Vote Palestine: A Call to Action for Canadian Muslims
Saeed Naguib - Local Organizer, CMPAC Vancouver
4-23-2025
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As Muslims, we are taught that when one part of the ummah is hurting, the rest must respond. Today, our brothers and sisters in Gaza are facing genocide. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a provisional ruling indicating that Israel’s actions in Gaza may amount to genocide. Of course, after all that we have witnessed, from the mass killings to the deliberate targeting of hospitals and schools, to the starvation of an entire population — do not need a court to confirm what is patently clear: what is happening in Gaza is a genocide of unfathomable brutality. But this ruling is still significant because it places a legal and moral obligation on Canada and the international community to act.
As Canadian Mulims, we have a duty to stand with our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Giving charity is important — and our community gives generously — but it is not enough. The aid we send is blocked at the border by Israel. It cannot reach those in need because we do not yet have the political power to pressure our government to demand that Israel allow it through. At the same time, our tax dollars are being used to fund a government that is complicit in the genocide of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. As Muslims, we have a responsibility to take action to end our country’s complicity.
This election comes at a historic moment for Palestine solidarity — not only in Canada, but globally. We are witnessing a profound shift. In the United States, Muslim-American voters and their allies helped make Gaza a defining issue in the 2024 election. For the first time ever, a sitting US administration lost an election because of their support of Israel. In the United Kingdom, four independent MPs were elected on explicitly pro-Palestinian platforms — a political breakthrough that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. These MPs have now formed a bloc calling for an end to arms sales to Israel — an unprecedented move in British politics.
Now, it’s Canada’s turn.
We are seeing a level of mobilization we’ve never seen before. Mass protests, direct action, and grassroots organizing have pushed Palestine into the public consciousness like never before. The narrative is shifting. And with the federal election now underway, we have a rare opportunity to transform that momentum into lasting political power — to make sure that Palestine is not just a protest slogan, but a political priority.
Why Vote Palestine Matters
The Vote Palestine campaign is a national, grassroots initiative demanding that federal candidates take a clear stand for justice in Palestine. The campaign has five core demands — the bare minimum that Canada must commit to in order to take a just and principled stance on Palestine, in line with its obligations under international law:
A two-way arms embargo on Israel,
An end to Canadian complicity in illegal Israeli settlements,
A national plan to address anti-Palestinian racism,
Official recognition of the state of Palestine, and
Increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
So far, over 320 candidates from across the country — including the majority of the NDP candidates, a hundred Green candidates, and, for the first time, Liberal candidates — have endorsed the platform.
Patrick Weiler, the Liberal MP for West Vancouver, deserves special recognition. He was the first Liberal in the entire country to sign on to the Vote Palestine platform — a bold and principled move, especially given that he represents a riding that doesn’t have a large Muslim population. He took a stand not for political gain, but on principle and his leadership broke the silence within his party. As a community, we have a responsibility to recognize and uplift voices like his — people who show moral courage and speak out for justice when it matters most. We must show our appreciation, our support, and ensure they are not standing alone.
This matters because the Liberal Party is likely to win the upcoming election. While the NDP is already solidly behind Palestine, it’s the Liberal Party that’s the political battleground. They want our votes — but their current policies continue to enable genocide. That has to change. And we have the power to make it happen.
The Muslim Community Must Lead — With Courage and Principle
We, the Muslim community in Canada, have power. We are not weak. We are numerous, we are organized, and we are generous. But too often, we throw that power away.
Out of fear of the Conservatives, we continue to vote for Liberal candidates — even when they ignore us, even when they refuse to sign on to the Vote Palestine platform, even when they say nothing while our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered in Gaza. We settle. We tell ourselves it’s the lesser evil. But by doing so, we send a clear message: you can take our votes for granted. You don’t have to earn them.
Our Prophet ? warned us about this kind of weakness. He said:
“The nations will soon summon one another to attack you as people invite others to share their dish.”
They asked, “Will that be because we are few in number?”
He replied, “No, you will be numerous, but you will be like the foam of the sea. Allah will remove the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and cast weakness into your hearts.”
They asked, “What is this weakness?”
He said, “Love of the world and fear of death.”
(Musnad Ahmad, Abu Dawood)
“Love of the world and fear of death” refers to our attachment to status, comfort, and material possessions — to this dunya — which weakens our willingness to stand firmly for truth and justice. Let us overcome this fear and attachment. Let us not be like foam. Let us be a principled, courageous ummah.
There are some ridings across Canada with more than ten thousand Muslims, and yet the Liberal candidates in those ridings still have not signed the Vote Palestine pledge. Why? Because they don’t believe our votes depend on it. They think we’ll vote for them no matter what — that they can stay silent on genocide and still count on our support. And so far, they’ve been right.
And so far, they’re right.
We make du‘a, we feel sadness, we cry at the images from Gaza — but too many of us still refuse to act. We fail to use the tools Allah has given us. Allah does not ask us to achieve victory — He asks us to strive. And right now, many of us are not striving.
This election, on April 28th, every single one of us has a responsibility:
Call the candidates in your riding. Don’t just email. Call them. Tell them: you will not get my vote unless you sign on to Vote Palestine.
Pressure Liberal candidates in BC who have yet to endorse the platform. So far, only one has. Let’s make sure that changes before election day.
Volunteer to canvass for candidates who have taken a principled stand. If they see Muslim community members at their doors, at their events, working their phone banks, they will not forget us in Parliament.
Sign the Vote Palestine pledge yourself at VotePalestine.ca. When you take the pledge as an individual, you commit to only voting for a candidate who has endorsed the platform’s demands. Tell your friends and family to do the same. Spread it in your WhatsApp groups, in your masjid, and at every iftar table. This is how we build collective power.
A Final Word
This moment is bigger than any one riding or political party. It’s about whether we, as a community, will rise to meet the test of our time — or remain spectators to a genocide made possible, in part, by our silence.
Vote Palestine is more than a campaign. It’s a line in the sand. A demand that our elected officials uphold international law, protect human rights, and stop enabling Israel’s brutal war on Gaza.
We cannot afford to be passive. Not when our brothers and sisters are being starved, bombed, and buried under rubble. Not when our government continues to send weapons, money, and political cover to their oppressors.
Let this be the election where the Muslim community in Canada is no longer ignored. Let this be the moment we turn our tears into action, our prayers into pressure, and our grief into organized power.
For Gaza. For justice. For the soul of this country.
contact: saeed@falastini.ca
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