The dreaded expansion of the war in West Asia (Middle East) is confirmed by imperialist attacks on Yemen carried out by both the USA and the UK. Starting on January 11, both countries launched “more than 100 precision-guided missiles” at Yemen to suppress efforts made by that country in support of the heroic Palestine in its struggle against the genocide being perpetrated by Zionist forces in Gaza and the West Bank.

Canada has demonstrated its total lack of independence by shamefully participating in these criminal acts. In the first place, Canadian forces provided 3 staff officers to the so-called “Operation Prosperity Guardian” created to support vessels heading to Zionist occupied Palestine. Currently, 20Canadian armed forces personnel “are deployed to a U.S. operational headquarters in Qatar”. Unashamedly, the Trudeau government laments Canada’s involvement was “limited to planning”.

Yet it would be a grave error to think that Canada is a newcomer to aggression in Yemen. The Liberal government’s “feminist” foreign policy was vividly on display during the past8 years as it facilitated billions in arms sales to the brutal Saudi crusade in Yemen. As the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace has correctly pointed out, Canadian corporations made billions in profit while millions of civilians, mostly women and children, were killed or starved.

It is important to emphasize that Canada is an imperialist country on its own while, at the same time, it is nestled under the umbrella of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in a way that allows Canadian corporations to profit from aggression around the globe.

The attacks on Yemen are continuously framed by western pro-war governments and their media as actions against “Houthi rebels linked to Iran”. These allegations are referenced against the Yemeni Ansar Allah government and military specifically to justify armed aggression against Yemen. We must not forget that Yemen defeated the Saudi-led and imperialist supported coalition which killed over 150,000 people in addition to more than 227,000 who died to famine caused by the war from 2015-2023. Today, this same tired trope is being trotted out to attack a country that stands in solidarity with Palestine against the brutal Zionist genocide now into its fourth month.

The Canadian Peace Congress calls for the immediate end to any Canadian participation in the attacks on Yemen. We demand that Canada pull out of the NATO/NORAD/5EYES military alliances. Further, we condemn the Trudeau government’s cowardly support for Zionist aggression and genocide in Palestine.

Canada needs an independent foreign policy that respects the UN Charter and international law and uses all its diplomatic abilities to end wars of aggression. We need to cut military spending in Canada and redirect billions wasted on weapons towards social spending on health care, education, housing, and environmental justice. Finally, Canada needs a stronger peace movement that can force the government to alter its course.

Hands Off Yemen!

Stop the Zionist Genocide in Gaza!

Ceasefire NOW!

Executive, Canadian Peace Congress

January 17, 2024