family: proxima-nova-n4, proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> in Copenhagen. The Congress is typically held every three years but, because of world events (including the COVID pandemic), the 2017 and 2020 conferences were cancelled. So this year’s event—hosted by the Scandinavian member organizations from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland—was a long-overdue opportunity for members of </span><a class="external" href="https://humanists.international/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px dotted transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #db5a29; font-family: proxima-nova-n4, proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Humanists International</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #313a41; font-family: proxima-nova-n4, proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> to gather, forge connections, exchange ideas, and explore the future of humanism.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #313a41; font-family: proxima-nova-n4, proxima-nova, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://thehumanist.com/commentary/humanists-gather-globally-to-support-democracy">Report here</a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-10578649963754029962023-08-11T14:32:00.002-04:002023-08-11T14:33:52.009-04:00HERE: Humanist Environmental Response Effort<p><a href="<a href="https://hereforclimate.org/"> "> <b>HERE - Humanist Environmental Response Effort</b></a></p><p>This is a project of the American Humanist Association.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-18028917659842607882023-04-30T15:34:00.003-04:002023-04-30T15:34:39.290-04:00InterPares statement on Sudan<p><a href="https://interpares.ca/news/inter-pares-statement-deteriorating-situation-sudan"> Statement</a><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.018px; font-weight: 700;"><br />April 28, 2023–Ottawa </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Inter Pares has been monitoring the situation in Sudan since intense fighting broke out in the capital city Khartoum on April 15. Temporary ceasefires have enabled the evacuation of many foreign nationals from the country, including many Canadians. In the absence of journalists, humanitarians and other members of the international community as witnesses, Inter Pares fears that the humanitarian situation will deteriorate catastrophically. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18.018px; font-weight: 700; max-height: 1e+06px;">Inter Pares is raising the alarm that human rights defenders—including our counterparts—in Sudan will be at extreme risk in the coming days and weeks.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;">In conflict and post-conflict situations, human rights defenders are often targeted for their work. Women human rights defenders in particular face a heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18.018px; font-weight: 700; max-height: 1e+06px;">We call on the international community to maintain their focus on Sudan even after foreign nationals have been evacuated.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;">On April 15, fighting broke out in Khartoum between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese military. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured. The ongoing clashes have forced millions of people in the city to shelter in place. Others have fled Khartoum or the country.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Those unable to leave the country will continue to be caught in the crossfire of the clashing factions. Some Sudanese people <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudanese-fear-worse-come-foreigners-head-out-2023-04-25/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #075b9b; font-size: 18.018px; max-height: 1e+06px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">say they feel abandoned by the international community</a>.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;">Inter Pares has collaborated with counterparts in Sudan since 2007. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-height: 1e+06px;">At this time, all Inter Pares counterparts continue to prioritize survival and normal programming is not possible. Some counterpart staff have fled the city or country; others remain in Khartoum in increasingly dire situations, with dwindling supplies of food and water and unreliable power and Internet access. We are keeping in close contact with our counterparts and are continuing to assess how to best support them. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18.0162px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px;">We remain committed to supporting Sudanese counterparts to provide legal services for women experiencing sexual and gender-based violence, bolster women’s political participation and strengthen women’s civil society.