[Anglican Church of Canada] The Most Rev. Shane Parker, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has written to Prime Minister Mark Carney, urging him to “impose full and immediate arms embargo on Israel” in response to a General Synod resolution that called for this action.
Parker also sent copies of his letter to the country’s minister of foreign affairs and to leaders of Canada’s political parties.
Parker’s letter in full is below.
Dear Prime Minister,
Grace and peace to you.
The Anglican Church of Canada has through successive Primates since October 7, 2023, written or endorsed many letters to you and the previous Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, urging the Government of Canada to lead boldly toward ending the egregious devastation of Palestinian and Israeli lives and lands through disproportionate armed violence, the imprisonment and killing of civilians, and the blockade of humanitarian aid to Gazans.
At the recent meeting of our General Synod, members of our youth delegation brought forward this resolution, which was resoundingly adopted:
Request the Primate to publicly write to the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs calling on the Canadian government to uphold their moral responsibilities and impose full and immediate arms embargo on Israel.
As the 15th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, upholding our church’s repeated calls to your office and our government, I urge you, and the Hon. Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to impose a comprehensive, two-way arms embargo between Israel and Canada. The obscene violence and deprivation in Gaza demand a sharp move away from vague promises and half-measures.
Such an embargo would activate your May 20, 2025, pledge to take further action if Israel failed to halt its offensives and lift restrictions on aid. It would replace the verbal commitments of Minister Anand to pause approvals of future arms export permits. Failure to do so deepens the complicity of all Canadians in Israel’s and Hamas’ continuing war crimes.
I will encourage the more than 1.3 million Canadians who identify as Anglican to regularly communicate with their elected officials, asking them to work toward an immediate, comprehensive, two-way arms embargo.
I would welcome an opportunity to meet with you to discuss this urgent matter of justice and mercy and the concrete steps our government is taking to address it.
The Most Rev. Shane Parker, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada