Canada’s largest export port is shuttered after pro-Palestinian protestors blocked roads leading in and out of the facility over what they are calling “genocide” amid the ongoing-going war in Gaza.The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it is “aware of protest activity blocking vehicle access to port roads” amid protests from truckers blocking access to the site.According to the Canadian Press, blockades have been set up at both entrances to the port and a statement says they're calling on the Canadian government to immediately enact an arms embargo on Israel.Police are reportedly on site and traffic cams on the City of Vancouver website show protesters blocking the intersection of Clark Drive and Hastings Street, while several semi-trucks appear to be waiting in a line near the port's entrance.Twitter (“X”) is abuzz with live feeds — in Hindi and Punjabi — from truckers blocking access.Vancouver port is Canada's largest port, moving trade of about $305 billion a year and generating $11.9 billion in annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). .It’s not exactly clear — if any — direct aid Canada provides Israel’s military. Project Ploughshares says by its count Canadian companies exported more than $21-million in defence equipment to Israeli customers in 2022, the latest year on record.By contrast, the US supplied Israel with USD$14.5 billion last year, and more than $125 billion since the end of the Second World War.On Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada confirmed that the Trudeau government authorized an unspecified amount of “non-lethal” military aid after the October 7 attacks that killed Israelis 1,200 civilians and sparked a massive response that has killed at least 26,000 more.It comes after a mixed ruling from South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague that failed to label Israel’s bombing campaign a ‘genocide’ and exposed deep rifts in the Liberal government in Ottawa over its response to the crisis — particularly as it pertains to ongoing protests of Canadians.In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said that while Canada supports the ICJ’s role in mediating the claim, it “does not mean that we accept the premise of the case brought by South Africa.” Her comments were similar to an earlier statement as well as previous remarks from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.It merely repeated the Trudeau government’s oft-stated “support for Israel’s right to exist and defend itself,” but did not call on it to abide by the ICJ order or express support for the ruling that Israel must take steps to prevent acts of genocide as defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Canada’s largest export port is shuttered after pro-Palestinian protestors blocked roads leading in and out of the facility over what they are calling “genocide” amid the ongoing-going war in Gaza.The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it is “aware of protest activity blocking vehicle access to port roads” amid protests from truckers blocking access to the site.According to the Canadian Press, blockades have been set up at both entrances to the port and a statement says they're calling on the Canadian government to immediately enact an arms embargo on Israel.Police are reportedly on site and traffic cams on the City of Vancouver website show protesters blocking the intersection of Clark Drive and Hastings Street, while several semi-trucks appear to be waiting in a line near the port's entrance.Twitter (“X”) is abuzz with live feeds — in Hindi and Punjabi — from truckers blocking access.Vancouver port is Canada's largest port, moving trade of about $305 billion a year and generating $11.9 billion in annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). .It’s not exactly clear — if any — direct aid Canada provides Israel’s military. Project Ploughshares says by its count Canadian companies exported more than $21-million in defence equipment to Israeli customers in 2022, the latest year on record.By contrast, the US supplied Israel with USD$14.5 billion last year, and more than $125 billion since the end of the Second World War.On Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada confirmed that the Trudeau government authorized an unspecified amount of “non-lethal” military aid after the October 7 attacks that killed Israelis 1,200 civilians and sparked a massive response that has killed at least 26,000 more.It comes after a mixed ruling from South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague that failed to label Israel’s bombing campaign a ‘genocide’ and exposed deep rifts in the Liberal government in Ottawa over its response to the crisis — particularly as it pertains to ongoing protests of Canadians.In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said that while Canada supports the ICJ’s role in mediating the claim, it “does not mean that we accept the premise of the case brought by South Africa.” Her comments were similar to an earlier statement as well as previous remarks from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.It merely repeated the Trudeau government’s oft-stated “support for Israel’s right to exist and defend itself,” but did not call on it to abide by the ICJ order or express support for the ruling that Israel must take steps to prevent acts of genocide as defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
