Waging diplomacy

The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate, and those paying the price are the millions of civilians. Lloyd Axworthy and Allan Rock offer an insightful perspective on the conflict (Our Moment to ‘Wage Diplomacy,’ Feb. 17).

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to withdraw from the bombing campaign against the Islamic State, coupled with humanitarian assistance and an “open doors-open arms” policy toward Syrian refugees, have allowed Canada to brandish its strengths beyond our able military.

Canada’s additional strength is its diplomatic tool box; understanding and engaging a complicated and complex part of the world is not advanced with a simplistic retort of bombs, but requires the skilled use of Canada’s diplomatic and humanitarian tools.

The post Waging Diplomacy: Letter to the Globe and Mail appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

As part of the Your Voice voter education campaign, the Canadian-Arab Institute, in partnership with the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, continue their webinar series with a special webinar on Canada’s Party Platform on Mideast Policy.

This webinar examines what the three major Canadian political parties, Conservatives, Liberals, and NDP, have posited about their future Mideast policies.

Thus far, the parties have provided positions on how to combat ISIS, Syrian refugees, humanitarian commitments, and relations with Iran. Dr. Momani discusses how these policies compare and the potential challenge and merits of these competing policy platforms.

Our Presenters

Bessma Momani

Dr. Bessma Momani is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo and the Balsillie School of International Affairs, and Senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI). She has been a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., a visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Mortara Center, and at the Amman Institute in Jordan. She has authored and co-edited over six books and over 55 scholarly, peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters that have examined the IMF, the World Bank, petrodollars, regional trade agreements in the Middle East and economic liberalization throughout the Arab Gulf & the Middle East.

Dr. Momani has received a number of Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council awards and prizes for her research on global economic governance & political economy of the Middle East. Dr. Momani has been a public commentator and analyst on the Global Economy, Middle East and the Arab Spring. She is a regular contributor to CBC radio and is a Middle East analyst on CTV News, CBC’s The National, Al-Jazeera English, Bloomberg TV, BNN and TVOs the Agenda. She has also published numerous op-eds on the Arab Spring in Canadian & international news outlets as well maintaining her own blogs on the Huffington Post, Open Canada, and CIGI.

Raja Khouri

Rula Odeh 

The post Watch our Webinar on Canada’s Party Platform on Mideast Policy appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

As part of the Your Voice voter education campaign, the Canadian-Arab Institute, in partnership with the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, hosted a webinar on Immigration and Citizenship in Canada.

Dr Yasmeen Abu-Laban analyzed Canadian developments over the past 15 years, and how these developments relate to international trends, national responses, and party positions.

What is happening with immigration and refugee policy in Canada today? How does it compare to the past, and to other countries? Is Canadian citizenship changing, and if so how?

Our Presenters

Yasmeen Abu-Laban

Yasmeen is professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta.  Her research interests centre on the Canadian and comparative dimensions of ethnic and gender politics; nationalism, globalization and processes of racialization; immigration policies and politics; surveillance and border control; human rights, and citizenship theory.  Her work has been supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC), and she has also served on national SSHRC adjudication committees.

Dr. Abu-Laban sits on the editorial board of Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Arab Institute, has served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA), and chaired the CPSA Diversity Task Force.  She has given numerous invited presentations across Canada and internationally, and regularly speaks and works with Canadian-government and community organizations.  In 2013 she was awarded a Killam Professorship on the basis of “outstanding scholarship and teaching [and] a record of substantial contributions to the community.”

Raja Khouri

The event was organized by:

The Canadian-Arab Institute

The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations

The post Watch our Webinar on Immigration and Citizenship in Canada appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

NCCAR’s Media and Policy Analysis team will be developing non-partisan, educational “Key Points and Backgrounders” accessible to the public on a series of topics such as Canadian policy on Syrian refugees, potential impact of “security” policies as well as foreign policy in the Middle East and the Arab Word. NCCAR will also provide its perspectives on these issues.

These “Key Points and Backgrounders” are featured as part of Your Voice voter education campaign which NCCAR is a partner in along with the Canadian-Arab Institute.

