Sarah Jama speaking at an event this past summer.
Sarah Jama speaking at an event this past summer. Credit: Sarah Jama / X Credit: Sarah Jama / X

On October 10 Ontario MPP Sarah Jama called for an end to Israeli violence in Gaza, which has now cost more than 8,300 Palestinians, including 4,000 children, their lives.

In response to her call for a ceasefire and criticism of colonialism, the scandal-plagued Ontario Conservative government and corporate media attacked Jama. In fact, the anti-Palestinian lobby was hostile to the 29-year-old of Somali descent since even before the disability activist was elected to the legislature in March.

In a near unprecedented move, on October 23 the Ontario legislature censured Jama, removing her ability to speak on behalf of her constituents. Simultaneously, Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles expelled Jama from the party’s caucus.

The legislature must rescind its censure of Jama. Similarly, Stiles should step back from her decision.

Jama’s treatment exemplifies a history of marginalizing racialized voices. It is critical that we do not allow her to be silenced for defending Palestinian lives.

For her integrity, courage and principled opposition to Israel’s violence in Palestine, Sarah Jama should be celebrated, not condemned.

SIGNED:

Dr. Gabor Maté, Physician & author
Roger Waters, Musician (Pink Floyd)
Richard Parry, Musician (Arcade Fire)
Vijay Prashad, Director, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research
Fred Hahn, CUPE Ontario President
Anthony Marco, President, Hamilton and District Labour Council
JP Hornick, Labour leader
Jim Manly, Former NDP MP

