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Primate calls for action on “obscene violence” in Gaza

Published on 
July 24, 2025

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.

Sincerely,

[signed] +Shane
The Most Reverend Shane Parker
Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada

Cc:

The Hon. Andrew Scheer, House Leader of the Official Opposition
The Hon. Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Québécois
The Hon. Don Davies, Interim Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada
The Hon. Elizabeth May, Co-Leader of the Green Party of Canada
The Hon. Jonathan Pedneault, Co-Leader of the Green Party of Canada
The Hon. Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.