Issue:

Prime Minister Harper’s announcement on August 10^th to accept an additional 10,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

Background:

On August 10^th, 2015, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Canada would accept an additional 10,000 refugees (on top of 10,000 announced in Jan. 2015) from Iraq and Syria over the next four years, if his Conservative government is re-elected. He also pledged $9 million over the next three years in support of persecuted religious minorities. According to Mr. Harper, in addition to refugee policy and humanitarian aid, a strong military presence is necessary in the region to fight ISIS. He said, “The scale of the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and Syria cannot be solved, cannot even come close to being solved, by refugee policy alone.”

Considerations:

What have politicians been saying?

The NDP has pointed out the Prime Minister’s inconsistent past with keeping promises made this January. The Liberal leader Mr Justin Trudeau has called for the expansion of the program to include 25,000 refugees directly sponsored and said that “The government’s plan to sponsor 4,000 Syrian refugees over three years was a good start, but it follows on a poor track record and does not go nearly far enough.”

What have commentators and experts been saying in the media?

The concerns expressed have been in the following areas:

1. Currently, the program places the burden (including financially) on private sponsors and weakens the government’s pledge.
2. The program could discriminate against refugees based on their faith by prioritizing claims from members of “religious minorities.
3. The conservatives have yet to fulfill their previous pledges.

NCCAR’s Perspective:

Canada must speed up and increase its programs to help bring vulnerable Syrian refugees, without regard to religious background, to the safety of Canada. A mix of programs is required, including fast-track and flexible programs as well as family reunification programs. The government should directly sponsor a larger number of refugees while encouraging and speedily facilitating private sponsorships. A long-term, multi-pronged, multilateral plan is required that alleviates the humanitarian symptoms while providing political solutions. It is important that Canada does its fair share on all fronts. This will enhance our relations with the peoples and countries in the region and is consistent with our proud Canadian tradition of welcoming refugees and facilitating family reunification.

To read the complete document with the Key points and Backgrounder, click here.

The post NCCAR’s Key Points on the Syrian refugee crisis appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Great news! The Canadian government announced today that they will welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next three years! Thanks to all who signed our petition and shared with their friends. The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) will be keeping on top of this file to ensure that it is implemented rapidly, responsively and fairly. We also acknowledge the work to date by various media outlets, immigration groups and political parties and others who raised this issue consistently in parliament and in the media.

Report on Canada’s Announcement

Here’s a report on the announcement: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-to-resettle-10-000-more-syrian-refugees-over-3-years-1.2892652

Join Us!

We are planning to work on new campaigns and events in the future. For those who would like to keep in touch with NCCAR on a regular basis:
– Join our email list: http://oi.vresp.com/?fid=0fbb7fe616
– Like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Connecting.Canadians.Arabs?ref=bookmarks
– Follow us on Twitter here: @NCCARCanada
– Visit NCCAR’s website: nccar.ca

Once again, thank you for your support! Wishing you all the best in 2015! Please share this great news with your network!

The post NCCAR’s petition contributes to Canada’s welcoming of 10,000 Syrian refugees appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

We’re asking our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper to commit Canada to welcoming at least 10,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees in 2015-2016 that are prioritized by the UNHCR for resettlement or humanitarian admission. In addition, that Canada specifically welcomes Palestinian refugees from Syria, as they are particularly vulnerable and are not offered the same protection or assistance offered to other Syrians.

Canada should also introduce flexible provisions to allow Syrian family members of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and accepted refugees to come to Canada, at least on a temporary basis, as recommended by the Canadian Council for Refugees.

We ask that Canada facilitates these programs rapidly and without delay by providing the required resources and coordination.

These efforts will enhance our relations with the peoples and countries in the region and is consistent with our proud Canadian tradition of welcoming refugees and facilitating family reunification.

Help us have our message heard!

SIGN our online petition here.

SHARE it with your friends and family.

GET MORE INFORMATION below, and from our Backgrounder.

____________________________________________________

How serious is the Syrian refugee crisis?
Security conditions, rights and protections for more than three million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq are rapidly deteriorating. An additional 6.5 million are believed to have been forced to move within Syria’s borders.