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-74403374398483666982023-04-28T21:39:00.003-04:002023-04-28T21:41:40.191-04:00Amnesty: Stop Schoolgirl poisoning in Iran<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrVkwp2WFsvHZ8b2sfUbFn3R8KK9VpzsWDbgNGGAD9Ki9JVHPlzTsxUcBRJHQ7u-Jm6lo2XFBGHrrPOnJ6MxjpqLJ9RfyIDEsOMtDN4V5zOvj0BkbYZtXSB1xaOhLwR2VGDXnz0yI6BClyKitSHjHE-GZf9KfNgyAXJq3AttI3GHqHmQjbGhLH4BQd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="451" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrVkwp2WFsvHZ8b2sfUbFn3R8KK9VpzsWDbgNGGAD9Ki9JVHPlzTsxUcBRJHQ7u-Jm6lo2XFBGHrrPOnJ6MxjpqLJ9RfyIDEsOMtDN4V5zOvj0BkbYZtXSB1xaOhLwR2VGDXnz0yI6BClyKitSHjHE-GZf9KfNgyAXJq3AttI3GHqHmQjbGhLH4BQd" width="180" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://takeaction.amnesty.ca/page/127112/petition/1?_ga=2.254822920.1687167299.1682732391-48029530.1682732391">Petition</a><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicLight, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 26px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicBold, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600;">MORE THAN 100 SCHOOLS TARGETED SINCE NOVEMBER </span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicLight, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicBold, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600;">The rights to education, health and life of millions of schoolgirls are at risk amid ongoing chemical gas attacks deliberately targeting girls’ schools in Iran. Since the first reported gas attack in the city of Qom, the incidents increased exponentially with some 300 separate attacks now reported.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicLight, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px;">The poisonings appear to be a coordinated campaign to punish schoolgirls for their peaceful participation in nationwide protests sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini following her arrest by the "morality" police in mid-September 2022. As women and girls lead the call for change in Iran, schoolgirls have engaged in acts of resistance such as removing their mandatory hijabs and showing their hair in public while in school uniform. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicLight, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px;">These attacks have left schoolgirls hospitalized with symptoms including coughing, difficulty in breathing, nose and throat irritation, heart palpitation, headache, nausea, vomiting and numbness in limbs. As of mid-April, official statistics said 13,000 schoolgirls had received medical care. Some parents removed their daughters from school fearing for their safety. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicLight, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 15px;">Authorities in Iran have downplayed the gravity and scale of the attacks – dismissing the symptoms as stress, mischief or “mental contagion” – and tried to silence calls for accountability and reporting by the media. No effective investigation or any meaningful steps have been taken to end the attacks. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: AmnestyTradeGothicLight, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px;">In March, the authorities announced the arrest of over 118 people for alleged involvement in “smuggling stink bombs”, which they claimed was the main cause of the poisonings. Many people in Iran suspect actors tied to the state or pro-government vigilantes, who have been empowered by Iran’s discriminatory and degrading laws and policies that perpetuate violence against women and girls.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-60689227368012253792023-02-07T16:18:00.008-05:002023-02-07T16:18:54.716-05:00Myths about fossil fuels and renewable energy are circulating again. Don’t buy them. » Yale Climate Connections<a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/01/myths-about-fossil-fuels-and-renewable-energy-are-circulating-again-dont-buy-them/?fbclid=IwAR3OuXFUP07rtdkoPM83g3AXzPdLoxrHlxQzx3hOhkAMVebSgcic7ubammk">Myths about fossil fuels and renewable energy are circulating again. Don’t buy them. » Yale Climate Connections</a><div><p class="has-drop-cap" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px; margin: 32px 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">large and growing fraction of U.S. residents understands that human-caused climate change is a significant problem in need of urgent solutions. But as public alarm increases, misinformation about fossil fuels and renewable energy has also seen an uptick.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px; margin: 32px 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">For example, some politicians and petroleum producers <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/have-biden-administration-policies-reduced-us-oil-production-1686104" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; transition: color 110ms ease-in-out 0s;">have said</a> that the Biden administration is addressing climate change by <a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/jul/22/herschel-walker/did-biden-stop-domestic-oil-drilling-herschel-walk/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; transition: color 110ms ease-in-out 0s;">slowing down</a> domestic energy production, characterizing the president’s policies as an attack on American energy. But the data doesn’t bear that out.