NDP reiterates call to Prime Minister to help injured children from Gaza

OTTAWA – The NDP has written to Citizenship and Immigration minister Chris Alexander demanding that the Conservative government agree to help with Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish’s efforts to bring injured children from Gaza to Canada for treatment.

NDP Citizenship and Immigration critic Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe (Pierrefonds – Dollard) and Multiculturalism critic Andrew Cash (Davenport) wrote to Minister Alexander asking for help with expedited humanitarian visas for the injured children and their caregivers.

“The recent conflict in Gaza has taken a tragic human toll, especially on children,”the MPs wrote. “Countries like Canada, with the capacity to help, have a responsibility to help.”

The New Democrats also pointed out that Dr. Abuelaish has just returned from Gaza, where he was compiling files of children in need of treatment who could travel to Canada.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair had previously written to the Prime Minster in August urging him to pledge his personal support, and that of his government, to this endeavour.