All of Syria’s neighbors have either closed their borders or imposed limits on how many refugees can enter their countries, exposing refugees to violence but leaving them with nowhere to flee. The World Food Program recently announced  a cut back on food rations that are the only barrier to starvation for almost six million refugees and displaced people. Syrian refugee children face serious health threats and lack of education.

What’s the situation in the current host countries?
The majority of the three million refugees live in host communities. Many of these refugee families live in makeshift settlements and are exposed to harsh elements, putting them at increased risk of disease. There has been a massive impact on local services, natural resources and systems.

What about the Palestinian refugees in Syria?
Palestinian refugees from Syria are particularly vulnerable as they are not being offered the same protection and humanitarian assistance as other Syrian refugees. Human Rights Watch has documented that while fleeing violence in Syria, they are denied entry or forced back. The 18,000 Palestinian refugees who are trapped inside the Yarmouk refugee camp currently face starvation, malnutrition, disease and lack of water.

What has the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) requested of countries like Canada in terms of resettlement?
Recently, the UNHCR has assessed that “the number of Syrian refugees who are in need of resettlement or other admission will grow. There are many who are very vulnerable and need an urgent response. There may be others who will be unable to return home in safety and dignity in the foreseeable future.” So, in Feb. 2014, the UNHCR asked countries to commit to admitting 100,000 Syrian refugees over 2015-2016 (on top of the 30,000 requested for 2014).

How has Canada responded to these UNHCR requests?According to Chris Alexander, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, “We welcome 1 out of every 10 of all resettled refugees globally.” Based on this existing policy, Canada should have admitted 3,000 Syrian refugees by 2014 and would be expected to welcome another 10,000 by 2016.

Unfortunately, to date, Canada has struggled to process even the shockingly small number it has committed to:  200 Syrian refugees and another 1,100 refugees privately sponsored by community organizations and churches. Surprisingly, no commitment has yet been made to the UNHCR request made nine months ago for resettling Syrian refugees in 2015-2016.

How does Canada’s performance on resettling Syrian refugees compare to its past responses to similar crises?
This very slow and low-level response stands in stark contrast to Canada’s historical and recent responses to similar crises.  The Globe and Mail noted that “in the past, Canada has been much more generous. In 1999, Canada resettled more than 5,000 Kosovo refugees. In 1992, Canada resettled 5,000 Bosnian refugees. In 1979, Ottawa sponsored 4,000 Vietnamese boat people. The response to Syria seems paltry by comparison.”

No fast-track or flexible programs for admission and family reunification have been introduced for Syrians as was done for victims of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake or the Philippines 2013 typhoon.

How is Canada’s performance compared to other leading Western countries on the Syrian refugee crisis?
To date, Germany has resettled 6,000, welcomed another 11,800 Syrian asylum seekers and promised to offer protection — in the form of renewable, two-year residence visas — to another 20,000 of Syria’s most vulnerable victims. Family reunification programs have also been implemented.

Sweden, a country with only about a quarter of Canada’s population, has given permanent resident status to more than 30,000 Syrians. Since Sept. 2013, Syrians arriving in Sweden are given permanent residence and are allowed to bring their immediate family members to live with them.

What could Canada do?

Commit to welcoming at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2015-2016 that are prioritized by the UNHCR for resettlement or humanitarian admission. The most vulnerable include: women and girls at risk, survivors of violence or torture, refugees with medical needs or disabilities, refugees at risk due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, vulnerable older refugees, and refugees in need of family reunification.

In addition, welcome Palestinian refugees from Syria, as they are particularly vulnerable and are not offered the same protection or assistance offered to other Syrians. This should not affect their right of return as per UNGA resolution 194.

Ensure there is an appropriate mix of programs for admission including a high level of government sponsorship supplemented by private sponsorship for resettlement as permanent residents.

Introduce flexible provisions to allow Syrian family members of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and accepted refugees to come to Canada, at least on a temporary basis, as recommended by the Canadian Council for Refugees.

Facilitate these programs rapidly and without delay by providing the required resources and coordination.