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px; margin: 32px 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Oil and gas extraction has been on the rise since the COVID-induced slowdowns of late 2020 and early 2021. Since then, gas production has set multiple all-time records, and the Energy Information Administration anticipates new oil production records will be set in 2023. The data behind those assessments stands in stark contrast to accusations that the Biden administration is curtailing domestic oil and gas extraction...</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px; margin: 32px 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Bottom line: When you compare the amount of electricity generated, rather than the amount of raw fuel, it becomes clear that renewables are already producing about as much electricity as coal...</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px; margin: 32px 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Fossil gas is around 44% efficient, so “only” 56% of the energy in gas is lost in conversion to electricity. That’s better than coal, but still very inefficient. As renewables offset fossil-fueled electricity, they are replacing large amounts of inefficient energy production with a more efficient process that consumes less energy overall. This is partly why renewables tend to be cheaper than extraction-based sources of electricity.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 20px; margin: 32px 0px; max-width: 100%; overflow-wrap: break-word;">It takes a careful eye to spot these nuances, but in the end, a data-driven approach not</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-41762722121622347852022-03-30T14:29:00.004-04:002022-03-30T14:29:41.776-04:00LGBTQ+ rights 'going backwards' around world, warns UK envoy<a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20220329171301-k6u3i/">LGBTQ+ rights 'going backwards' around world, warns UK envoy</a>: <div>As gay and transgender rights gains stall in places such as Hungary and Singapore, Britain's first Special Envoy on LGBT Rights Nick Herbert voices concern about the global outlook </div><div><br /></div><div> LONDON, March 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Gay and transgender rights are going backwards in parts of the world, Britain's first special envoy on LGBT Rights has warned, as Hungary implements an anti-gay law and equality reforms in Singapore and Bermuda are blocked. </div><div><br /></div><div> Hungary recently passed a law banning the "promotion" of homosexuality or gender identity to minors, following in the footsteps of Russia, while in February Singapore's highest court dismissed a challenge to the city-state's gay sex ban. </div><div><br /></div><div> Earlier this month, London's Privy Council - the highest court of appeal for British territories - ruled that Bermuda's ban on same-sex marriage was allowed under the island's constitution. "It's important to realise that there are some countries where human rights issues are a real concern, where they are going backwards," Nick Herbert told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a video call.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-35547326520301572832022-03-02T16:46:00.003-05:002022-03-02T16:52:24.430-05:00OHS Condemns Attack on the Ukraine<div class="region-container so-animate" draggable="" ng-repeat="item in regions" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: HelveticaNeueW01-55Roma, HelveticaNeueW02-55Roma, HelveticaNeueW10-55Roma, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0.05px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><composer-region style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="region view-mode presentation-state region-type-title so-global-region-title so-global-region so-react-sidebar" data-region-id="12d7d22e-d26e-483e-b921-cfcf171316e4" ng-class="regionCssClasses()" ng-click="safeSetEditMode($event)" ng-if="visible" ng-mousedown="mouseDown($event)" ng-mouseleave="restoreRemoveButton()" ng-style="regionStyles()" off-click-filter=".off-click-filter,.pac-container,.cke_reset_all,[data-hook="tooltip-content"],[data-hook="popover-content"],#modal-children-container" off-click-if="offClickIf" off-click="offClick()" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 20px; min-height: 40px; outline: 0px; padding: 40px 40px 20px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div ng-if="!isConditionallyHidden()" ng-switch="" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div ng-switch-when="text" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div ng-include="'views/lpcomposer/text/text.html'" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="text-region" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="view-container" ng-if="regionState !