The Sept. 2 motion passed unanimously

View Royal wants the federal government to “take a strong stand” against the war in Gaza.

At a Sept. 2 meeting, council voted to approve a motion tabled by Coun. Gery Lemon, calling on the feds to push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in addition to a humanitarian corridor to enable the delivery of food and aid to those affected by the conflict.

Lemon explained that “residents didn’t ask for this motion, but the sadness and sense of helplessness arises in conversations every day.”

“I think most Canadians are outraged by what we see taking place in Gaza where no one is safe,” she added. “It’s a humanitarian catastrophe.”

This move comes in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which began after Hamas launched an attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Militants there killed approximately 1,200 people – most of them civilians – and took roughly 250 hostages. Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 63,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s military campaign.

At an Aug. 28 press conference, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said “the levels of death and destruction in Gaza are without parallel in recent times.”

Lemon’s motion, which passed unanimously, also asks the feds to establish an arms embargo for military equipment travelling between Canada and Israel.

A recent report from Arms Embargo Now says shipments including bullets, military equipment, weapons parts, aircraft components and communication devices were exported from Canada to Israel between October 2023 and June 2025.

In an Aug. 2 news release, however, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand insisted Canada hasn’t issued permits for arms exports that could be used in Gaza since January 2024.

“Beyond politics, this is about humanitarianism, about humanity, and we need a global outcry of condemnation,” said Lemon. “Canada can be influential. Our strength is in our reputation as peacemakers and if we can join other countries in decrying this, perhaps there will be strength in numbers.”

The councillor added that “if more communities take a stand to support our government in being strong internationally, I think that’s a big national message.”

Burnaby passed a similar motion Aug. 26, and councillors there said it was the first community in Canada to call for a two-way arms embargo on Israel.