Dear Mayor Dilkens,

We are writing to you as citizens of Windsor who is deeply concerned by the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

In the last four months, approximately 30,000 Gazan civilians have been killed by Israel’s relentless bombing campaign, including approximately 12,000 children. 90% of the population do not have enough food to eat every day, and 1.9 million people – 85% of the population of Gaza – have been displaced. In a landmark ruling handed down on 31 January, the International Court of Justice declared that it is plausible that Israel is violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention.

In light of this situation, We are writing to demand that Windsor City Council immediately call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Canadian government has continued to support Israel’s genocidal actions despite the fact that a majority of Canadians support a ceasefire. Therefore, it falls to the municipalities to make our voices heard and to increase pressure on the federal government to do the right thing.

At least 20 North American municipalities including Toronto, Burnaby, Saskatoon, Chicago, and Seattle have issued a similar call, and it is time for Windsor to do the same. Our community stands in solidarity with the people of Gaza, and we call upon city council to pass a motion calling for a ceasefire.