(Details on how to join the fast are below, as are actions you can take even if you are not fasting!)Please pick a day to fast during our 22-Day Chain Fast in support of 25 war-traumatized Gaza children desperately seeking to come to Canada and be reunited with their moms/dads and other siblings. It runs July 7 to July 28, 70th anniversary of the adoption of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, to which Canada is a signatory.Our demand is simple: 25 children and 11 spouses MUST receive the permits necessary to leave war-ravaged Gaza and be reunited in Canada with their Convention Refugee loved ones NO LATER than July 28.
These 25 kids, and 11 spouses, have already suffered a devastating 2-3 year separation from their loved ones in Canada, all of whom are Palestinian refugees whose permanent residence applications are pending. Because the processing period averages 39 months, and because the outbreak of new hostilities is ever present, we are calling for the immediate issuance of Early Entrance Temporary Resident Permits to allow for their immediate reunification, and NO LATER THAN July 28.
Leaving them in "the hell on earth for children that is Gaza," as the UN notes, is unconscionable. Without reunification, they remain exposed to further physical and emotional harm and trauma, and a family separation that could be as long as 5 to 6 years.
No child should be forced to wait 5 years to hug their parent. No child should be left in a war zone.
BACKGROUND
These 25 kids are traumatized children yearning for a parent’s comforting hugs or dreaming of a safe playground without bomb craters. They are spouses unable to build lives together. They are families for whom each moment apart is a cruel punishment.
Since May, The Rural Refugee Right Network, the 11 Palestinian refugee families, and many supporters have called on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Minister Marco Mendicino to urgently enact special immigration measures (including, but not limited to, the blanket issuance of Early Entrance Temporary Resident Permits) to immediately reunite these families. The best interests of affected children and Canada’s commitment to family reunification demand urgent action on these cases. It would be unconscionable to leave them in Gaza for at least another three years after UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared, "If there is a hell on earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza.”
Canada has a history of enacting such measures in response to humanitarian crises. Recently, IRCC announced a temporary residence public policy for in-Canada families of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 tragedies. Last September, similar assistance was extended to those with loved ones affected by the horrific Beirut explosion. Following the December, 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, Canada waived fees and granted priority processing to hundreds of affected permanent resident applicants.
In the summer of 2018, Canada issued a Temporary Resident Permit to a B.C. refugee teenager so he could play baseball. In early June, 2021, Canada granted Early Entrance Temporary Resident Permits to the Gaza-based husband and children of Ottawa Palestinian refugee Jihan Qunoo, who fled Gaza in 2019. The conditions faced by Qunoo’s family are no different than those impacting this group of refugees from Gaza. Despite the closure of Canada’s border due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, reunification of immediate and extended family members with their loved ones in Canada has been at the forefront of the exceptions to the travel restrictions that are currently in place.
The current conditions in Gaza constitute a humanitarian crisis that UNICEF concludes “adds to existing vulnerabilities and [is] likely to increase poverty, vulnerability and loss of livelihoods exacerbating an already dire situation.” Shortages of food, fuel, clean water, and medicine, compounded by extensive infrastructure damage, and a trauma that is particularly devastating for children and young couples, are just part of the daily life endured by separated family members who could begin the path to health and healing once reunited in Canada as they await processing of their permanent residency applications.
Coupled with these poor conditions is the fragile security situation in Gaza which, the Government of Canada acknowledges, “could deteriorate with little or no notice.” On May 28, 2021, Global Affairs Canada listed the Gaza Strip as a place to which one should “avoid all travel” due to “the possible resumption of armed hostilities.”
We call on the Minister to immediately enact whatever measures are necessary to issue early entrance temporary resident permits to allow similar family reunification in the cases of in-Canada Palestinian refugees who have been found to be persons in need of protection and who have submitted permanent residence applications. Such a policy must be flexible enough to also include those in-Canada Palestinian refugee claimants who, following successful hearings, submit permanent resident applications during the remainder of 2021.
On October 5, 2020, Minister Mendicino tweeted: "Our government strongly believes in the importance of keeping families together—particularly during difficult times. Now, more than ever, family reunification is an important component of Canada’s immigration system.”
How to participate in the Chain Fast
Pick a day (or a series of days) to fast during the 22-day time period and email your name and town to tasc@web.ca A list of open dates and names is available at http://rrrncanada.blogspot.com/ . More than one person can fast on the same date.
Fast according to your preferred tradition (a full 24 hours, liquids only, sun up to sun down).
The fast is open to anyone (you can join even if you are not living in the land known as Canada). Even if you cannot fast, we encourage you to do these actions below!
On the day they fast we encourage you to:
a. take a selfie with a simple message (ie, Reunite the 11 Gaza Refugee Families in Canada; No Hugs With Mommy For 5 Years? Support Canada’s Gaza 11! Families Belong Together, Reunite Canada’s Gaza 10!
b. Write an email (sample below) to Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino
c. Write a letter to a local newspaper about why you are fasting, and perhaps link your fast to the larger issues faced by refugee claimants in Canada and the endless delays in reuniting with families.
d. Share this petition: https://www.change.org/p/allow-war-traumatized-kids-from-gaza-to-live-with-parents-in-canada
You can also support the work of the Rural Refugee Rights Network, with an etransfer to tasc@web.ca or a cheque to Homes not Bombs, 2583 Carling Ave. Unit M052, Ottawa ON K2B 7H7.
Thanks for your support!
Sample email (feel free to personalize—why is this important to you?)
To: IRCC.Minister-Ministre.IRCC@cic.gc.ca, Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca
Cc: Marc.Garneau@parl.gc.ca, Soraya.MartinezFerrada@parl.gc.ca, tasc@web.ca, Jenny.Kwan@parl.gc.ca, Chandra.Arya@parl.gc.ca, Peter.Schiefke@parl.gc.ca, Kamal.Khera@parl.gc.ca, Yasmin.Ratansi@parl.gc.ca, Salma.Zahid@parl.gc.ca, Catrina.Tapley@cic.gc.ca, mona.fortier@parl.gc.ca, Marwan.Tabbara@parl.gc.ca, Paul.Manly@parl.gc.ca, Iqra.khalid@parl.gc.ca, Joel.Lightbound@parl.gc.ca, Ruby.Sahota@parl.gc.ca, Lenore.Zann@parl.gc.ca, Majid.Jowhari@parl.gc.ca, Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca, Pam.Damoff@parl.gc.ca
Dear Marco Mendicino,
I am fasting today in support of the 11 Gaza refugee families in Canada who urgently need immediate Early Entrance Temporary Resident Permits. This is for 25 children and 11 spouses who have not seen their loved ones for 2 to 3 years, and who may not see them for another 39 months. This is unacceptable in the midst of a humanitarian crisis where the lethal threat of military violence continues to hang over their heads.
The best interests of affected children and Canada’s commitment to family reunification demand urgent action on these cases. It would be unconscionable to leave them in Gaza for at least another three years (the average processing time for permanent reside applications) after UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared, "If there is a hell on earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza.”
Canada has a history of enacting such measures in response to humanitarian crises. Recently, IRCC announced a temporary residence public policy for in-Canada families of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 tragedies. Last September, similar assistance was extended to those with loved ones affected by the horrific Beirut explosion. Following the December, 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, Canada waived fees and granted priority processing to hundreds of affected permanent resident applicants.
In the summer of 2018, Canada issued a Temporary Resident Permit to a B.C. refugee teenager so he could play baseball. In early June, 2021, Canada granted Early Entrance Temporary Resident Permits to the Gaza-based husband and children of Ottawa Palestinian refugee Jihan Qunoo, who fled Gaza in 2019. I am joining many others in calling on you to do the same for these Gaza families in Canada, whose circumstances enduring a humanitarian crisis match the conditions that gave rise to Qunoo’s happy family reunion.
Last year, Prime Minister Trudeau marked World Refugee Day by declaring: “Canada stands in solidarity with the millions of people around the world who long for what is often taken for granted: a safe place to call home. We will continue to do our part to support refugees and forcibly displaced people….All countries share a moral responsibility to help refugees and forcibly displaced people find shelter and start their lives anew.”
You also tweeted last November that "Our government strongly believes in the importance of keeping families together—particularly during difficult times. Now, more than ever, family reunification is an important component of Canada’s immigration system.”
Answering this call to reunite in-Canada Palestinian refugee families with children and spouses facing such difficult times while stuck in Gaza will help give true life to that commitment.
Time is short, tensions are high, and misery is growing. I look forward to positive news that you will issue blanket Early Entrance Temporary Resident Permits to the children and spouses of in-Canada Palestinian refugees. Please act before it is too late. As one father told CBC after the mid-June week’s escalation of violence, "This time, a friend or a neighbour gets killed. Next time, will it be my child?”
NAME
CITY, Province
SAMPLE CALL
Marco Mendicino’s office (leave a message if you can): 613-992-6361, 416-781-5583
If the lines are full (or if you have an extra minute, please call Parliamentary Secretary to the Immigration Minister, Peter Schiefke 613-957-3744 (or, if full, 450-510-2305)
Hi, my name is XXX and I'm calling from XXXXXXXXX to support the Palestinian refugee families in Canada who are trying to bring their kids and spouses here while their permanent residency applications are processed. The ceasefire is fragile, with two nights of bombing this week alone. The kids are traumatized, their loved ones here sick with fear. Canada issued a permit to reunite the family of an Ottawa refugee from Gaza earlier this month. We would like to see blanket Early Entrance Temporary Resident Permits issued to the other members of this modest-sized group of Palestinian refugees who are in crisis. This would be in keeping with our commitment to family reunification. Please act before it is too late.”
DATES and NAMES of FASTERS
Wednesday, July 7, Mary Cowper-Smith, Charlottetown, PEI; Suzanne Valois, Ottawa; Janet Bourgon
Thursday, July 8, Lina Burhan, Montreal
Friday, July 9, Marco Djoric Montréal; Jeanie Campbell, London
Saturday, July 10, Maureen McGahey, Perth, ON
Sunday, July 11, Tasneem Fazel, Calgary, Sullivan Dyment, Toronto
Monday, July 12, Marcia Perryman, Hastings, ON
Tuesday, July 13, Will Allen, Hamilton, ON
Wednesday, July 14, Mary Cowper-Smith, Charlottetown, PEI; Suzanne Valois, Ottawa
Thursday, July 15, Shari Wynne, Calgary; Murray Lumley, Toronto
Friday, July 16, Betty Winholtz, Morro Bay, California
Saturday, July 17, Brett Ducharme, Winnipeg; Alison Gothard, Kitchener, ON
Sunday, July 18, Mary Shiella and David Heap, London, ON
Monday, July 19, Marcia Perryman, Hastings, ON; Wendy Goldsmith, London, ON; Hana Atieh and her 3 kids
Tuesday, July 20, Kristen Vettraino, Toronto, ON; Wendy Goldsmith, London, ON
Wednesday, July 21, Jozef Konyari, Toronto; Wendy Goldsmith, London, ON
Thursday, July 22, Alex Vernon, Windsor; Wendy Goldsmith, London, ON
Friday, July 23, Murray Lumley, Toronto; Wendy Goldsmith, London, ON
Saturday, July 24
Sunday, July 25, Máire Noonan, Montreal
Monday, July 26, Neal Marchuk, Niigata, Japan
Tuesday, July 27, Anthony McAffee, Fredericton, NB
Wednesday, July 28, Kaleigh Quinn, Winnipeg
We are so happy to share this incredible news! The first of 11 war-traumatized Gaza refugee families that we have tried to reunite in Canada received their temporary resident permits today, almost two months after we started our intensive reunification campaign. 