== 'edit'" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><so-composer-text-display data="item.data" extra-class="{ 'lp-font_0 lp-style-h1 so-global-title': isTitle(), 'lp-font_1 lp-style-p1 so-global-p1': !isTitle(), 'so-global-text': !isTitle() && !mix, 'so-global-text-mix': !isTitle() && mix }" highlight-placeholders="editMode" style="box-sizing: border-box;" styles="styles"><div class="text-display" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="lp-font_0 lp-style-h1 so-global-title" ng-bind-html="soComposerTextDisplay.sanitizeText()" ng-class="extraClass" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><p dir="ltr" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">The Ontario Humanist Society (OHS) joins our Humanist friends worldwide in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. <br /></span></span></span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>OHS calls for Russia to cease its illegal and unprovoked actions, and to cease all challenges </b></span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">to Ukraine’s independence. Russia must terminate its violation of international law and of the UN Charter, and withdraw from Ukraine immediately. There is</span></span></span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> no justification for this aggression and the cost will be borne by innocent Ukrainians.<br /></b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 14px;"><b><br /></b>As Humanists we can NOT turn away from this humanitarian crisis. We encourage OHS members to stand behind the Ukrainian people through the many opportunities available to us, some suggestions are listed below. Our Ethical Actions Committee will further examine steps we can take to continue to show our support for Ukraine.<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 14px;"><br /><b>If you would like to donate to support Ukraine, here are some charities that you might wish to consider:<br /></b></span></p><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://shoutout.wix.com/so/0eNzCJ9RR/c?w=imouisq8bb4sQ_g2wazAjyUt4VURR1AH2RHkb6VbbTQ.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2FuYWRhaGVscHMub3JnL2VuL2NoYXJpdGllcy9jYW5hZGEtdWtyYWluZS1mb3VuZGF0aW9uLz9tcHJvbXB0PTEiLCJyIjoiOWUyMWI4NzEtOTdhYS00NDNmLThhZWEtY2U4MDk2ODRhNmMxIiwibSI6Im1haWxfbHAiLCJjIjoiNTVhMjk3MjctYzJjZC00NGRjLTg5YjQtYzI0M2Y0OWIyNzgxIn0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #109fff; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Canada/Ukraine Foundation </span></span></a></span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"> <br /></span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://shoutout.wix.com/so/0eNzCJ9RR/c?w=39xXgQNzv0o6h8Gn2pBtuwGWyQUNhaoGNDye3_xWId0.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWRjcm9zcy5vcmcudWEvZW4vMjAyMi8wMi9kb25hdGUtdG8tc3VwcG9ydC10aGUtdWtyYWluaWFuLXJlZC1jcm9zcy10by1oZWxwLWNpdmlsaWFucy1pbi10aGlzLWRpZmZpY3VsdC10aW1lLWZvci11a3JhaW5lLyIsInIiOiI5ZTIxYjg3MS05N2FhLTQ0M2YtOGFlYS1jZTgwOTY4NGE2YzEiLCJtIjoibWFpbF9scCIsImMiOiI1NWEyOTcyNy1jMmNkLTQ0ZGMtODliNC1jMjQzZjQ5YjI3ODEifQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #109fff; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ukrainian Red Cross</span></a></span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"> <br /></span><a href="https://shoutout.wix.com/so/0eNzCJ9RR/c?w=FM-68YGFeADAK8lD6PhWwyLYXcE9sWBvuhdQGiZ1534.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9kb25hdGUucmVkY3Jvc3MuY2EvcGFnZS8xMDAyMjcvZG9uYXRlLzE_X2dhPTIuMTM3MjYxNjg0LjU3NzI0ODM0Mi4xNjQ1ODE0NTkxLTY5NTEyMTcwMC4xNjQ1NzE4MDEwJl9nbD0xKjFxNzJ0c3QqX2dhKk5qazFNVEl4TnpBd0xqRTJORFUzTVRnd01UQS4qX2dhXzM3NkQ4TEhNMFIqTVRZME5UZ3hORFU1TUM0eUxqQXVNVFkwTlRneE5EVTVNQzR3IiwiciI6IjllMjFiODcxLTk3YWEtNDQzZi04YWVhLWNlODA5Njg0YTZjMSIsIm0iOiJtYWlsX2xwIiwiYyI6IjU1YTI5NzI3LWMyY2QtNDRkYy04OWI0LWMyNDNmNDliMjc4MSJ9" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #109fff; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Canadian Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal</span></span></a><u><br /></u><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;">The Canadian Government will match all donations by Canadians dollar-for-dollar, to a maximum of $10 million.<br /></span><a href="https://shoutout.wix.com/so/0eNzCJ9RR/c?w=I2wGhq4FAduc2CXFr99S-a9ERiU7iL8-9RP_vrlOH6g.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9naXZlLnVuaGNyLmNhL3BhZ2UvMTAwMTkwL2RvbmF0ZS8xP2VhLnRyYWNraW5nLmlkPVNFTTIyX0VVUiZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvb2dsZSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWNwYyZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249Q0FfUFNfRU5fVUEmZ2NsaWQ9Q2p3S0NBaUFwZmVRQmhBVUVpd0E3S19VSHlueVpMQmt6azZaQkFwWDZWTklmMmt5TUFCV2JoOGlDcTZPR21VcnZHMDRGUk9XOTEyVTd4b0NabVVRQXZEX0J3RSZnY2xzcmM9YXcuZHMiLCJyIjoiOWUyMWI4NzEtOTdhYS00NDNmLThhZWEtY2U4MDk2ODRhNmMxIiwibSI6Im1haWxfbHAiLCJjIjoiNTVhMjk3MjctYzJjZC00NGRjLTg5YjQtYzI0M2Y0OWIyNzgxIn0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #109fff; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">United Nations High Commission on Refugees Canada</span></span></a><u><br /></u><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"><u><br /></u>If you would like to provide input into Canada's response to the situation in Ukraine: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;">Write to our Prime Minister<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://shoutout.wix.com/so/0eNzCJ9RR/c?w=6c3olOgSpiTg2ojFXbuPAXzv3fPvuE-cUyuYMQLQ7RU.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wbS5nYy5jYS9lbi9jb25uZWN0L2NvbnRhY3QiLCJyIjoiOWUyMWI4NzEtOTdhYS00NDNmLThhZWEtY2U4MDk2ODRhNmMxIiwibSI6Im1haWxfbHAiLCJjIjoiNTVhMjk3MjctYzJjZC00NGRjLTg5YjQtYzI0M2Y0OWIyNzgxIn0" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #109fff; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://pm.gc.ca/en/connect/contact</span></a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"> <br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;">Or seek out an on-line petition that supports your point of view.