"As Canadian media reports more on the struggles faced by Palestinian-Canadians who are applying for emergency visas on behalf of their relatives in Gaza, it becomes increasingly clear that the circumstances are far too dire to leave Gaza safely. From the uninterrupted risk of being killed and lacking the resources needed to survive, to missing the guarantee that family members who are granted a visa will be able to return to Gaza one day, all cases show that Canada’s reunification measures are generally to no avail until there is a permanent ceasefire."
To:
Joe Bongiorno, Reporter, CBC News
Brodie Fenlon, News Editor-In-Chief, CBC News
Dear Mr. Bongiorno,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to thank you for your article titled “Palestinian Quebecers scramble to get families to Canada as Gaza death toll climbs,” published on January 22 by CBC News.
As the Canadian government’s federal temporary residence program finally opens its applications, it has been heartbreaking to read about the Palestinian-Canadians fighting for the limited spots to bring family members from Gaza to Canada. Often, Canadian articles regarding Israel’s war on Gaza often make the conflict feel distant and obscure. By including a range of local Palestinian-Canadian perspectives, however, your article conveys the extent to which this war has taken a tragic toll on families in Gaza and Canada alike.
Mohammed-sharif Alghusain, a Palestinian-Canadian who has fled Gaza and is scrambling to bring his parents and three sisters to Canada, reiterates that the application is confusing and demanding. Requirements such as passports, identification numbers, and biometric tests, are almost impossible to gather in a conflict zone like Gaza. It was particularly saddening to hear that one of Alghusain’s extended family members with multiple sclerosis has been unmedicated for two weeks now because of Israel’s deliberate blockade of humanitarian aid. Israel’s targeting of the healthcare system has greatly diminished the capacity of Gaza’s hospitals, so traumatic injuries that are an immediate threat to the survival of patients have had to be prioritized. Those with preexisting disabilities or conditions have, thus, slipped through the cracks.
Reporting on these marginalized perspectives is incredibly helpful for readers and helps demonstrate the need for an immediate ceasefire. As Canadian media reports more on the struggles faced by Palestinian-Canadians who are applying for emergency visas on behalf of their relatives in Gaza, it becomes increasingly clear that the circumstances are far too dire to leave Gaza safely. From the uninterrupted risk of being killed and lacking the resources needed to survive, to missing the guarantee that family members who are granted a visa will be able to return to Gaza one day, all cases show that Canada’s reunification measures are generally to no avail until there is a permanent ceasefire.
Thank you, Joe Bongiorno, for including Palestinian-Canadian voices and perspectives. Please continue to do so.
Sincerely,
Rose Mardikian,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East