The right to protest is integral to our democracy. Our university campuses have always been protected spaces for free speech and the free exchange of ideas.
Both the federal and provincial NDP support students and faculty in their right to voice their support of Palestinians through non-violent direct action, and have encouraged university and college administrators to engage with students and faculty to hear their concerns.
Additionally, the Ontario NDP has led the fight at Queen's Park to address major concerns with Doug Ford's Bill 166, which empowers the Minister to unilaterally dictate policy at Ontario postsecondary institutions. The Ontario NDP voted against the bill after the Conservatives blocked attempts to amend it.
Locally, members of the Davenport NDP Riding Association executive passed the following solidarity motion regarding the University of Toronto encampment:
Motion Regarding The Student Encampment at University of Toronto St. George
Campus
The Davenport NDP has long believed peaceful, non-violent protest is an essential and necessary component of an open, democratic society.
Canada’s NDP has called for: “an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages; suspending trade in military goods and technology with Israel and increasing efforts to stop the illegal trade of arms, including to Hamas, banning extremist settlers from Canada, and recognizing the State of Palestine as a step towards a two-state solution, among other actions.”
The Davenport NDP has heard from many of our members who have concerns that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide are occurring as part of the ongoing invasion of Gaza.
Jagmeet Singh has expressed support for the University of Toronto students and their right to peacefully protest and advocate for peace and justice.
The Davenport NDP supports the University of Toronto students protest against ongoing genocide in Gaza, and their demands that the University of Toronto:
- Disclose all investments held in endowments, short-term working capital assets, and other financial holdings of the university hereafter;
- Divest the university’s endowment, capital assets, and other financial holdings from all direct and indirect investments that sustain Israeli apartheid, occupation and illegal settlement of Palestine;
- Terminate all partnerships with Israeli academic institutions that either:
◦ a) operate in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, or;
◦ b) support or sustain the apartheid policies of the state of Israel and its ongoing genocide in Gaza.
We call on Toronto Police, University Administration and all levels of government to work with students to protect and facilitate their Charter rights to freedom of speech and assembly.
We believe no student, activist, or community member should be penalized, punished, arrested, or subjected to violence for participating in protests.
The Davenport NDP opposes all instances of Antisemitism, Anti-Palestinian Racism and Islamophobia in our community and city.