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;">Thank you for joining the OHS board in condemning this travesty that is unfolding before us.</span></div></span></div><p></p></div></div></so-composer-text-display></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></composer-region></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104937572780624362.post-68172966192705467462022-02-24T12:04:00.002-05:002022-02-24T12:04:10.720-05:00Ontario Allliance to End Homelessness Budget Submission to Govt of Ontario<p> https://www.oaeh.ca/news/budget-submission-to-minister-of-finance-and-president-of-the-treasury-board/</p><p><a href="https://act.newmode.net/action/canadian-alliance-end-homelessness/call-action-governments-must-urgently-act-protect-people"> Send Letter</a><br /></p><h2>Pre-Budget Submission to the Government of Ontario</h2>
<p><em>February 2022</em></p>
<p>Delivered to:<br />
<strong>Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy<br />
</strong>Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board<br />
Government of Ontario</p>
<p><em>Contact:<br />
</em>Kaite Burkholder Harris, Daphna Nussbaum, Jennifer van Gennip<br />
<em>Co-Chairs, </em><em>Ontario Alliance to End Homelessness<br />
</em><a href="mailto:info@oaeh.ca"><em>info@oaeh.ca</em></a></p>
<h3>About OAEH</h3>
<p>The Ontario Alliance to End Homelessness (OAEH) is a network of 50+
communities, agencies, and individuals dedicated to preventing and
ending homelessness in Ontario.</p>
<h3>Our Issue</h3>
<p>Housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues in cities,
towns, and rural areas all across Ontario. There are a number of
compounding factors that have allowed the costs of housing to far
outpace average wages. As an alliance to end homelessness, our focus
lies largely on non-market supply and demand, relied on by those on very
low incomes to meet their human right to housing. This government has
spent millions of dollars providing shelter accommodations throughout
the pandemic. As that funding winds down and shelters return to
pre-pandemic capacity, thousands of individuals and families face life
on the streets without funding and housing units to transition them back
into housing.</p>
<p>The province has the opportunity in this budget to take decisive
steps that can prioritize those who find themselves without a safe,
affordable place to call home. New investments and regulatory reform are
both needed.</p>
<h3>Our Recommendations</h3>
<ol><li><strong>Investments in both capital and operations.</strong>
Municipalities need increased provincial contributions for affordable
housing development. There is also an ongoing need for the province to
invest in operating grants for affordable housing providers, especially
supportive housing providers.</li><li><strong>Increased social assistance rates.</strong> Ontario’s social
assistance programs, including Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario
Disability Support Program (ODSP), are a targeted solution to poverty in
this province. But when the social assistance rates are out of step
with the costs of living, people remain trapped in poverty with few
choices to better their circumstances. Currently, a single person on OW
receives just $390/month for housing.</li><li><strong>Renewed and expanded rent supplement programs.</strong> According to the March 2021 <a href="https://www.fao-on.org/web/default/files/publications/FA1906%20Affordable%20Housing/Housing%20and%20Homelessness%20Programs-EN.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Housing and Homelessness Programs Report from the Financial Accountability Office</a>
(FAO), the province currently only provides rent supplements for
approximately 40% of the households identified as being in core housing
need. The same FAO report shows the provincial portion of all housing
programs averages only 0.3% of the province’s expenditures. Rent
supplements are currently provided through three main funds slated to
end in the next two years.</li><li><strong>Transitional supports from provincial institutions.</strong>
Youth aging out of care, patients being discharged from health care
institutions, and people being released from incarceration often end up
homeless or underhoused due to the lack of transition supports. </li></ol>
The under-investment in the housing needs of low-income Ontarians is
contributing to the large increase in the inflow into our homelessness
systems, and severely impacting communities ability to re-house people.
We are all aware that it is <a href="https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/homelessness-101/cost-analysis-homelessness" rel="noopener" target="_blank">more cost-effective to offer financial support to provide individuals with housing than to house them in shelter beds</a>
so providing deeply affordable housing benefits us all. We are asking
the province to invest in a healthier, more resilient Ontario through
this budget with permanent solutions for those experiencing, or at risk
of experiencing, homelessnesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0