It is important that Canada does its fair share on all fronts to assist and protect vulnerable people fleeing violence in Syria. This will enhance our relations with the peoples and countries in the region and is consistent with our proud Canadian tradition of welcoming refugees and facilitating family reunification.

The post PM Harper: Resettle 10,000+ Refugees from Syria and Reunite Families appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Click here to read a very insightful report of their observations. Feel free to share with others.

For more information about the next upcoming tour please e-mail: comeandsee@nccar.ca

The post Report: Observations from NCCAR “Come and See Tour” to Israel/Palestine, November 2013 appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

A group of 45 human rights activists in Ottawa attended an educational event about the Palestinian refugees on Oct 3, 2013. One of the participants said in their feedback form: “I learned more than expected!”. The very successful meeting was organized by the National Education committee on Israel Palestine (NECIP) which works under the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR).

Peter Larson,  NCCAR Board member and chairperson of NECIP, said in introductory remarks that the group decided to organize this event because: “The issue of the Palestinian refugees is arguably:

o The most important issue for the Palestinians
o The most emotional issue, and, paradoxically,
o The one that gets the least attention.”

Peter Larson

The program included a recorded video presentation by Dr. Salman Abu Sitta, a Palestinian researcher, which provided historical background about the issue. After that, three members of the Palestinian-Canadian community in Ottawa shared the personal stories of their families.

If you would like to read more about Palestinian refugees, please see information and references below.

———————-

Mayssam speaking about Palestinian refugee families in Lebanon

———————————–

Palestinian Refugees: A Few Facts to Remember

700,000 Palestinian refugees were forced to leave their homes in 1948 by Zionist military militias to create a “Jewish State” – Israel.

5,000,000 Palestinian refugees live now in different countries, including 1.5 million who live in 58 camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, West Bank and Gaza.

194 is the number of the UN General Assembly resolution that states “ the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date.”

13 is the number of the Article in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that says: “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.”

UNWRA – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees responds to the basic needs of the Palestinian refugees in camps. It provides education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure.

Palestinian Refugees: References

Web:

United Nations Relief and Works Agency: http://www.unrwa.org/

Zochrot – Israeli NGO: http://zochrot.org/en

Dr. Salman Abu Sitta, Right of Return Conference, University of Boston, Apr 6-7, 2013:   http://www.plands.org/videos/010.html

BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights:http://www.badil.org/en/publications

Andrei Marmor, “Entitlement to Land and The Right of Return: An Embarrassing Challenge for Liberal Zionism,” USC Public Policy Research Paper No. 03-17.http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=424622

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD, “Palestinian Refugees Right to Return and Repatriation”
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/history/ref-qumsiyeh.html

Daniel Haboucha, “Danny Ayalon and the Jewish refugee fallacy”, Oct 1, 2012
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/danny-ayalon-and-the-jewish-refugee-fallacy/

Books & Articles:

Dr. Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Oneworld Publications; Reprint edition (September 7, 2007)

Dr. Lex Takkenberg, The Status of Palestinian Refugees in International Law, Oxford University Press, USA (June 25, 1998)

Mallison, W. T., & Mallison, S. V. (1980). The right of return. Journal of Palestine Studies, 9(3), 125-136.

John Quigley, “Displaced Palestinians and the Right of Return,” Harvard International Law Journal 39 (1998): 193-98.

The post Successful event about Palestinian refugees in Ottawa appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Successful event about Palestinian refugees in Ottawa!A group of 45 human rights activists in Ottawa attended an educational event about the Palestinian refugees on Oct 3, 2013. One of the participants said in their feedback form: “I learned more than expected!”. The very successful meeting was organized by the National Education committee on Israel Palestine (NECIP) which works under the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR).

Peter Larson,  NCCAR Board member and chairperson of NECIP, said in introductory remarks that the group decided to organize this event because: “The issue of the Palestinian refugees is arguably:

o The most important issue for the Palestinians
o The most emotional issue, and, paradoxically,
o The one that gets the least attention.”

