Recognize Gaza as genocide
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to recognize Israel’s conduct in Gaza as genocide; suspend arms exports and demand a ceasefire. The government responds it backs humanitarian aid, legal review, and suspended some export permits.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would compel Canada to formally label the events and enable sanctions and an arms export halt, signalling stronger moral and diplomatic pressure.
- Backing ICC action and calls for arrest would prioritise accountability and could deter further alleged violations.
- Demanding humanitarian access and a ceasefire would prioritise aid delivery and aim to reduce civilian suffering.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- A national recognition of genocide could pre‑empt ongoing international legal processes and contradict future court determinations.
- Suspending arms exports and imposing sanctions could harm diplomatic relations and reduce Canada’s leverage to influence outcomes.
- Calls for arrests may complicate peace negotiations and have limited practical effect without coordinated international action.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada Canada is a signatory to the Geneva Conventions and Arms Trade Treaty; Canada has shipped weapons, ammunition, and equipment to Israel while saying otherwise; Israel has been killing, starving, and displacing Palestinians in Gaza en masse as confirmed by groups such as the United Nations and Amnesty International; Israel has deliberately targeted schools, hospitals, aid convoys, and journalists, all in violation of international law; The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity; Canada has refused to condemn Israel's crimes; and Canada continues to support the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Formally recognize that what is happening in Gaza to the Palestinian people is a genocide that is being committed by Israel; 2. Publicly condemn Israel, its genocide of the Palestinian people, war crimes, and violation of international law; 3. Suspend all arms exports to and impose sanctions on Israel; 4. Support the ICC’s investigations into Israel’s war crimes; 5. Call for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu; 6. Demand aid be allowed into the region; 7. Call for an immediate ceasefire and have consequences if there is none or if it is broken; 8. Protect pro-Palestinian speech, reject the notion that it is inherently anti-Semitic; and 9. End its complicity in genocide, colonialization, and violation of international law. 1. Formally recognize that what is happening in Gaza to the Palestinian people is a genocide that is being committed by Israel; 2. Publicly condemn Israel, its genocide of the Palestinian people, war crimes, and violation of international law; 3. Suspend all arms exports to and impose sanctions on Israel; 4. Support the ICC’s investigations into Israel’s war crimes; 5. Call for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu; 6. Demand aid be allowed into the region; 7. Call for an immediate ceasefire and have consequences if there is none or if it is broken; 8. Protect pro-Palestinian speech, reject the notion that it is inherently anti-Semitic; and 9. End its complicity in genocide, colonialization, and violation of international law.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Signed by Rob Oliphant Over the past few years, Palestinian civilians in Gaza have suffered unthinkable horrors as a result of the Israel-Hamas conflict. While the implementation of the Gaza peace plan’s initial phases has brought a measure of relief, the situation on the ground remains dire. The Government of Canada remains deeply alarmed by the acute humanitarian crisis that persists across the Strip, and by the fact that, despite the ceasefire, hundreds have been killed in hostilities since October 2025. This situation is unsustainable, and Canada has been working closely with allies to secure the full implementation of the 20-point peace plan. Indeed, the continued advancement of the plan represents the most viable pathway to ending the immense suffering in Gaza and laying the foundations for long-term peace. The ongoing regional hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States, while pressing in and of themselves, must not divert attention from the immense needs in Gaza. Canada will continue to be a leading contributor to humanitarian relief efforts, building on the $400 million in international assistance for Palestinians committed since October 2023. Canada is also assessing how best it can support stabilization, early recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza as conditions permit. A crucial part of this contribution is Canada’s ongoing support to the Palestinian Authority’s reform and capacity-building efforts, so that it can reassume governance responsibilities in Gaza. Canada has been clear: Israel and Hamas are bound by international humanitarian law and must fully uphold their obligations under it. This includes the obligation to protect civilians. Canadian officials, in private diplomatic engagements and in public advocacy, have urged and will continue to urge Israel to respect its international legal obligations and follow through on its commitments under the 20-point plan. The plan stipulates that Israel must allow sustained and unimpeded humanitarian aid flows into and throughout Gaza via the United Nations-led system. Hamas, for its part, must also follow through on its side of the peace plan, including disarming and allowing Gaza to be demilitarized. Canada takes seriously any allegation of genocide and values the central role of international courts and tribunals in the legal determination of whether a situation constitutes genocide. The question of genocide in Gaza is before the International Court of Justice in South Africa versus Israel, and Canada is following these proceedings closely. Canada supports the International Court of Justice’s critical role in the peaceful settlement of disputes and supports the International Criminal Court’s critical role in pursuing accountability. Canada respects the independence of the International Criminal Court, its judiciary and the Office of the Prosecutor. Canada is in full compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty and takes its obligations seriously. Since January 8, 2024, the Government of Canada has not approved any new arms export permits to Israel that could be used in the current conflict in Gaza. In 2024, the government also suspended export permits for parts destined for Israel that could have conceivably later been incorporated into items used in that conflict. All permits suspended in 2024 remain suspended and cannot be used to export to Israel. Under theSpecial Economic Measures (Extremist Settler Violence) Regulations, Canada has imposed four rounds of sanctions targeting extremist Israeli individuals and entities that commit or incite violence against Palestinians. These measures aim to impose consequences on those responsible for the deeply alarming surge in settler violence that is occurring in Palestine. Canada’s sanctions regime includes sanctions against Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for their role in facilitating such violence. Canada has also issued four rounds of sanctions against Hamas and its affiliates Ultimately, the Two-State Solution, with the State of Israel and State of Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security, remains the only viable pathway to long-term peace. Canada’s efforts in the region will continue to focus on laying the foundations for this outcome. With regard to pro-Palestinian speech in Canada, Canada affirms that peaceful advocacy for the rights, dignity, and safety of Palestinians is legitimate political expression. Criticism of the policies or actions of any government, including the Government of Israel, is not in itself antisemitic. As the Prime Minister of Canada stated in his speech in Davos, “Our public square is loud, diverse and free.” Freedom of expression is at the core of human individuality and is one of the essential foundations of a safe and prosperous society.