Dr. Laura Mae Lindo Former MPP, Kitchener Centre ( Inaugural Chair,
Ontario NDP Black Caucus, Former Anti-Racism and Equity critic)
Rima Berns-McGown, former NDP Ontario MPP for Beaches—East York
Gary Wilson, former NDP MPP Kingston & the Islands
Robert Lyons, Former NDP MPP, Saskatchewan Legislature, Regina
Rosemont
Yolanda McClean, Canadian President of the Coalition of Black Trade
Unionists
Angela Steritt, Investigative journalist, author
Judy Rebick, Writer and activist
Jord Samolesky Musician, Propagandhi, Member of NDP for 5 years
Gordon Laxer, Founding Director of Parkland Institute, University of Alberta
Khaled Mouammar, Former national president of the Canadian Arab
Federation
Corey Balsam, National Coordinator, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
Beyhan Farhadi, PhD, Recently resigned President of the
Scarborough-Rouge Park Riding Association, Assistant Prof. University
of Toronto
Monia Mazigh, Academic and writer
Clayton Thomas-Müller, Author
Ingeborg Marshall, Author
John Greyson, Video/filmmaker, Associate Professor, York U
Rinaldo Walcott, Author
Tim McCaskell, Activist
El Jones, Poet, professor & author
Dimitri Lascaris, Lawyer, journalist, activist
Dr. Jamelie Hassan, Visual Artist and recipient of Governor General’s
Award in Visual and Media Arts, 2001
Ellen Woodsworth, Co President WILPF Canada
Nima Machouf, former NDP Quebec candidate
John Price, Professor emeritus, University of Victoria
Justin Podur, Associate Professor, York University
Barry Weisleder, Chair, NDP Socialist Caucus
Bader Abu-Zahra, President Provincial NDP riding Ottawa Vanier
David Heap, Academic and community activist
Clare Short, Former UK Minister
Michelle Weinroth, Retired academic
Anna Lippman, Academic
Rev. Steve Berube, United Church of Canada Minister
Anne Henderson, Filmmaker
Rifat Audeh, Award-winning filmmaker
Tom Baker, Hamilton Centre Riding Association Executive
John Clarke, Packer Visitor in Social Justice, York University
Reem Kelani, Musician & bandleader
John King, Associate Adjunct Professor, NYU
Jamie Kneen, Researcher and activist
Hassan Mostafa, Dentist and Schulich Dental School Faculty
Paul Leduc Browne, Honorary Professor, Université du Québec en Outaouais
Bianca Mugyenyi, Director, Canadian Foreign Policy Institute
Thomas Brown, Professor emeritus, Simon Fraser University
Tom Beckett, NDP York East candidate 1972; Social activist
Jessica Ball, Professor
Karen Rodman, Just Peace Advocates
Bonnie Sherr Klein, OC documentary filmmaker, disability activist, long-time
NDP member
Haim Bresheeth, Academic (SOAS) and founder member of Jewish Network
for Palestine
James Deutsch, Physician and academic, NDP voter
Dr. George Wilmers, Academic; local convener of Jewish Voice for Labour
Dr. Omer Aijazi, Academic
Yves Engler, author
Genie Silver, Former lecturer, Women’s International League for Peace
and Freedom
Ed Lehman, Peace and Justice Activist
Glenn Michalchuk, National President Association of United Ukrainian
Canadians
Wendy Taylor, Retired academic
Anne Bryce, Retired NHS Worker
Wolffe Erlichman, Long time NDP member, academic
Jalal Kawash, Academic
Lilian Patey, Clergy
Frank Holden, civil rights activist
Beyaz Almas, Artist
Karen Platt, Retired community college instructor
Iman Annab, Non-Profit Professional
Malek Abisaab, Academic
Dorothy Field, Artist, poet, NDP member for at least 40 years
Tamara Lorincz, Activist
David Peters, Musician
Jane Story, Journalist
Daphne Stapleton, Member Voice of Women for Peace
Dylan Penner, Community organizer
Alroy Fonseca, Labour activist & NDP member
Candace Hawkins, Disabled activist
Dr. Dwyer Sullivan, retired high school teacher and NDP member for 30
years
Susan Benderlive, NDP member
Lancelyn Rayman-Watters, NDP supporter
Mitchell Shore, NDP member for over 35 years.
Jo Wood, Academic
Pamela Grant NDP member for 33 years
Rose Ferguson, Retired teacher
Glenys Huws, Longtime NDP supporter
Liesl Thomas, Government
Patrick Antila, Business professional, ndp voter for 15 years
Anita Shin, Elementary Teacher
