October 7

Statement on Iran

MP and candidate for Leader of Canada’s NDP, Heather McPherson made the following statement on Iran

I strongly condemn the horrific attacks on brave Iranian people, and I am deeply concerned for the well-being of thousands of Iranian protesters, including the loved ones of many Canadians. 

I commend the bravery of Iranians protesting the regime, and I stand in solidarity with the Iranian people, who have suffered under a brutal regime for decades. They deserve to live in freedom. Iranian people, like all people, deserve a future that is democratic and free. 

For years, I have urged the Government of Canada to do more to support the human rights of the Iranian people. 

The murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in 2022 sparked the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising in Iran, in which we were witness to the immense bravery of Iranians fighting for the rights of present and future generations of women, and all people, in Iran. Following Mahsa’s death, I stood with all New Democrats in solidarity with the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and urged the Canadian government to take action. I sponsored female political prisoners, Zeynab Jalalian and Armita Abbasi, in Iran, raising my voice to add to calls for their release. 

I secured a study at the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on the federal government’s refusal to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity, as well as the connection between people or assets in Canada and the IRGC, and paths forward to support vulnerable Iranians. During these hearings, we heard from several brave Iranian-Canadians who spoke out against the regime’s brutality and the need for greater action from Canada. 

In June 2024, I proposed a motion in Canada’s House of Commons to condemn the death sentence of Iranian musician Toomaj Salehi, to urge Canada to impose targeted sanctions on members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Courts, and to condemn gender apartheid in Iran. My motion was unanimously adopted by all parliamentarians in the House and Senate. 

For years, I have advocated for stronger sanctions against Iranian leadership and coordinated diplomacy with the global community to ensure an end to the Iranian regime’s ongoing and blatant abuses of human rights. 

The people of Iran deserve freedom and a democratic future determined by the people of Iran. I am deeply concerned that an escalation by other governments could lead to further carnage for Iranians and many others in the region. Canada must not support airstrikes by the United States or others that could lead to retaliation by Iran, the likely death of thousands more people, and a wider war. Diplomacy must prevail.

Freedom, democracy, and human rights will not be secured through force, but through the power of the people. 

Statement in response to attacks on Hanukkah Event in Australia

Statement in Response to the Attacks at a Hanukkah Event in Australia

My heart is with the Jewish community following the terrorist attack at a Hanukkah event in Australia. An act of antisemitism like this shatters more than a single gathering. Attacks like these wound people far beyond one place, one night, or one country.

When Jewish people are targeted anywhere, Jewish people everywhere feel it. Acts of violence like this turn moments meant for faith, family, and light into moments of fear. It steals joy from celebrations and replaces it with anxiety and grief. No one should ever have to fear for their safety while honouring their faith or sharing time with loved ones.

This moment demands more than words. We must stand together, clearly and without hesitation, against antisemitism and against all forms of hate. Solidarity must be lived through speaking out, through showing up, and through caring for one another in ways that are real and sustained.

To Jewish communities in Canada and around the world: you are not alone. We stand with you in grief and in our shared commitment to dignity, safety, and justice for everyone.

Statement on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I honour the Palestinian-Canadian community and Palestinian people around the world.