More than 1,500 Canadian writers and publishers have signed an open letter calling for the charges against anti-war protesters who interrupted the Scotiabank Giller Prize gala to be dropped.
During the ceremony on Monday, protesters shouted slogans and displayed signs accusing Scotiabank of funding “genocide” in Gaza. Scotiabank, which sponsors the literary event, has a 3.56 per cent stake, valued at around $431 million, in Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Ltd through its subsidiary 1832 Asset Management L.P. Scotiabank and Elbit Systems Ltd. did not respond to requests for comment prior to publication.
Three people are now facing charges in connection with the protest, according to Toronto police.
“As writers and publishers, we express our support for the protestors who disrupted the Scotiabank Giller Prize gala," an open letter, which began circulating on Wednesday, reads.
“We stand with the protestors, and we urge that the charges against them be dropped.”
The signatories on the open letter include award-winning writers and poets such as Rupi Kaur, Waubgeshig Rice, Billy-Ray Belcourt and this year’s Governor General Award winner, Anuja Varghese.
Among them are also former Giller Prize winners, such as Omar El Akkad, who won the prize in 2021 for his novel, “What Strange Paradise”, and authors who have been shortlisted for the Giller Prize, such as Noor Naga and Tsering Yangzom Lama.
The open letter noted that signatories were “proud and grateful” to have received nominations, grant funding and awards from literary institutions including the Scotiabank Giller Prize.
But it stated that these literary institutions should “be loud where our governments and news outlets have been silent,” in calling for a ceasefire and pressuring Canada’s government to end its military funding for Israel.
“In the past five weeks, Israel has cut off water, electricity, and communication to Gaza. Over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority civilians and non-combatants,” the letter stated.
“This week, Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza, was bombed until it could no longer be used. Among those who have died are more than 4000 children, many of them infants. This has been the deadliest attack for children in recent times. Many of our government officials and institutions swiftly condemned the October 7th deadly attack on 1200 Israeli civilians and the taking of 220 hostages. We ask that our institutions treat Palestinian civilians with the same concern and humanity.”
A protestor holding a sign saying "SCOTIABANK FUNDS GENOCIDE" is escorted off the stage during the Scotiabank Giller Prize in Toronto, on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Rob Gillies)
The child death toll cited in the open letter align with figures presented by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Global charity Save the Children has called it the deadliest conflict for children in recent times, based on those figures, and a spokesperson for UNICEF, the UN's children's agency, made similar comments to The Canadian Press.
The toll on Israel aligns with what has been reported by the Israeli government, which responded to Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 surprise attack with a siege on Gaza, weeks of airstrikes and an eventual ground assault into the enclave, and has said its military action is necessary to wipe out Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the idea of a ceasefire until all Israeli hostages have been released.
Elbit Systems Ltd. says it has long provided munitions to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and in July, it was awarded a contract worth around US$60 million to supply the IDF with thousands of 155mm artillery shells over the period of a year.
In connection with Monday's protest, Evan Curle (25), Maysam Abu Khreibeh (25) and Fatima Hussain (23), are all facing charges of obstruct, interrupt or interfere with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property, as well as the charge of using a forged document.
The initial protest was met with boos from the audience at the Scotiabank Giller Prize gala, and protesters were escorted away by security. But it wasn’t the first time that Scotiabank’s ties to the Israeli defence contractor have been criticized.
Scotiabank came under scrutiny last year when it became the largest foreign shareholder in the publicly traded Israeli defence contractor.
SumOfUs, an advocacy group, launched a 2022 petition campaign calling on Canada’s third-largest bank to divest its stake in the company, which had been accused of manufacturing cluster munitions.
As previously reported by BNN Bloomberg, Elbit Systems Ltd. has been placed on lists of banned investments for a number of firms, and Australia’s Future Fund and Norway’s largest pension fund have excluded it from portfolios over its alleged production of cluster munitions.
At that time, the Israeli company denied producing cluster munitions and Scotiabank told BNN Bloomberg that it backs the company's position.
“1832 Asset Management does not knowingly invest in companies that directly manufacture cluster munitions,” Scotiabank spokesperson Heather Armstrong said in an October 2022 email.
“Our engagement with the company confirmed that they do not, and we verified this position with a leading global investment research firm that is commonly used by asset managers around the globe.”
With files from the Associated Press and BNN Bloomberg
On the heels of an attempt to kill him, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him wounded but 'fine.'
Former first lady Melania Trump issued her first public response since her husband, former President Donald Trump, was injured in a shooting at one of his rallies on Saturday.
Spain won a record fourth European Championship title on Sunday after Mikel Oyarzabal's 86th-minute goal clinched a 2-1 victory over England, whose painful decades-long wait for a major trophy goes on.
