"Your Canadian readers need to see more articles that highlight the hardships caused by Israel’s violence against civilians in Gaza. Interviewing Palestinians and prioritizing their testimonies and perspectives, as you have done in this article, is also essential. Please continue to do so."
February 9, 2024
To:
Janice Dickson, Reporter, Globe and Mail
David Walmsley, News Editor-In-Chief, Globe and Mail
Dear Ms. Dickson,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to thank you for the article titled “Palestinians face red tape, delays in applications to come to Canada, families here say,” published on February 8 in The Globe and Mail.
For an article about Canada’s immigration program for Palestinians in Gaza with family in Canada, I found the immigration lawyers’ testimonies you included highly relevant and insightful. The fact that the five immigration lawyers to whom the Globe spoke had never seen such invasive questions for applicants fleeing a war zone emphasizes Canada’s racist double standard when it comes to helping Palestinians. I was shocked to read that one applicant was asked to provide proof of residence in Gaza and had no choice but to send a photo of the tent she was sheltering in. The priority for Gazans is staying alive and finding ways to let their families around the world know they're safe; the very last thing they should have to do is search for signals or use up dwindling battery to message their relatives obscure information or humiliating photos.
Your Canadian readers need to see more articles that highlight the hardships caused by Israel’s violence against civilians in Gaza. Interviewing Palestinians and prioritizing their testimonies and perspectives, as you have done in this article, is also essential. Please continue to do so.
Sincerely,
Rose Mardikian,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East