Letter from 10 Canadian civil society and pro-peace organizations to Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Freeland regarding Trump's decision on Iran Nuclear Agreement:

MAY 10, 2018

The Right Honourable Justin P.J. Trudeau

Prime Minister of Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Freeland,

We, the undersigned NGOs, are writing to convey our concerns regarding the Trump Administration’s irresponsible decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the Iran Nuclear Deal. We believe that Canada must defend the Iran Nuclear Deal as an important victory for international diplomacy, peace and non-proliferation.

In 2015, Prime Minister Trudeau said that Canada was “back” on the world stage as a constructive and cooperative force in the world. Since its creation, the Iran Deal has been endorsed by more than 90 nations as a vital path towards peace and stability in one of the most volatile regions of the globe. Many experts have gone further to posit that the JCPOA successfully averted another catastrophic conflict in the Middle East.

Now is when Canada needs to show that it is truly “back” as a force for good in the world by supporting the JCPOA. We must stand unequivocally on the side of peace, constructive engagement, and diplomacy.

Since the implementation of the nuclear agreement, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has, on several occasions, verified Iran’s full compliance with the JCPOA. In a recent statement the IAEA has also rejected Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent allegations against Iran.  

Just as Canada helped maintain the Paris Agreement despite the Trump administration’s withdrawal, we can once again stand on the side of international cooperation by supporting the JCPOA in the face of another Trump administration withdrawal.

We the signatories of this letter therefore ask the Government of Canada to publicly express its firm commitment to the JCPOA, to comply with Resolution 2231 adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council formalizing the Iran nuclear agreement and to work with European allies to ensure survival of the Iran Nuclear Deal regardless of the course of action that the Trump Administration may take in undermining this historic agreement.

Sincerely, 

The undersigned organizations:

• Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC)
• Peggy Mason, President of the Rideau Institute and former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament to the UN
• Science for Peace
• The Group of 78
• Independent Jewish Voices Canada
• Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
• Toronto Coalition to Stop the War (TCSW)
• Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
• Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War (HCSW)
• Canadian Peace Congress