MEDIA ADVISORY - A red line for Gaza: Civil society decries Canadian inaction

MONTRÉAL, June 13, 2025 /CNW/ - In solidarity with the Palestinian people, a wide cross-section of organizations representing civil society, trade unions and human rights call on everyone to join a large demonstration in Montreal on Saturday. Participants are invited to wear red to symbolize the many red lines that have been crossed by Israel in Gaza and to call on Canada to move now from words to actions.

WHAT: A solemn demonstration to attest to the many red lines that have been crossed, followed by a rally with speeches and reflection.

WHEN: Saturday June 14th, 1:30 pm

WHERE: The demonstration will begin at Norman-Bethune Park (Guy-Concordia Metro). The march's end point will be announced on Saturday morning.

WHO: Everyone who wants to denounce the situation in Gaza and to call on the Government of Canada to act. More than 50 organizations have confirmed that they will be part of the march, including:

• Amnistie internationale Canada francophone
• Doctors Without Borders Canada
• Doctors of the World Canada
• Oxfam-Québec
• Humanity & Inclusion Canada
• Save the Children Canada
• Islamic Relief Canada
• Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain – CSN
• Independent Jewish Voices – Montréal
• Mères au Front – Comité Palestine
• Coalition du Québec URGENCE Palestine
• Collectif Échec à la guerre
• Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale
• Cooperation Canada

QUOTATIONS:

"Amnesty International calls on the Canadian government to cease all political, economic and military support to Israel while it continues to block humanitarian aid, is guilty of genocide, war crimes and structural violations of human rights in Gaza and throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories."

— France-Isabelle Langlois, general director, Amnistie internationale Canada francophone

"For decades we have worked with our Palestinian partners to address the needs of the people. We have worked steadfastly to meet a range of human needs including health, food security, clean water, psychological support, clothing, blankets and menstrual products. During the last 20 months, both in Gaza and the West Bank, our impartial humanitarian work has been stopped like nowhere else on Earth. What is more, our repeated calls to prioritize life and international law over military gain have been met with hollow responses. Today's red line is our collective cry to stop this suffering. Our unconditional demand is clear: Canada must act decisively, as promised, to uphold international humanitarian law and protect the people of Gaza from famine, violence, and despair."

— Humanity & Inclusion Canada, Doctors Without Borders Canada, Doctors of the World Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Save the Children Canada, Islamic Relief Canada

"Before the eyes of the entire world, with almost complete immunity, Israel commits ethnic cleansing amounting to genocide. Canada's and Québec's complicity and inaction are abject. Let us mobilise to demand severe sanctions against Israel, a permanent cease-fire in Gaza and the full realization of the right to self determination of the Palestinian people." — Chantal Ide, Secretary General, Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain – CSN

"A genocide is unfolding before the world. The international community looks away. Our governments, our media, and our institutions are betraying humanity. We, Mothers at the Front, stand up. We refuse this silence of complicity. We refuse to be passive witnesses to crimes against humanity. We carry the voices of angry mothers, of missing children and of an abandoned people." 

— Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, Mères au front

"We demand that the Canadien government end its complicity in the atrocities, genocide, deadly bombing raids and other Israeli crimes against humanity and war crimes being committed in Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine and the Middle-East. We call on the government to radically reorient its approach so as to promote and protect international law, humanitarian aid, human rights and the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. We decry the growing weaponization of anti-Semitism by the government and some elected officials seeking to silence those who defend universal human rights and who refuse to be complicit in Israeli actions seeking to exterminate the Palestinians."

— Glenn Rubenstein, Independent Jewish Voices – Montréal

"We demand that Canada immediately impose severe, multi-faceted and prolonged sanctions against Israel to put an end to the genocide in Gaza, and to demand the dismantling of its illegal occupation and colonization, and the urgent realization of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination."

— Amélie Nguyen, spokesperson, Coalition du Québec URGENCE Palestine

"The very foundations of international law, established after World War II and the Shoah, are being undermined by the impunity of Israel and the silence of countries such as Canada. It is way past time that the Canadian Government takes stock of the genocide underway in Gaza and does what is needed to halt this impunity, including with sanctions and an arms embargo."

— Niall Ricardo, Association des juristes progressistes

The signatories :

1. Alternatives International
2. Amnistie internationale Canada francophone
3. Association des juristes progressistes (AJP)
4. Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)
5. Ateliers d'éducation populaire du Plateau
6. Attac-Québec
7. Centre d'Alphabétisation de Villeray La Jarnigoine
8. Centre des Femmes de Laval
9. Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrant•es / Immigrant Workers Centre
10. Coalition du Québec URGENCE Palestine
11. Collectif de convergence citoyenne d'Ahuntsic-Cartierville
12. Collectif de lutte et d'action contre le racisme (CLAR)
13. Collectif de Québec pour la paix
14. Collectif Échec à la guerre
15. Comité logement Rosemont
16. Congrès iranien du Canada
17. Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN
18. Coopération Canada / Cooperation Canada
19. Coopérative de Solidarité L'Euguélionne, Librairie Féministe et Queer
20. Coordinating Council for Palestine (CC4P)
21. Coordination du Québec de la Marche mondiale des femmes (CQMMF)
22. Co-Savoir
23. EXEKO
24. Fédération des femmes du Québec
25. Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec (FNEEQ-CSN)
26. Femmes de diverses origines (FDO)
27. Health workers Alliance for Palestine (HAP)/Alliance des soignant.e.s pour la Palestine (ASP)
28. Humanité & Inclusion Canada / Humanity & Inclusion Canada
29. Islamic Relief Canada
30. Le Journal des Alternatives
31. Ligue des droits et libertés - section de Québec
32. Médecins du Monde Canada / Doctors of the World Canada
33. Médecins du Québec contre le génocide à Gaza
34. Médecins sans frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Canada
35. Mères au Front - Comité Palestine
36. Monthly Dignity/ Dignité Mensuelle
37. Mouvement d'éducation populaire et d'action communautaire du Québec (MÉPACQ)
38. Oxfam-Québec
39. Palestine Vivra
40. Palestiniens et Juifs unis (PAJU)
41. Regroupement des assistées sociales et assistés sociaux du Témiscouata (RASST)
42. Regroupement des Haïtiens vivant à Montréal Contre l'Occupation d'Haïti (REHMONCOH)
43. Regroupement des organismes en défense collective des droits (RODCD)
44. Religions pour la Paix - Québec
45. Réseau des Tables régionales de groupes de femmes du Québec
46. Save the Children Canada
47. SDHPP - Solidarité pour les droits humains des Palestiniennes et Palestiniens - UQAM
48. Soeurs auxiliatrices
49. Solidarité Environnement Sutton
50. Solidarité Sherbrooke - Palestine
51. South Asian Diaspora Action Collective (SADAC)
52. Table des groupes de femmes de Montréal
53. UTIL - Unité théâtrale d'interventions locales
54. Voix juives indépendantes – Montréal

A list of spokespeople available for media interviews during the demonstration will be published on Saturday morning.

SOURCE Oxfam Québec

For more information, please contact : Josianne Bertrand, Media relations agent, Oxfam-Québec, [email protected], 514 606-4663