Open Letter to PM Harper on the Egyptian people's call for Pres. Mubarak's resignation

Below is the letter that I wrote for a group that I am involved, which we sent out to the Canadian Prime Minister and other federal officials involved with Canada's foreign policy. Please feel free to copy or use any sections of the letter to draft your own letter to PM Harper et al. The email addresses of the ministers are at the end of the post.

Dear Prime Minister,

We write to you as Canadian citizens and residents of Canada who uphold justice, human rights, and peaceful and non-violent actions and solutions, both within Canada and throughout the world. Today, we are witnessing an historic grassroots demand for immediate political, economic, and social change in Egypt.

Because defending human rights is part of upholding Canadian values, we were pleased that on your recent visit to the US you addressed the present upheaval in Egypt and spoke of the importance of human rights and the peaceful transition to democracy in Egypt.

For 30 years the Egyptian people’s human rights, including voicing their opinions on the policies and practices of the state government and gathering in public assembly, have been suppressed under President Mubarak’s rule. Currently, in response to massive on-going Egypt-wide demonstrations, Pres. Mubarak has promised reforms and allowed some concessions. However, due to ongoing violations of their human rights and a history of broken promises, pro-democracy Egyptians are unhappy with the slow progress towards justice. They demand that Mubarak must step down immediately and a new constitution be enshrined in law for true democratic change to begin.

We are writing you today to ask you to continue to speak out in support of the legitimate demands for justice by the massive pro-democracy movement in Egypt that insists on the resignation of Pres. Mubarak. By respecting and supporting the call by the majority of the Egyptian populace for Mubarak’s resignation, for constitutional change, and for the immediate application of democratic principles and human rights, we believe that both democracy and stability will come to the Egyptian people and to Egypt.

As Canadians concerned with justice, we believe Canadians and Canada will benefit from a democratic Egypt; hence, we urge you to support the call for Mubarak’s immediate resignation.

Human Rights Education

email addresses:

Harper.S@parl.gc.ca, HarpeS@parl.gc.ca, pm@pm.gc.ca, Baird.J@parl.gc.ca, bairdj1@parl.gc.ca, Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca, cannol1@parl.gc.ca, Ignatieff.M@parl.gc.ca, Goodale.R@parl.gc.ca, goodale@sasktel.net, McGuinty.D@parl.gc.ca, Rae.B@parl.gc.ca, Raeb1@parl.gc.ca, Layton.J@parl.gc.ca, Mulcair.T@parl.gc.ca, Davies.L@parl.gc.ca, Dewar.P@parl.gc.ca, pauldewar@ndp.ca, Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca, ducepg1@parl.gc.ca, Paquette.P@parl.gc.ca, joliette@pierrepaquette.qc.ca, Dorion.J@parl.gc.ca, dorioj1@parl.gc.ca

find the email of your MP here:
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/houseofcommons/memberbypostalcode.aspx?menu=hoc