We write because of the catastrophic human rights and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, now into its twentieth month, which is broadly understood by international law experts and leading human rights organizations as constituting genocide.

Waiting, vacillating, remaining silent and failing or, worse, refusing to act in the face of mounting and incontrovertible evidence of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity can no longer be options for Canada. But it is not enough to simply speak out. Canada must do everything in its power to stop these atrocities and support efforts to bring those responsible to account.

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Ministers Virani, Joly, Ng, Bibeau, Leblanc and Miller,

We write in follow up to our two earlier letters and accompanying legal brief dealing with Canada’s policy and position with respect to Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territory, the urgency and relevance of which has grown exponentially following the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion in the Legal Consequences of Israeli Practices case. 

On behalf of more than 70 legal experts across Canada we initially wrote to Minister Virani on April 12th.  Our letter, and accompanying legal brief, provided a comprehensive analysis of the indisputable legal conclusion that Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territory constitute war crimes under Canadian and international law.  We specified that Canada has ensuing legal obligations that flow from that reality, and provided seven recommendations for action by your government, to ensure compliance with those obligations.

I’m not saying abolish the monarchy or disown the King.  I’m just disappointed at our choice of who, as representative of the Crown, we are asking to give expression to and of our sovereignty at this critical juncture.

This incident is another stark reminder that fundamental freedoms, such as free expression, are susceptible to attack in Canada as much as anywhere else. In an increasingly polarised society, the health of our democracy is at stake if we are unable to have open discourse based in fact, law, and a respectful exchange of ideas. Civil liberties exist to protect our right to critique government policies, including the policies of foreign governments, especially when precious life is on the line.

Of all the professions, lawyers should be the most ardent protectors of these rights. It’s a shame to see some Canadian lawyers actively eroding these values.

Fly the flag, yes. But we must do the work that shows we get it, and we mean it. Conviction, solidarity and a better world. That flag has never mattered more.

Every Canadian political leader - whether they lead or aspire to lead a party - must unequivocally condemn and reject every single word Donald Trump uttered about Gaza today. They must commit to immediately recognize full, independent Palestinian statehood, before the homeland of a people who have been pummeled by genocide gets carved up for beachfront condos and a Trump Hotel.

Justin Trudeau, Melanie Joly, tariffs or no tariffs, take a stand, the right stand, and do it now. There are times when what matters most is conviction and showing up for humanity.

This is one of those times.

FJ’s death must be independently investigated. Canadians must be brought home from NE Syria. Any allegations of terrorism or other criminality should be dealt with in our legal system.

Human rights do not matter only when it is convenient or when we feel sympathetic. They matter always and they matter for us all.

Today, and all the tomorrows that lie ahead, we must stand together and we will move forward together, united in the resolve that hate cannot and  will not prevail.

It is in community and common cause that hope will rise, as it always has.

It is vital that you take immediate steps, particularly while witnesses are accessible and evidence is fresh, to launch an expert, independent and impartial investigation. Such an investigation cannot, in these circumstances, be conducted by either the RCMP or your consular staff.  There are many other options that would provide the independence and expertise that is needed. We would welcome the opportunity to identify who might be best placed to conduct such an investigation.

We urge you to move immediately.  It is of vital importance for many reasons, most especially because FJ’s six children deserve to know what has happened to their mother.

Today, and every day, but especially today. Ceasefire. Free the hostages. Stop the arms flow. End the occupation. Recognize full Palestinian statehood, alongside a safe and secure Israel. Bring all war criminals to justice. Reject all hate. Embrace, respect and enforce all international law.

Choose peace. Now and always.

We write this Open Letter to share our deep concern about your decision last month not to participate in activities organized by Capital Pride, including the parade, because you objected to the Palestinian solidarity statement they issued. The decision itself and the manner in which you reached it undermine important human rights principles regarding peaceful protest, equality and non-discrimination, transparency, and accountability that should guide all aspects of your administration.

We urge you to take substantive steps to strengthen regard for human rights obligations at municipal level to better ensure that human rights are bolstered and respected, and not undermined and violated, by the city’s regulations and policies, and the actions of city officials, including yourself.

It will take work to deliver justice, of course it will.  It will cost money to deliver justice, of course it will.  It will take political will and courage to deliver justice, of course it will.  But continuing to turn our back on justice is untenable and profoundly, morally wrong. It betrays our shared humanity. That, in the long run, is far more expensive.

It pains me to know that I let Jack down when I gave him hope of justice within a year. And that I let him down because my country has essentially decided that human rights do not fully apply to him or to other Canadians trapped in the harrowing labyrinth of injustice in Northeast Syria.

Enough. This simply has to end. Now. I’m not giving up. None of us can.

79 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there is only one possible future, and that is a future which prohibits and abolishes nuclear weapons, full stop. That is how we best remember, but more importantly how we best honour the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That is how we best lift up our precious, shared humanity.

As law professors, we teach our students how to advocate for themselves and to use their skills to do so for others who cannot. We were, in fact, drawn to law in the first place because we wanted to be effective advocates.

The same is likely true for the more than 70 law students at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Lincoln Alexander School of Law, who learned a lesson on the costs of advocacy. After advocating for Palestinian human rights, they were confronted with the risk of expulsion and a stillborn legal career.

Free expression and peaceful assembly rights are at the heart of democracy, play a crucial role in building awareness about human rights concerns and, of all places, should be cherished and celebrated on a university campus.

There are no grounds for dismantling the U of O encampment. Rather, taking a stroll to the Tabaret Lawn to listen, learn and, ultimately, agree or disagree, is highly recommended.

Open Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling for the Canadian government to issue a clear statement of support for the work of the International Criminal Court with respect to the situation in Palestine.

Dr. Frémont, I urge you to make it clear that the University of Ottawa recognizes that the encampment is a legitimate exercise of the right to protest and is protected by the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly. It will therefore be allowed to continue.

That it is a racialized, disabled woman, who has already been isolated and shunned within the legislature, who stands up to a white man, and decades of rules and attitudes set largely by white men, speaks volumes.

Any of us - I would suggest, especially white men - who leave her to take that stand on her own should feel nothing but shame.

As we stand on the precipice of a pivotal juncture in Middle Eastern politics, Canada’s path forward must be paved with principled leadership, unwavering in its dedication to human rights and international justice.

This is not about other peoples and other conflicts. This is about us all. We are witness and we are complicit. We are watching real time genocide in Gaza. Acknowledge and claim that. We must. We cannot lie or pretend. We know.

And we are only powerless if we remain silent.