The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister
House of Commons
OTTAWA, ON
K1A 0A6
Dear Prime Minister Harper:
As president of Canada’s largest trade union, I write to express my growing concern about the escalation of violence in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel and to ask you to change your current position on the conflict.
You have supported what you call a “measured response” by the Israeli military. However, what is required urgently is a balanced response that will lead immediately to a negotiated cease-fire.
The longer you postpone this call, the more the violence escalates and the closer the world moves to the brink of all-out war. I, therefore, urge you to support an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East.
As affiliates to Public Services International, we call on you as our world leader to have the courage and determination required to stop these tragic events.
Each day that you wait, thousands of civilians suffer. Millions of innocent citizens’ lives are at risk. The public service infrastructure has been hit hard by the military. Basic human necessities such as electricity, water, food and access to health services are disappearing. In the health care sector, the situation is critical. Medical staff cannot provide care and support to those in need.
Our 550,000 members work in the public sector providing this care to Canadians and these services to communities across the country. They watch in horror as the violence continues unabated in the Middle East.
Without peace and security, working people in the region cannot build a future for themselves and their families. Many of those families are being forced to leave their homes. Many workers have lost their livelihood and others are working with no pay. This humanitarian crisis adds to the downward spiral of suffering and violence.
You can do our country proud if you call now for a negotiated cease-fire to be monitored by a United Nations force. This cease-fire must be based on mutual recognition of sovereign states in accordance with UN resolution 242 and 338, as well as the full implementation of the Road Map for peace.
Again, I urge you, on behalf of my members, to act to end the violence.
Sincerely,
PAUL MOIST
National President
