Not In My Name: Gaza Solidarity Campaign FAQ
What is the “Not In My Name” campaign?
Not In My Name is Oxfam Canada’s solidarity campaign calling out Canada’s complicity in Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. Based on similar Not In My Name campaigns run by other Oxfam offices, the goal of the campaign is to encourage people from all walks of life to speak up at once and demand action by their government. Through powerful portraits, short videos, and a mass call to action, we’re creating a moment that is impossible to ignore. As Canadians, we are saying, “Not In My Name” and demand that the Canadian government does everything in its power to stop the genocide. We refuse to stay silent while war crimes are committed with Canadian support, including through the sale of weapons and military equipment.
Why is Oxfam Canada launching this campaign now?
Since October 2023, tens of thousands of people have been killed in Gaza. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, hospitals and sanitation systems have collapsed, and millions are facing starvation and displacement. In the West Bank, Palestinians are experiencing escalating violence, displacement, and repression. The world’s leading genocide scholars have recently declared that Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide.
Yet, evidence shows that Canada continues to authorize arms sales to Israel and has failed to take meaningful action to stop the genocide. Not only do we need to keep up the pressure, but we need to become even louder, impossible to ignore. We need to let the government know that we do not support their inaction, that we will not stay silence in the face of this genocide and we will hold the government accountable. We need everyone to say: Not in my name.
What does “Canadian complicity” mean?
Canada is complicit when it:
- Authorizes arms sales to Israel while its military commits grave human rights violations.
- Fails to demand a permanent ceasefire.
- Avoids holding Israel accountable under international law.
- Fails to take meaningful actions to put pressure on Israel.
Silence and inaction from our government send a signal that Canada condones these actions. Our campaign makes clear that Canadians refuse to accept this.
What is the goal of the campaign?
Our goal is to build visible, undeniable public pressure that forces the Canadian Government to:
- Take concrete economic measures, including a complete arms embargo on Canadian-made arms and arms components to Israel
- Call for and use every diplomatic measure to reach a permanent ceasefire
- Ensure accountability for war crimes and violations of international law
- Stand up against violence, dispossession, and illegal settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
At the same time, we want to affirm solidarity with Palestinians and create a space where Canadians can collectively refuse complicity. True solidarity means speaking out against the political decisions including Canada’s, who allows this genocide to continue.
Who is taking part in the campaign?
Oxfam Canada’s Not In My Name campaign brings together more than 70 prominent Canadian voices (actors, scholars, artists, and activists) who are speaking out for justice.
What can you do to support the campaign?
- Send a letter to Prime Minister Carney demanding immediate action
- Share Oxfam Canada’s campaign posts on social media
- Share the campaign website with your networks
- Contact your MP to demand an end to arms sales to Israel, a permanent ceasefire and support for unimpeded humanitarian access