Canada's security apparatus is 'exercising increased vigilance' in the wake of this weekend's deadly shooting at former U.S. president Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, the federal public safety minister said Sunday.
The aftermath of the attempted assassination attempt on former U.S. president Donald Trump this weekend could give him an edge among voters and send him back to the Oval Office, according to one political expert.
The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania as the suspect in Saturday's attempted assassination of former U.S. president Donald Trump at a campaign rally.
American actor Shannen Doherty, best known for her role as high school student Brenda Walsh on hit 1990s television drama 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' has died at age 53 following a years-long battle with cancer.
Kate, the Princess of Wales, handed Carlos Alcaraz the champion's trophy after the Wimbledon men's final at the All England Club on Sunday in only her second public appearance since announcing she was diagnosed with cancer.
An educational assistant at a Catholic elementary school in Welland has been charged after allegedly having an "intimate relationship" with a 14-year-old boy who was her former student.
The LCBO has reversed its plan to open select stores on Friday as retail workers continue to strike across the province, according to a statement from the Crown corporation on Sunday.
Canada's security apparatus is 'exercising increased vigilance' in the wake of this weekend's deadly shooting at former U.S. president Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, the federal public safety minister said Sunday.
A horse was euthanized after suffering an injury during the chuckwagon races Saturday night at the Calgary Stampede.
A change in wind direction, cooler temperatures and possible precipitation made for favourable conditions for attacking the wildfire threatening Labrador City, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador said Sunday.
Some Canadians will receive another instalment of the 2024 Canada Carbon Rebate in their bank accounts or in the mail this Monday. But who exactly is eligible? And how much could you receive?
A brush fire caused by youths setting off fireworks at a popular park in Nanaimo, B.C., the day the ban took effect has the city's mayor on edge about the province's vulnerability to wildfires as the season heats up.
The image is a stark one: former U.S. president Donald Trump pumping his fist into the air with an American flag in the background as blood trickles down the side of his face following a shooting at a campaign rally.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday appealed for the country to 'unite as one nation' after Saturday's attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump and said he was ordering an independent security review of the lead-up to the attack.
Within minutes of the gunfire, the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump spawned a vast sea of claims — some outlandish, others contradictory — reflecting the frightening uncertainties of the moment as well as America's fevered, polarized political climate.
The aftermath of the attempted assassination attempt on former U.S. president Donald Trump this weekend could give him an edge among voters and send him back to the Oval Office, according to one political expert.
The Kremlin said on Sunday it did not believe the U.S. administration was responsible for Saturday's assassination attempt on U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, but accused it of creating an atmosphere that provoked the attack.
On the heels of an attempt to kill him, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him wounded but 'fine.'
Canada's security apparatus is 'exercising increased vigilance' in the wake of this weekend's deadly shooting at former U.S. president Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, the federal public safety minister said Sunday.
Canada's prime minister and other leaders condemned political violence following a shooting at a Republican rally Saturday, during what appears to have been an assassination attempt targeting Donald Trump.
While Republicans and Democrats alike have long complained about Canada's sluggish military spending, experts say Canada is more likely to suffer consequences under a second Trump presidency, which could also end U.S. support for Ukraine.
In the years following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, women are more likely than men to treat anxiety or depression, according to a new report.
With temperatures rising for the oncoming summer, many shutdowns due to the toxic blue-green algae has made for a tough time finding a safe spot to swim in the region – with one of the most recent shutdowns at Cunard Pond Beach in Halifax.
Sex and gender are often conflated or equated in everyday conversations, and most American adults believe a person’s gender is determined by sex assigned at birth. But a new study of nearly 5,000 nine and 10-year-olds found that sex and gender map onto largely distinct parts of the brain.
The Federal Court of Canada is being asked to declare that only humans — and not artificial intelligence — can be considered authors under Canada’s copyright law.
The Webb Space Telescope has captured a pair of intertwined galaxies glowing in the infrared.
A SpaceX rocket has failed for the first time in nearly a decade, leaving the company's internet satellites in an orbit so low that they're doomed to fall through the atmosphere and burn up.
American actor Shannen Doherty, best known for her role as high school student Brenda Walsh on hit 1990s television drama 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' has died at age 53 following a years-long battle with cancer.
A wedding reception on Sunday wrapped up the monthslong celebrations as the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man, married his longtime girlfriend with a price tag running into the millions.
Alec Baldwin made his first public comments to thank his supporters Saturday after the stunning early end to his involuntary manslaughter trial.
The company that owns the salvage rights to the Titanic is undertaking its first expedition to the ship's wreckage in years, and those involved in the mission said they have both heavy hearts and lofty goals for a trip happening a year after a submersible disaster involving another firm killed five people.
