Canada Needs to Act Now in Support of the People of Iran

Request to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the leaders of the Federal Political Parties

To: The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada CC: Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Official Opposition
CC: Hon. Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the NDP
CC: Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of Bloc Quebecois

CC: Elizabeth May, Parliamentary leader of Green Party of Canada CC: Hon. Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
CC: Hon. Bob Rae, Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations

Dear Prime Minister,

Now more than ever, the people of Iran need your support. History is in the making and the women of Iran are leading a revolution with the motto “Woman, Life, Freedom”. For the first time and in unprecedented numbers, Iranian women have removed their mandatory Hijab in the face of brutal, armed oppression and persecution. They are standing up for their basic rights.

For nearly two weeks of relentless resistance, Iranians across the country have come to the streets in over one hundred cities protesting against the Islamic Republic and demanding an end to its tyranny. Their peaceful protests have been met with bullets and batons. While the number of casualties is unknown, it is estmated that several hundred have been wounded, and more than seventy have been killed to date.

Your government has always embraced feminist principles. It is now time to take a firm stance against the Islamic Republic’s brutal oppression of women. Canada must stand on the right side of history. We demand that our government and our country stand with the people of Iran and their fight for democracy, human rights, women’s rights and the rights of minorities.

The recent announcement by the Government of Canada relating to new sanctions against the so- called “morality police” and other individuals and organizations of the Islamic Republic is a welcome and timely move. However, the scale and history of atrocities and crimes against humanity by the Islamic Regime require a more comprehensive approach by Canada and other democratic countries. Therefore, we, the undersigned, have the following demands from the government of Canada:

• –  ToleadtheinternationalcommunityinfirmlyandunequivocallysupportingtheIranian people’s revolution against the Islamic Regime;
• –  Toadoptafirmerpositioninthecauseforjusticeonbehalfofthefamiliesofthevictimsof the downed Ukrainian flight PS752 and to pursue the case without delay, at the ICAO, the International Court of Justice and all other means at your disposal, with the goal of holding the Iranian regime accountable for the crimes they have committed against Canadian citizens;
• –  ToimplementtheMagnitskyActagainstallIslamicRegimeauthorities,includingtheIslamic Revolutionary Guards Corp leadership and all others who are implicated in the PS752 case and other human rights violations;
• –  ToimplementthemotionthatpassedintheCanadianparliamentin2018andlisttheIRGCas a terrorist organization;
• –  ToimposeabanonallIraniangovernmentauthoritiesandtheirfamiliesfromentering Canada;
• –  Toconductvigorousbackgroundchecksforallthosefamiliesofgovernmentofficialsalready in Canada and to take appropriate action against them;
• –  ToissueadirectivetoallCanadianagenciestoconductacomprehensivereviewofmoney laundering with links to the Islamic Regime in Canada and to take firm action against those involved in money laundering;
• –  Toreviewtheprofileofallthosewhohavecommittedcrimesagainsthumanityandinvolved in Human Rights abuses in Iran and to impose a ban on their entry to Canada or order their removal without delay;
• –  TostrengthentheUNThirdCommitteeresolutiontoechothevoicesofIraniansaskingfor accountability and to put an end to the culture of absolute impunity.
• –  ToadoptaninitiativeasastatesponsorofadebateoraresolutionagainsttheIslamicregime in condemnation of its violent attack on peaceful protestors in Iran during the current session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC 51).

It is no secret that many Islamic Republic officials who have committed crimes and their dependents have come to Canada unchecked and now benefitting from Residency or Citizenship in Canada. Unfortunately, our country is known as a safe haven for the Islamic Regime agents and their families.

Iranian Canadians, especially the families of the victims of this brutal regime, find this intolerable and an affront to their suffering. There are countless agents, operatives and

ympathizers of the Islamic Regime who mock, taunt and, at times, harass and intimidate members of our community.

We trust that you will take the plight of the Iranian people seriously and will stand with them by taking action on the above demands immediately. This will be remembered forever as a gesture of solidarity with Canadian citizens of Iranian descent and the Iranian people who are courageously fighting for their freedom.

We firmly believe that Canada must choose the side of the people of Iran over the tyrants of the Islamic Regime at this juncture. People in Iran need action now.

Sincerely yours,

Signatories: