PSN is one of the signatories to the Canadian BDS Coalition open letter to Air Canada CEO Calvin Rovinescu, calling on Air Canada to end its outsourcing partnership with drone maker Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Oct. 16, 2017
Mr. Calin Rovinescu
President and CEO
Air Canada
P.O. Box 14000, Station Airport
Dorval, QC H4Y 1H4
FAX: 514-422-4945Dear Mr. Rovinescu:
We wish to bring to your attention our concerns about Air Canada’s partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries for maintenance on the Air Canada fleet of Boeing 787 and 767 jets.
Israel Aerospace Industries [IAI] is the subject of boycotts across Europe for its deadly drone technology and production. Corporate Watch from the UK says “IAI was one of the earliest developers of drone technology and launched its first surveillance drone in 1979. IAI’s website boasts that its drones have an “unsurpassed track record of over 1,200,000 operational flight hours for over 50 users on five continents.”
A 2014 study entitled ‘Sleepless in Gaza’ by Dr. Atef Abu Saif details the terrifying impact of drone attacks on the Gaza Strip, especially on children, “Since their first use in 2000, drones have led to the death of hundreds of Palestinians and have injured thousands more. In addition, they have directly impacted Palestinian psychological and social life, as well as causing a grossly negative impact on education.”
By partnering with IAI, Air Canada becomes complicit in the war crimes of IAI. This is fundamentally wrong.
In having the maintenance of the Boeing 787 and 767 jets performed in Israel, you send valuable Canadian jobs out of the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba. Again, this is fundamentally wrong.
In addition to partnering with Israel Aerospace Industries, Air Canada also sells Sabra Hummus and guacamole as part of the onboard canteen service. Sabra is a partner with the Strauss Group. Strauss is the second largest Israeli food and beverage company and is known for supporting two Israeli military units implicated in human rights abuses, the Golani and Givati brigades.
We join with the Canadian groups that have already called on you to immediately halt this complicity with Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian civilian population.
Signed by:
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
CUPE 3902 (Canadian Union of Public Employees), Toronto
Fredericton & District Labour Council
New Brunswick Federation of Labour/Fédération des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Nouveau-Brunswick
Nova Scotia Federation of Labour
UNIFOR Local 4504, University of New Brunswick
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Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation, Victoria
Bathurst United Church of Canada, Toronto
BDS Vancouver-Coast Salish
Canada Palestine Association, Vancouver
Canadian Peace Congress
Centre d’appui aux Philippines / Centre for Philippine Concerns (CAP-CPC)
Christian Peacemaker Teams-Ontario
Coalition against Israeli Apartheid CAIA, Victoria
Coalition BDS Québec
Independent Jewish Voices Canada
International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) in Canada
Justice for Palestinians Calgary
Mid-Islanders for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, Vancouver Island
NDP Socialist Caucus
Niagara BDS
Palestine Solidarity Network – Edmonton
Palestine Solidarity St. John’s
Palestinian and Jewish Unity, PAJU, Montreal
Palestinian Solidarity Working Group, Sudbury
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
People for Peace, London, Ontario
Socialist Action.
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, UBC
Toronto Action for Social Change
Toronto BDS
United Network for a Just Peace in Palestine & Israel (UNJPPI) – Toronto ChapterAnd also signed by the following international groups:
Association of Norwegian NGOs for Palestine
Australian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign for Palestine
Australians for Palestine
BACBI (Belgian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel)
BDS Berlin
BDS France
Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine CJPP, Sydney
Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Palestine Support Network Australia
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
PALESTINE SOLIDARITY NETWORK 