Yaser M. Haddara, Academic and NDP member
Wolfe Erlichman, NDP member
Jillian Rogin, Academic and lawyer, NDP member 
Peter Larson,Consultant
Malcolm Buchanan, NDP Member since the early 1970’s
Sylvia Skrepichuk, Retired teacher, Palestinian supporter
Khaldoun Abou Zainah,  Analyst 
George Bartlett, Legal Professional
Elizabeth Brandeis, NDP member 
Larry Haiven, Retired academic
Candace Fedoruk, Retired
Rashmi Luther, Retired Prof, School of Social Work, Carleton University 
Kim Quinn, Social educator
Christina Bouchard, Academic
Asher Kirchner, Linguistics Professor, U Alberta (retired)
Charles Small, Non-profit director, NDP member for 20 years
Lily Small, Non-profit director, NDP member for 20 years
Hadaf Zubi, Database architect, former NDP riding assoc. member
Tara Ehrcke, Teacher
Carl Rosenberg, Member of Independent Jewish Voices-Canada
Jack Silbermanm, Filmmaker and Academic
Cathy Gulkin,  Filmmaker, NDP voter for 50 years
Khaled Husseini, NDP supporter
Wanda Georgis, Social worker
Tiana Brachel, Concerned US Citizen
Blair Kuntz, Librarian
Ron Benne, Visual Artist, NDP member for 30 years
A. Manji, IT professional
Evert Hoogers, Retired union representative
Peter Purich, Writer
Marie Lloyd, IJV supporter; NDP member
Jill Glessing, Academic
Eric Mills, Former NDP member
Cathy Cronin, NDP Member
Fred Kaawach, Supporter to NDP
Helga Mankovitz, Member of Independent Jewish Voices
Sally Campbell, Retired Lawyer and Mediator
Enver Domingo, Oakville Palestinian Rights Association
Sam Simpson, NDP activist in 4 different provinces for over 57 years
Raji Saad, Professional engineer
Deborah Neher, Retired RN
Kevin Neish, retired, Vocational instructor
Robin Boodle, Union Activist
Elizabeth Whelan, Retired Teacher
Teresa Diewert, High School teacher, pasts NDP member
Samaa Elibyari, Community Activist
Lawrence Sutherland, Activist
Odette Dabit, Activist
Claudia Chaufan, Academic
Christo El Morr, Academic
Mary Lou Jorgensen-Bacher, NDP member for 23 ;years
Mackenzie Ami,  Peace activist.
William Carroll, Professor
Desmond Sequeira, Multi-Faith Chaplain (Rtd) Govt of ONT; NDP Member,
Coordinator,  Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel
Susan Stout, NDP member
Mounir Zaccak
Saadeh Soudah, Retired
Pat Howard, Professor, Communications
Lana Robinson, Concerned Canadian Citizen, Quaker
Valeria Sánchez-McDonald, Academic, Health Care Worker
Elizabeth Morley
Sharon Brickman, NDP supporter
Cory Greenlees, Activist
Jude Coffin, NDP member for over 50 years
Julia Barnett, Public Health
Cindy Niceforo
Wes Carroll, Ndp member. Musician
Sharen Green, Former human rights monitor in Palestine
Ted Clement-Evans, Retired
Henry Evans-Tenbrinke, Retired, NDP Member for over forty years
Said Salameh, Realtor, Artist
Sumi Hasegawa, Retired Faculty Lecturer, voted for NDP for more than 20
years
Lesley Levy, Professional
Mohamad Saad, Academic
Liz Carlyle, Longtime NDP member, union worker
John Liss, lawyer and former NDP member
Pierre Labossiere, Professional
Candice Bodnaruk, Writer
Josh Brandon, Anti-poverty researcher and organizer, NDP member for 30
years
Jan Steven, Life Long NDP Member
Richard Lightbown, Forester (retired)
Larry French, NDP member since 1963, retired OSSTF-FEESO professional
staff
Lombard-Cremieux, Academic PhD
Deslie Desir
Alexander Campbell, Retired educator
Bill Skidmore, Retired professor
John M. Darling, Ret. CCF/NDP since 1950s
Jared Anderson, Socialist and Palestine solidarity activist
Veronika Szoke, high school teacher – retired
Malcolm Buchanan, Member of the NDP since the early 1970’s
Dorothy Moszynski, Concerned resident, NDP candidate/member supporter
Joe Ackerman, Rights activist
Rubin Kantorovich, Retired
M Warren, Social Worker
Connie Sosnoff, Research Chemist
Smadar Carmon, Concerned Canadian
Mark Klein, Past NDP voter
Kevin Moloney, York University
Cathy Li, Consulting Services
Frances Baskerville, Artist
David Weller, Retired teacher
Sheila Dunnachie, NDP member
Erin Peters, Educator
Malcolm Buchanan, NDP Member since the early 1970’s