Peter Larson

The program included a recorded video presentation by Dr. Salman Abu Sitta, a Palestinian researcher, which provided historical background about the issue. After that, three members of the Palestinian-Canadian community in Ottawa shared the personal stories of their families.

If you would like to read more about Palestinian refugees, please see information and references below.

———————-

Mayssam speaking about Palestinian refugee families in Lebanon

———————————–

Palestinian Refugees: A Few Facts to Remember

700,000 Palestinian refugees were forced to leave their homes in 1948 by Zionist military militias to create a “Jewish State” – Israel.

5,000,000 Palestinian refugees live now in different countries, including 1.5 million who live in 58 camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, West Bank and Gaza.

194 is the number of the UN General Assembly resolution that states “ the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date.”

13 is the number of the Article in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that says: “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.”

UNWRA – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees responds to the basic needs of the Palestinian refugees in camps. It provides education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure.

Palestinian Refugees: References

Web:

United Nations Relief and Works Agency: http://www.unrwa.org/

Zochrot – Israeli NGO: http://zochrot.org/en

Dr. Salman Abu Sitta, Right of Return Conference, University of Boston, Apr 6-7, 2013:   http://www.plands.org/videos/010.html

BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights: http://www.badil.org/en/publications

Andrei Marmor, “Entitlement to Land and The Right of Return: An Embarrassing Challenge for Liberal Zionism,” USC Public Policy Research Paper No. 03-17. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=424622

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD, “Palestinian Refugees Right to Return and Repatriation”
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/history/ref-qumsiyeh.html

Daniel Haboucha, “Danny Ayalon and the Jewish refugee fallacy”, Oct 1, 2012
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/danny-ayalon-and-the-jewish-refugee-fallacy/

Books & Articles:

Dr. Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Oneworld Publications; Reprint edition (September 7, 2007)

Dr. Lex Takkenberg, The Status of Palestinian Refugees in International Law, Oxford University Press, USA (June 25, 1998)

Mallison, W. T., & Mallison, S. V. (1980). The right of return. Journal of Palestine Studies, 9(3), 125-136.

John Quigley, “Displaced Palestinians and the Right of Return,” Harvard International Law Journal 39 (1998): 193-98.

The post Educating about Palestinian refugees: an important, emotional and neglected issue appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

As you probably know, I am planning to lead another trip to Israel/Palestine this November.

The Israel/Palestine issue is a complex one. No amount of reading can give you as much insight as a good tour, visiting key sites and talking to key actors. Last year’s trip was very popular. I had to limit participation to 15. It was a big success as everyone on it found it extremely worthwhile and interesting.

This year however, only 1 person has given me a definite commitment. (Many people have indicated interest, but few have actually signed up.)

I will extend the final deadline for registration until August 5th.

If you are interested, or if you know someone who might be, please get in touch with me, or with Hoda Mroue, trip registrar, as soon as possible. For more information please click here or e-mail comeandsee@nccar.ca or call 613-238-3796.

If I do not have firm commitments from 10 people by August 5th, I will reluctantly postpone the trip until next year.

Thank you very much in advance.

Peter Larson
_____________________________________________________________________

Ami,

Comme vous le savez déjà, je propose de mener un petit group en Israël-Palestine encore ce novembre.

La situation Israélo-palestinienne en une des plus complexes, et il n’y a rien comme une visite sur place pour aider à bien comprendre. Le voyage que j’ai organisé l’an dernier était un grand succès. En fait, j’ai du limiter la participation à 15 personnes. Tous les participants l’ont trouvé intéressant et instructif.

Cette année, cependant, seulement 1 personne s’est inscrite. (Plusieurs ont indiqué intérêt, mais seulement une inscription solide.)

Je vais repousser la date finale d’inscription au 5 août. Si vous êtes intéressé, ou si vous connaissez quelqu’un qui pourrait l’être, je vous demande de me contacter aussitôt que possible.

Si je n’ai pas un minimum de dix inscriptions à cette date-là, je vais remettre le voyage à l’an prochain.

Je vous remercie d’avance.

Peter Larson

The post A message from Peter Larson: Israel/Palestine trip registration deadline August 5th appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.