The Cumberland Council became the first municipality in the Comox Valley to endorse a ceasefire in Gaza, on April 8.

with the local group Comox Valley 4 Palestine鈥檚 request to write a letter urging the federal government to call for the stoppage.

鈥淚t鈥檚 obviously not our jurisdiction to decide whether or not to鈥� be involved in international conflicts,鈥� Cumberland Mayor Vickey Brown told the Record. 鈥淏ut it is our responsibility to listen to our residents and take their requests seriously.

鈥淢unicipal governments are the closest level of government to their residents鈥� and they鈥檙e looking to (us) to advocate on their behalf. We have a responsibility to share that information if our community thinks that it鈥檚 important.鈥�

Members of the delegation greeted the news with enthusiasm.

鈥淐umberland council鈥檚 decision promotes compassion鈥� and pressures the federal government to advocate for peace in Gaza,鈥� said group member Heather Thomson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important that our municipal council is taking a stand against violence.鈥�

This decision comes after a presentation by the activist group to the v.

The delegation, which included Palestinian-Canadian and Jewish residents of Cumberland, requested additional demands including: restricting the sale of arms to Israel; allowing humanitarian aid (medical supplies, water, food, fuel, etc.) into Gaza; providing ongoing funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency; removing barriers for Palestinian visa and immigration applications; and supporting South Africa in the International Court of Justice case for the Israeli genocide.

More than 370 people have signed a paper and calling for all Comox Valley municipalities to support the same demands.

The Village of Cumberland follows the precedents of other Canadian municipalities that have endorsed a ceasefire, including Port Alberni, Powell River, Burnaby, Langley, and more.

Courtenay declines the group鈥檚 request

Comox Valley 4 Palestine presented the same request to , where they were met with a sobering reception.

Coun. Doug Hillian, while empathizing with the people of Gaza, opposed the sending of this letter, making him the first and only council member to share his opinion on the matter.

鈥淭here鈥檚 absolutely no doubt in my mind that the current situation in Gaza is an affront to humanity,鈥� said Hillian. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 see this as a situation that is in the interest of the City of Courtenay to engage in. We don鈥檛 have jurisdiction in international issues. There are many (other) situations in the world like Yemen (or) Sudan where untold horrors are taking place on a daily basis and we don鈥檛 pass resolutions or take a stance on those. It鈥檚 not because we don鈥檛 care, it鈥檚 because our business is the affair of the City of Courtenay.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 see anything to be gained by taking this as a business for the City of Courtenay given the division that it has created in other communities.鈥�

Following Hillian address, the council voted unanimously to take no further action on the group鈥檚 request.

Comox Valley 4 Palestine intends to send a delegation to the Town of Comox in the near future.

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