Walid Eletry, Citizen
Barry M Watson, Retired
Jane Collier, Health professional
Stefan Kipfer, Academic
Barry Heselwood, Academic
Michel Seymour, Academic
Louise Seidel, Disabled Artist
Garry Potter, Academic
Erin Bockstael, Community organizer
Ira Kazi, Library employee
Hanny Hassan, Community worker
Sbeiti Imam, CCMM
Sufiya Mary Reid, NDP member. Retired
Bonnie Wilson, Retired teacher, member of NDP
Roz Isaac, Human and Indigenous Rights activist
Lisa Stepnuk, Professional
Sam Arnold, NDP supporter
Judith Marion, Long time NDP Member
Mervyn Russell, Clergy retired
Jessie Amery, Retired ESL teacher, Fanshawe College past NDP member
Deborah Jackman, Artist and long time voter for NDP
Mohamed Amery, Retired Bell Canada International Management Trainer
Jean Gagne, Volunteer, NDP, Outremont riding also supporter, Independent
Jewish Voices Canada
Lynette Bondarchuk, Artist, NPO Admin, Affordable Housing
Advocate, Former lifelong NDP member/supporter
Anne Henderson, Writer
Maryem Tollar, Teacher and musician
Shameema Soni, Musician
James Prothero, Film worker
Kate Kehler,  NDP member, social justice advocate
Harold Shuster, retired
Trudi Gunia, Former NDP member
Kaho CUPE member, NPO service worker
Sal Regan, Retired IT professional
Claire Hurtig, Union educator
Ida Henderson, Retired public servant (economist)
Talya Stein, Student
Annette Carla Bouzi, Academic and union activist
Géraldine Dion, St-Pierre, Teacher
Kristina Cooke, Legal professional
Bruce Katz, Retired teacher, NDP candidate 1988 federal election
David Coburn, Retired academic
Roula Said, Artist and Clergy,
Amy Kishek, Lawyer
Diana Neslen, Jewish Activist for Palestinian Self Determination
Esther Neslen, Artist
Daniel Anstett, NDP Member for 40 years.
Nadege Couamin, Intern at CRAIC in Montreal
Egbert Harmsen, Palestine activist, Netherlands
Gillian Darling, Filmmaker
Sharoni Mitra, Union staff rep – SEIU Local 2
Cameron Jette, Community Health Worker, NDP Voter & Volunteer
Mike Nails, Government employee
Erin Sirett, Labour activist and NDP member for 15 years
Marjorie Robertson
Lara Khattab, Assistant Professor
James Kafieh, Lawyer
Jose Manuel Matsuda, Public Servant
Sam Friedman, Professor, member Jewish Voice for Peace
Elizabeth Ormond, Registered Midwife
Nabil Tabbara, Doctor.
Saeed Aldweik, Professional
Omneya Tollar, Massage therapy college student
Dr. Huguette Hayden, Retired child and adolescent psychiatrist
Wally Brooker, Musician, Journalist
Johnny Kareem Gagnon, Artist
Larry Wartels MA, Urban Planner UCLA 1985
RJ King, Teacher
Ashfaq (Kash) Husain, Electrical power systems engineer.
Naz Husain, Retiree
Shahid Alam, IT consultant
Sofia Husain, Finance
Siraj Ali, NDP member
Cathy Katrib-Reyes, Concerned human
Miki Mappin, Activist
Irina Ceric, Law Professor
John M. Darling, NDP member for 25 years
Fahad Chowdhury, Professional Engineer
James Clark, Trade union member
Sherry Ann Chapman
Frances Combs, NDP member for 30 years
Henry Shorr, Social justice advocate
Rosemary Brown, Long time NDP member, community activist
Shirene Eperson
Deanna Allain
Ted Schmidt
Feza Haque, England
Jennifer Stimac
Marg, Community member
Ryan Hillier, Canadian citizen

Yavar Hameed, Human Rights Lawyer
Shane Martinez, Human Rights Lawyer
Zafar Hussain, Retired physician
Ben Saifer, NDP member
Martine Kleinberg, President, Jewish Call for Peace
Eva Manly, former film maker
Judy Haiven, Cofounder of EquityWatch.ca
Faith Nolan, Musician
Douglas F. Jack, Ecological Designer, previously on the Executive of LaSalle-
Emard NDP Federal Riding
Sylvat Aziz, Academic
Herman Rosenfeld, Retired National Representative, Canadian
Auto Workers/Unifor, not an NDP member
Rashmi Luther, Retired Prof, School of Social Work, Carleton University
Laam Hae, Associate Professor, York University
Debbie Rachlis, Lawyer

Bianca Mugyenyi

Bianca Mugyenyi is an author and the director of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute. She is the co-author with Yves Engler of Stop Signs: Cars and Capitalism on the Road to Economic, Social and...