Photo: Text from the CLC resolution passed today.
Peace Brigades International-Canada congratulates the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) for passing a resolution at their 31st Constitutional Convention in Winnipeg, Manitoba today that calls on the Government of Canada to support a two-way arms embargo given the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.
We note that arms shipments to Israel put at risk the safety and security of Palestinian human rights defenders and journalists. At least 31 Palestinian human rights defenders were killed by the Israeli military in 2023 and 2024 (Front Line Defenders). Israel also killed 86 journalists in 2025, some of them through the use of armed military drones (Committee to Protect Journalists).
Labour for Palestine comments: “Today, delegates at the CLC voted overwhelmingly in support of the amended resolution that calls on the CLC to cut ties with the Histadrut. In doing so, they voted to stand in solidarity with the workers, trade unions, and the people of Palestine and against Israeli occupation, apartheid, and genocide.”
Their article further highlights: “The resolution adopted by the CLC convention also calls on the Canadian government to support a two-way arms embargo.”
The text of Resolution GEN-134 can be read here.
‘ITUC constitution rejects militarism’
Previously, Kevin Skerrett, an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University’s Institute of Political Economy and former researcher with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), has explained: “The Constitution of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), a global union federation that represents 191 million workers in 169 countries and territories and has 340 national affiliates, loudly proclaims its rejection of – among other social ills – colonialism, militarism, and racism.”
‘Histradut chair visits Elbit weapons factory’
Skerrett further notes: “With roughly 800,000 members and deep links to the Israeli state and military, [Histadrut] continues to serve as an active participant in the mass dispossession of Palestinians and in Israel’s apartheid regime of systematic discrimination against Palestinian workers, communities, and people.”
Skerrett adds: “During an official tour of a weapons factory operated by Israel’s infamous Elbit Systems Ltd. in November 2023, Arnon Bar-David, the most senior elected chair of the Histadrut, stopped for a horrifying photo opportunity. The shell that Bar-David showed to reporters was described as destined for Gaza, and his handwritten text was reported to read as follows: ‘Greetings from the Histadrut and the workers of Israel.’”
Unifor, labour federations back arms embargo
The passage of this resolution at the CLC convention in Winnipeg follows other trade union resolutions.
On August 26, 2025, the Unifor Constitutional Convention in Vancouver passed a resolution that endorses “the call by Palestinian trade union for an arms embargo on Israel”.
Then in November 2025, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) adopted a resolution against arms shipments to Israel. Another resolution that was passed at the OFL convention called for research to support divestment from “entities that manufacture or distribute arms, ammunition, implements or munitions of war, as well as companies engaged in activities that support or sustain Israel’s illegal occupation.”
Resolutions against the export of weapons to Israel have also been passed by labour federations in New Brunswick (June 2025), as well as in Nova Scotia (October 2025) and Newfoundland and Labrador (November 2025).
Attacks against human rights defenders, journalists
While the actual numbers are much higher, we note that Front Line Defenders has documented that at least 31 Palestinian human rights defenders were killed by the Israeli military in 2023 and 2024.
Their data for 2025 is expected to be released later this month.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also documented that: “The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has committed more targeted killings of journalists than any other government’s military since CPJ began documentation in 1992.”
The CPJ adds: “More than 60% of the 86 members of the press killed by Israeli fire in 2025 were Palestinians reporting from Gaza, where human rights groups and U.N. experts agree a genocide is taking place.”
The CPJ further notes: “Israel was responsible for nearly 75% of the journalists and media workers killed by drones from 2023 to 2025.”
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Action Center for Corporate has previously explained: “Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems is one of the primary suppliers of weapons and surveillance systems to the Israeli military, including Skylark and Hermes military UAV drones, which form the majority of Israel’s fleet of large drones and have been used extensively in Gaza.”
Attacks against defenders opposing weapons companies
PBI-Canada continues to make the links between the export of “military goods” and surveillance technology and the direct threat to the safety and security of human rights defenders and journalists.
This week the London, United Kingdom-based Business and Human Rights Centre (BHRC) published a report that found there were 46 attacks against human rights defenders who were raising concerns about arms and weapons companies and their complicity in conflict and genocide, noting that this was “a significant increase from only two attacks recorded per year in 2023 and in 2024.”
The BHRC report further notes: “Protesters at arms fairs targeting companies selling weapons to Israel were detained in the United States, Turkey, Switzerland and France, whilst activists in New Zealand faced violence for protesting the militarisation of aerospace technology and its uses against civilian populations.”
The CANSEC “defence, security and emerging technology event”, that will include the participation of Elbit Systems, takes place in Ottawa on May 27-28, 2026. We are following the community opposition to CANSEC on Instagram here and here.
Further reading: PBI-Canada notes Unifor resolution in support of Palestinian workers and their call for an arms embargo on Israel (August 27, 2025).
