Sit-ins for Palestine continue across Canada

Activist groups call out federal government over lack of action on Gaza reunification program

NewsBriefMaria Cholakova & Geneviève Sylvestre — Published August 14, 2025 0 minutes

Activists and community groups are demanding that the government follow through on the Canadian reunification program. First introduced in January 2024 with a 5,000 temporary resident visa applicant cap, the program was meant to keep the promise of reuniting families.

According to the most recent statistics on the Canadian government’s website, as of July 8, more than 1,750 people who exited Gaza have passed security screenings and are approved to come to Canada. However, only 860 applicants have arrived safely from Gaza.

Additionally, as of July 26, Canada has assisted 11 Canadians, including children travelling with their mothers, in leaving Gaza safely, a move the Gazan Canadian Families organization called “not even a bare minimum response” in a press release.

In Montreal, weekly sit-ins, organized by activist Summer Alkhdour, Gazan Canadian Families and Independent Jewish Voices (IJV), happen every Wednesday in front of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada building.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, activists played songs, waved the Palestinian flag and chanted, “IRCC [Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada] while you delay, bombs are dropping every day.” 

Activists from Gazan Canadian Families handed out pamphlets urging immigration officials and the government to implement an efficient screening policy of 14 days and remove biometrics from applications for Gazans; to allow safe evacuations from Gaza through negotiations with the Israeli government; to fast-track approvals for applicants stuck in Egypt; and to collaborate with provinces to provide healthcare and coordinated support for arrivals.

IJV member Niall Clapham Ricardo emphasized the importance of caring about the genocide and confronting the government’s inaction. 

“People should not see this as separate issues from their daily lives; everybody is impacted by [immigration],” Ricardo said. “The more restrictions and obstacles we put towards immigration in this country, the more it will have an impact on every single community.”