NDP statement on recent devastating events in Israel and Palestine

NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Heather McPherson issued the following statement:

"Today is a devastating and terrifying day. Hamas’ call for a Day of Rage is awful. Israel’s order to displace 1.1 million innocent Gazans is reprehensible. The region is spiralling, and Canada must act now to save lives.

I am alarmed by what we are witnessing from the siege of Gaza. Children, women, and the elderly are indiscriminately attacked. The use of white phosphorus is a war crime and now, Israel’s demand to move over 1.1 million people south is both illegal & impossible. 

I fear for the people who cannot flee, including thousands of wounded. We are watching potential war crimes in real time.

We condemn Hamas’ call to arms, which will inevitably lead to more violence. We reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist violence by Hamas that killed thousands. These attacks have caused unimaginable pain and trauma for Jewish communities globally and made many Jewish Canadians feel unsafe. This must end.

Palestinians are suffering at a scale we have never seen as a result of the siege of Gaza. Canada must, today, insist for the respect of international law, of humanitarian principles, and urge Israel to rescind the evacuation order, as the United Nations has called for. Anything less would be a betrayal of our values.

New Democrats continue to call for immediate release of all hostages, the protection of all civilians, an end to the siege and bombardment of Gaza, and for humanitarian aid to reach civilians urgently and without restriction.

We condemn all acts of antisemitism and all anti-Palestinian racism including any glorification or calls for the killing of innocent people, Israeli or Palestinian.

Thank you to all Israelis and Palestinians working to preserve life – medical workers, humanitarians, human rights advocates, ordinary people doing what they can – in the face of such horror. We see you and we stand with you."

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2025 Your Favorite Spot in Cowichan-Malahat-Langford calendar contest

If you would like to share your favorite spot in Cowichan-Malahat-Langford and have it included in the 2025 edition, submit your photo.

Submit your photo(s) by email to: [email protected]

Put CALENDAR PHOTO in the subject line.

Include the following information in your email:

  • Your name
  • The location of your photo
  • Your address, including postal code
  • A brief (40 words or fewer) description of your photo

Deadline to submit is September 1st, 2024

Important guidelines for submitting photos

Each year, a number of photos are disqualified from consideration because the image size is too small, or the images include humans. Following are some hints for choosing and submitting a winning photo:

  • Photos must be high resolution - at least 1MB.
  • Do not send directly from your phone. Image files are compressed by phones when they are emailed.
  • Upload your photo(s) to a computer or tablet before sending.
  • Attach the original high resolution image to the email (send as an attachment).
  • Pick a photo that will work with the shape of the calendar. Landscape is the best option.

Official Rules:

  1. Your favorite spot must be in the Cowichan-Malahat-Langford riding.
  2. Photos must be in jpg or tiff format.
  3. Photos cannot include humans.
  4. No more than 3 photos per household may be submitted.
  5. Photos must be colour and at least 1MB in size.
  6. Deadline to submit is September 1st, 2024

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