“As a kid, I listened to my grandparents talk about surviving the holocaust and couldn’t understand why nobody stopped the murder of Jews. And now we are watching in horror as over 10,000 people - almost 5000 children - have been murdered in a matter of mere weeks. We are watching a genocide unfold in 2023, weaponized now by the trauma of my people.” - Tamara Herman 

As residents in the Kootenays - on the beautiful territories of the K'tunaxa and Secwepemctsín speaking First Nations - the violence of war can feel very far away. 

There is also no minimizing the fear involved when speaking up for human rights within the conflict between Israel and Palestine, however our silence in this time cannot be an option.

Our silence, while the daily updates of the violence against the people of Palestine in the region of Gaza, contributes to complicity in enabling Western Nation State countries - like Canada - to abstain on UN decisions to uphold international law, and in turn continue to support the aggressive acts of war, genocide, and the destruction of an entire people. 

In these times, we must hold the complexity of feeling aggrieved and outraged by Hamas’ deliberate and unconscionable attack on Israeli civilians; with the necessity of calling for an end to Israel’s incessant and indiscriminate attacks on Palestinian civilians and civilian spaces, including hospitals, food, and water sources, in Gaza.  Violence begets more violence and this must end now!

This petition is a small effort to uplift voices from the East Kootenay Region to call on our elected representatives - Rob Morrison & Richard Cannings- to leverage their position on the Canada-Isreal and Canada - USA Interparliamentary groups and join the calls for an immediate ceasefire, respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, and the provision of humanitarian access and support. 

Add your voice and show up for love and humanity during this historic time;  Demand a cease fire now!