🍉 VanGran4Pal Community Newsletter
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**Neighbours and Friends, **
Welcome to another edition of our newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and reading along with us. It’s been a heavy couple of weeks but we are as committed as ever to continuing to find ways in our community to support Palestinian liberation. This op-ed from Ahmad Ibsais on why Palestinians won’t leave their land speaks eloquently to this need to stay together and stay the course:
“This relentless dehumanisation of Palestinians has spread despair and hopelessness among our communities. But we have no right to give up when the people of Gaza carry on amid the horrors of genocide. We have to awaken Palestinian sumud [“steadfastness”] within us and mobilise to tell other societies that we are here, we exist and we will persevere in a world bent on erasing us”.
Read on for action updates, local events and our community spotlight!
Action Updates
Provincial Elections - Advance Polling Has Started!
This is another reminder that elections will be held in BC on October 19th. Advance polling started on October 10th - click here to find the list of advance voting locations. Please read this info page from elections BC and ensure that you are prepared to use your voice in the forthcoming elections, and make sure to encourage all your friends to do the same! If you have a preferred party or candidate in mind (here is the list of candidates), perhaps write them an email or give them a call and ask them to clarify concrete actions they will take on Palestine before you will give them your vote.
Report on a Meeting with Christine Boyle, NDP
With the Provincial election looming, some of our community members went to meet with Christine Boyle, the NDP candidate in the Little Mountain riding. They wanted to discuss issues that mattered to them in the upcoming election that they believed could be addressed at a provincial level and document her responses, as our political parties need to be stronger on advocacy for Palestine at all levels and held accountable in the future if they are elected.
In the meeting, the group primarily discussed the recent press conference of Amy Blanding who had been fired from Northern Health for writing a song for Palestinians and performing it at an event unrelated to the Health Authority. Healthcare falls within the Provincial jurisdiction and as such the group met Christine with specific actions they would like to see taken to address anti-Palestinian racism in Hospitals and to educate Healthcare workers. They discussed how the frivolous firing or suspension of Healthcare workers stresses an already taxed Healthcare system, adversely affecting Canadians’ access to care. Because of ongoing litigation and the fact that settlements are paid for by Canadian taxpayers, we are ultimately the ones paying the cost for the actions of Health Authority administrators who are breaking the law by compromising their staff's fundamental rights.
Christine was receptive to the group’s concerns and it was appreciated that she reached out and took the time to address them. It also gave everyone an opportunity to hone in on the nuanced ways that provincial government can affect the Palestinian cause. These types of interactions, with any candidate, are important as part of the decision-making process for voters and record-keeping for promises made.
During election cycles, it can be very hard to separate truth and action from talking points and empty promises that politicians will give to win a seat. You may soon be getting a knock on your door from your local party teams - we encourage everyone to take a few minutes to think through issues that fall under provincial jurisdiction that matter to you, particularly relating to Palestine. Ask questions, take notes and make a sound decision that you feel advocates for what you believe in. It is also important that beyond this election cycle, we hold whoever wins accountable for the promises they make to us.
Upcoming Events
Honour Our Martyrs - October 12th
Saturday October 12th
Vancouver Art Gallery
4pm-9pm
Please join us for a Palestinian-led event to honour the martyrs of Palestine. Over a year of genocide has resulted in more than 50,000 innocent lives lost. We will gather to share stories of our people, art, poetry and be in community together.
Music 4 Palestine - October 12th
**KW StudiosDoors at 7:30pm for 8pm startTickets at **kwstudios.ca/events
Join us for an evening of incredible music featuring @pmcband, @mylesfromhome @dusknote, Blazing Arez + @moonshineshiver ft. @buckmancoe. This event is dedicated to raising vital funds for Palestinian families who have been deeply affected by the genocide in Gaza. The evening will celebrate resilience, hope, and solidarity as we come together to provide aid to those in urgent need.
Multiple Upcoming Events - Parents For Palestine
New community events to celebrate Palestine and raise funds for Gaza
📣 Parents for Palestine is hosting a number of upcoming community events to support our fundraising efforts for Gaza! Visit our Galabid page here to buy tickets for the below events before they sell out!
Upcoming events:
• 🎨 Paint Palestine Night: Unleash your creativity with our talented artists Donya and Dalia - October 29th and November 19th
• ✨ Tatreez Night: Learn and practice the beautiful art of traditional Palestinian embroidery - Friday November 22nd from 6-8pm
- 👨🏽🍳 Parent & Me Manakeesh Class learn to make this delicious Palestinian bread and end with a delicious brunch - January 19th
Get your tickets now before they’re gone! Don't miss out on these community events—spots are limited. Be sure to share widely with your friends and family!
Together, we can make a difference.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
BDS Coalition Webinar - October 12th
BDS Coalition Webinar - October 12th
10am Pacific Time
**Register **here
Join us for a powerful and informative webinar focusing on the devastating effects of ongoing genocide on children in Gaza, and the use of military law in the West Bank to detain minors. This event will explore the harsh realities faced by Palestinian children, including the destruction of homes, schools, and essential infrastructure in Gaza, as well as the psychological and physical toll of military occupation. We will also examine the use of military law to detain and imprison children in the West Bank, shedding light on the violations of their basic human rights. Experts and activists will share testimonies, research, and stories from those living through these crises, highlighting the urgent need for global solidarity and action.
Panelists:
Ayed Abu Eqtaish, Accountability Manager, Defense for Children International Palestine
Dr. Yassar Khan, Canadian ophthalmologist and plastic surgeon who has served in Gaza
Lubna Nadvi, Senior Lecturer, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Moderator: Ayman Oweida, Assistant Professor, Université de Sherbrooke & Canada Research Chair
Community Spotlight
Divesting from your Bank
One of our wonderful community members reached out with her experience in the middle of the process of banking divestment, relating to mortgage renewal. As her mortgage renewal approached, her husband had been doing research and sent her this message: “We need to leave this provider. Scotiabank with its $500 million investment in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems is Exhibit A of Canadian capital’s genocide profiteering”. And so began their journey of researching alternatives, ultimately setting up a meeting with Vancity, a local credit union.
After their meeting, they realised that they needed a lot of documentation to switch mortgage provider and she told us “if I had any advice for mortgage switching, it would be that this process needs to be started a month or six weeks before mortgage renewal date and it’s important to have all your taxes up to date”. They are gathering everything they need to push it over the line in time and are grateful to have found a local alternative to Scotiabank and look forward to completing the switch. They wanted to share their experience so others can plan ahead and make the process as smooth as possible!
If you are considering switching any of your everyday banking products, such as current accounts and savings accounts, a local team has set up the campaign ‘Community Action for Palestine’ to give step by step guidance so you can invest more consciously. Learn more on the Community Action for Palestine website - sign the pledge and receive advice in your inbox to help you divest!
Contribute to the Newsletter
Do you have something you would like to share with your neighbours? We welcome submissions of all kinds — stories, poems, art, and event info. Simply reply to this email to send in your contribution.
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With gratitude and in solidarity,
Your Neighbours
Van Gran 4 Palestine
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