The provincial regulator responsible for policing B.C.'s real estate industry has ordered a former Realtor to pay $130,000 and cancelled her licence after determining that she committed a variety of professional misconduct.
A Black man has filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against a hotel in Detroit, Mich., alleging the hotel only offered him a job interview after he changed the name on his resume, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by CNN.
One of the most effective retirement savings strategies is to pay yourself first. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines strategies for consistently saving and investing over time and building a solid nest egg.
One writer used to make do with deli sandwiches and brought-from-home snacks, but now they have a secret weapon for quick but satisfying road trip lunches.
As North America navigates what U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy described last year as a loneliness epidemic, employers and employees are trying to address what for many people is a lack of real friendships at work.
Spain won a record fourth European Championship title on Sunday after Mikel Oyarzabal's 86th-minute goal clinched a 2-1 victory over England, whose painful decades-long wait for a major trophy goes on.
Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones, whose 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history, has died. He was 40.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in the Wimbledon men’s final Sunday to collect his fourth Grand Slam title at age 21.
Police north of Toronto have released dramatic video of a car chase that led officers across York Region in pursuit of a Lamborghini SUV that was clocked at speeds in excess of 200 km/h.
A 31-year-old man from Milford Bay is facing multiple charges following a traffic stop last week.
As many as four out of 10 Canadians say it is 'important' to know if a vehicle they're interested in purchasing is more likely to be targeted by thieves, according to a new Nanos Research survey.
A rare ammonite fossil – about 75 million years old - has been discovered in eastern Saskatchewan.
Seven-year-old goalie Hudson Hardill is an unlikely Calgary Flames fan, being that he lives in Peterborough, Ont., and his dad Chris is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
A WestJet employee's chance encounter on a recent flight spiced up her life in a big way.
A Kelowna, B.C., man says he's always liked gnomes because they have a 'bit of mystery' to them. And he recently got a taste of that whimsy when his garden gnomes disappeared, and came back to him in a peculiar fashion.
After more than 50 years, Toronto's iconic 'Leslieville dollhouse' will soon have a new owner.
One man is bringing a blast from the past to a Winnipeg community.
Some say a photograph is simply a memory frozen in time – and a high school graduation photo taken in Churchill, Man. takes that adage to a completely new level.
A rising track and field star overcame a big hurdle in his dream to represent Canada at the Olympics.
Would-be homebuyers who backed out of a deal to purchase a B.C. property in a hot real estate market have been ordered to pay the seller the difference between what they offered and what he was able to sell the home for when the market cooled.
A brush fire caused by youths setting off fireworks at a popular park in Nanaimo, B.C., the day the ban took effect has the city's mayor on edge about the province's vulnerability to wildfires as the season heats up.
Police in New Westminster say they arrested a prolific mail thief last week after a witness caught him in the act in the early hours of the morning.
Spain won a record fourth European Championship title on Sunday after Mikel Oyarzabal’s 87th-minute goal clinched a 2-1 victory over England, whose painful decades-long wait for a major trophy goes on.
The LCBO has reversed its plan to open select stores on Friday as retail workers continue to strike across the province, according to a statement from the Crown corporation on Sunday.
A man allegedly kidnapped in Vaughan was located on Sunday morning while the suspects responsible remain at large, police say.
Water consumption dropped again Saturday in Calgary as city officials consider turning up the flow in coming days.
A horse was euthanized after suffering an injury during the chuckwagon races Saturday night at the Calgary Stampede.
A Calgary man has been charged with attempted murder in relation to a stabbing that took place early Friday evening.
A heat warning has been issued for Ottawa by Environment Canada.
An Ottawa athlete is preparing to represent Canada on one of the biggest stages in sports, for the second time.
The BMO report shows that Canadians are willing to spend 20 per cent more on travel this year than last year.
On the heels of an attempt to kill him, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him wounded but 'fine.'
Four years ago, the City of Montreal promised a new social housing project in a neighbourhood that desperately needs it, but today, that Parc-Extension building sits empty and in disrepair.
The Pointe-Claire Horticultural Society is celebrating its 90th anniversary, and members toured five gardens to mark the occasion. They also visited the home of a Theo Wouters, who for the first year has had to garden without the love of his life: Roger Thibault.
Two people are in hospital in critical condition after an apartment fire in northeast Edmonton on Saturday night.
An Edmonton business owner is sitting on a pile of posters he said are poised to fly off the shelves – once they're on the shelves.
Grandparent scams are on the rise, according to Strathcona County RCMP.
A single-vehicle crash in Sheffield, N.B., has left three people dead on Sunday.
