Peace Alliance Winnipeg Stands with Palestinians, Calls for a Ceasefire

by Candice Bodnaruk

Since October 7, Peace Alliance Winnipeg members have been both leading and participating in Palestinian Solidarity actions to support the community and to call for a cease fire and systemic change in Israel/Palestine.

Here is a list of the actions we supported:

On October 9 we joined a rally at Winnipeg’s City Hall along with other groups, the following weekend we returned for a second rally.

We organized a rally at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights with members of the Palestinian community and were co-organizers for a candlelight vigil at the legislature in mid-October.

PAW members have also been regulars at every Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba (CPAM) rally since October and members have spoken at rallies.

PAW has also been involved in leading demos and pickets outside MPs offices. Our members have taken part in a Queers for Palestine sit-in at MP Dan Vandal’s office, we also organized an evening picket at Vandal’s office as well as two pop-up pickets at MP Ben Carr’s office (the most recent one being just this week). We are getting out into the community, people are seeing us and they are responding to our work!

Peace Alliance Winnipeg has also collaborated with Queers 4 Palestine (Q4P) on a number of different events. I joined their Walk of Shame about a month ago to bring attention to the complicity of Canadian banks and their role in Israeli apartheid. Specifically, Scotiabank is one of the largest shareholders in Elbit Systems- an Israeli weapons company. Our visit to Canada’s largest financial institutions included some creative chants and entering the bank with our placards to peacefully disrupt their business for the day.

Along with CPAM and Independent Jewish Voices I helped to organize and host a tea house at the Ukrainian Labour Temple to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people on November 29. The evening featured music, dance, and an amazing array of Palestinian crafts and artistry. The Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba, Independent Jewish Voices, Peace Alliance Winnipeg and Strike Poster were all sponsors for the evening. The tea was a fundraiser for Islamic Relief Canada’s work in Gaza.