Hello again dear readers. In the past few days we've seen 30 countries come together in Bogota, Columbia, to address ending the genocide in Gaza. China was among the 30 countries present at the conference; however, it is not one of the 12 that have committed to enumerated sanctions against Israel. 

A group of city Mayors in BC have criticized Ottawa's negative response to the BC Ferries' deal with Weihai ships. The criticism comes amongst ever more calls for Canada to open its doors to trade with China as Canada-US trade continue to sour. 

Meanwhile in the South Pacific, military personnel from 19 countries — Canada among them — have gathered for three weeks of joint military exercises on the ground, air, sea, and in cyberspace. No one will say exactly who or what they are preparing for, but the exercises are attracting the attention of Chinese surveillance. Curious for more information on this story? The CCF will be hosting a panel discussion webinar on July 30th 5 PM PT/7 PM EST/July 31st 9 AM AEST. Keep an eye out in your inboxes for more details coming soon. 

Questions or comments? You can always give me a shout at georgiajinkelly@uvic.ca 

The Pacific Peace Network (PPN) warmly invites peace advocates, civil society leaders, academics, and concerned citizens to attend the Pacific Peace Conference, taking place in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday, 2 August 2025. This full-day event, hosted in a hybrid format, welcomes both physical and virtual participation and offers a unique opportunity to engage in dialogue, solidarity, and strategic planning for peace and justice across the Pacific region.

Register here.

Francesca Albanese addresses delegates from 30 countries to discuss ways nations can try to stop Israel’s offensive.

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA, 16 JULY 2025 - In the most ambitious multilateral action since the start of Gaza genocide 21 months ago, a coalition of cross-regional states gathered in Bogotá has agreed to six coordinated diplomatic, legal and economic measures to restrain Israels assault on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and defend international law at large.

A new report by World BEYOND War finds that military bases used by foreign militaries are growing in number, as are public protests and advocacy against those bases. Of 1,247 foreign military bases in the world, 877 of them, by latest count, are U.S. bases outside of the United States. Eighteen other nations, combined, have 370 bases outside their borders.

B.C. Ferries' announcement that its four new vessels will be built in China has made waves, with the ripple effects reaching all the way to Ottawa.

Canada's "deal" with the U.S. to drop the digital services tax, which benefits U.S. tech giants such as Meta Platforms Inc. and Netflix Inc. at the expense of Canadian fiscal sovereignty, and the Trump administration's lates threat of a 35- per- cent tariff on Canadian goods perfectly encapsulate our current predicament: Washington no longer views Canada as an ally, but rather as a subordinate from which to extract concessions. It's a stark reminder that trade diversification is no longer optional - it's an urgent national imperative.

Top officials said the Trump administration will use executive action and work with state officials to ban sales of farmland nationwide to buyers linked to China and other foreign adversaries.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The largest-ever war-fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, are underway and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships.

The CEO of TikTok is asking Industry Minister Mélanie Joly for an urgent meeting about the federal government's order directing the company to shut down its Canadian operations.

Published: July 15, 2025
Written by: John Price

This essay revisits the United Nations’ adoption of Resolution 181 (II) in 1947 that led to Palestine's partition. Its focus is on the resistance to partition by Canadian diplomat and Middle Eastern specialist Elizabeth MacCallum, as well as by representatives of the Arab states and allies in the UN.

Published: July 14, 2025

In this Issue: 

• Dr. Jane Wu's Estate Sues Northwestern University
• New Nationwide Injunction Blocking Birthright Citizenship Executive Order
• Agriculture Department on Chinese Ownership of American Farmland
• ACLU AI Summit: Civil Rights in a Digital Age
• Congressional Caucus Leaders Affirming DEIA as American Values
• News and Activities for the Communities

Date: Saturday, 2 August 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (AEST)
Venue: Queensland Nurses and Midwives‘ Union, 106 Victoria Street, West End, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Format: Hybrid (in-person and via Zoom)
Organiser Contact: ppnpacificpeace@gmail.com

The Pacific Peace Network (PPN) warmly invites peace advocates, civil society leaders, academics, and concerned citizens to attend the Pacific Peace Conference, taking place in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday, 2 August 2025. This full-day event, hosted in a hybrid format, welcomes both physical and virtual participation and offers a unique opportunity to engage in dialogue, solidarity, and strategic planning for peace and justice across the Pacific region.

Register here.

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