Côte Saint-Luc is home to residents with ties to both Israel and Iran. And they can be assured to continue live here in peace and security.
Many Iranian-Canadians in Côte Saint-Luc know first-hand the courage it takes to dream of a different future. We recognize their stories and stand with them, — especially the younger generation—who have spoken out at great personal risk against a theocratic regime that has silenced dissent, denied basic freedoms, and imprisoned and tortured citizens who want nothing more than the same fundamental rights and democratic freedoms that we value in Canada. We express our deep solidarity with the people of Iran and their families who are in Canada.
At the same time, the City of Côte Saint-Luc stands with the State of Israel, a democratic ally, as it defends itself against the threat of a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic of Iran. We support Israel’s right to protect its citizens and the right of the Iranian people in their struggle to reclaim their future from a regime that does not speak for them.
We continue to hope for the day when Israelis and Iranians alike can live side by side in a Middle East defined not by war, but by peace, democracy, and human dignity.
For that day to come, the world must stand united against the Islamic Republic that has long supported terrorism, including the bombing on July 18, 1994, of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that killed 85 people and injured more than 300. The Islamic Republic has targeted Israelis through its proxies in Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. This ongoing terrorism and military attacks destabilize the Middle East and bring misery and suffering.