Police are investigating after a fire at a cottage in Cavendish led to the death of one person, and left three others injured.
One man was sent to hospital following a fire on a boat at the marina on the Pointe-du-Chene Wharf early Sunday afternoon.
The University of Manitoba has asked pro-Palestinian protesters to take down their encampment by Monday morning, or face legal action.
Some Winnipeg residents are being asked to stay inside and close their windows overnight as the city prepares to start fogging for mosquitoes.
Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) battled two blazes Saturday evening and early Sunday morning.
No one was harmed after a garage fire broke out in east Regina Sunday morning.
The B.C. Lions snapped the Saskatchewan Roughriders' undefeated streak with a 35-20 victory on Saturday.
A Regina woman says emergency shelter provided by the Ministry of Social Services was living hell.
Emergency services are searching for two people who may have been in distress on the Grand River in Kitchener.
A motorcyclist has died after a serious collision in Woolwich Township.
A missing woman from Brantford Ont. found after she was didn’t come home from work, a dangerous plant spotted in Waterloo Region, and welcoming back a familiar face.
Saskatoon fire crews were on scene of fiery incident early Sunday morning.
The B.C. Lions snapped the Saskatchewan Roughriders' undefeated streak with a 35-20 victory on Saturday.
One man has been sent to hospital with serious injuries after a collision between a cyclist and a truck on Friday evening.
The Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund is advising that the distribution of the multi-billion dollar treaty annuities settlement for past compensation may be “affected” by a pair of outstanding legal matters.
On the heels of an attempt to kill him, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him wounded but 'fine.'
The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania as the suspect in Saturday's attempted assassination of former U.S. president Donald Trump at a campaign rally.
From a late headliner cancellation, to near record rainfall, organizers of the 20th edition of Rock the Park (RTP) say they are “proud of their team.” The festival at Harris Park in downtown London, Ont. drew a record 44,000 people over the four days.
St. Joseph’s Health Care London said that the issue required the closure of its doors earlier than expected.
On the heels of an attempt to kill him, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him wounded but 'fine.'
A 75-year-old man is dead after an incident at a Barrie home on Saturday night.
A severe thunderstorm watch has ended for parts of Simcoe County
One person is in hospital after a crash in Clearview Township on Sunday.
After two years of organizing soapbox races for kids, the Windsor-Essex Soapbox Derby Association is ramping up efforts to host soapbox races for adults.
On the heels of an attempt to kill him, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him wounded but 'fine.'
Although we had a scorcher this weekend, with a heat warning, if you have a barbeque or other outdoor enjoyment planned, this week could be the perfect time to do it!
A brush fire caused by youths setting off fireworks at a popular park in Nanaimo, B.C., the day the ban took effect has the city's mayor on edge about the province's vulnerability to wildfires as the season heats up.
At Okini Restaurant and Bar in Vancouver, co-owners Steph Wan and Kevin Lin craft gorgeous plates of AAA steak served with duck fat potatoes and broccolini, and golden eagle sablefish doused in a fuji apple broth and adorned with zucchini.
A recent attack on a Victoria paramedic and the subsequent threats against cops who were called in to help mark the latest incidents of violence against local first responders, the city's police chief said in announcing emergency personnel would no longer respond to calls from a specific neighbourhood without police backup.
A search effort is underway for a man who was swept away by the North Thompson River in Kamloops on Friday.
One person is dead and 17 others have been displaced after a stubborn fire burned overnight in a Kelowna apartment building.
Mounties in the Okanagan say they're continuing to focus on speed enforcement this week after a spike in the number of fatal collisions on B.C. highways.
Lethbridge police are investigating after a bullet hole was discovered in a southside home.
The judge in the trial of two men charged with conspiracy to commit murder at the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., has cautioned the jury about an opening statement by a defence lawyer.
The chance to host the Memorial Cup in Lethbridge got one step closer on Thursday.
The Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund is advising that the distribution of the multi-billion dollar treaty annuities settlement for past compensation may be “affected” by a pair of outstanding legal matters.
Northern Ontario distilleries and breweries have been busy keeping up with increased demand for their product since the LCBO strike began on July 5.
Outgoing Nipissing First Nation Chief Scott McLeod is among several Indigenous leaders who are calling out federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre over a speech he made at the Assembly of First Nations' annual general meeting. Here is what he said.
A change in wind direction, cooler temperatures and possible precipitation made for favourable conditions for attacking the wildfire threatening Labrador City, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador said Sunday.
The fire that forced thousands out of their homes in Labrador City Friday night was gently smoldering and under control this week, but a sudden change in conditions caused it to explode into 'an extremely aggressive inferno.'
A new government plan to expand the national parks system might bring some to your backyard.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
