Yellowknife city council voted down Gaza ceasefire request, handed task to territory

A request to call on the federal government to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza was rejected by Yellowknife city council on Monday, with some councillors saying the city shouldn't advise Ottawa on international affairs.

Instead, councillors voted to ask N.W.T. Premier R.J. Simpson to write to the federal government to support a ceasefire. 

The issue was before council on the eve of a UN vote in favour of demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Canada was among the 153 UN members to support the non-binding resolution on Tuesday.

"This is a positive move and we welcome it," said Derek Lindman, in reaction to Canada's position. He is the spokesperson for a group called YK Citizens for Ceasefire that formed in early November in reaction to the conflict.

The group organized a rally in Yellowknife early last month that drew over a hundred people, and then later held more demonstrations and also requested the city adopt a resolution of support for a ceasefire.

Speaking to Yellowknife council on Monday, Lindman said that saying yes to a call for a ceasefire is "the most substantive act we can do even though we're so very far away."

"Saying and voting yes to these resolutions sends the message that Yellowknife knows its importance in the world, and knows what it means to be part of a vibrant democracy where every voice matters," Lindman said on Monday.

Lindman was one of five speakers at council on Monday, many of them with personal ties to the conflict area.

The motion to call on Canada to support a ceasefire failed to pass city council after a tie in votes. 

Councillors Cat McGurk, Ben Hendriksen, Tom McLennan and Ryan Fequest voted in favour, while councillors Stacie Arden Smith, Steve Payne, Garett Cochrane and Rob Warburton voted against.

Payne, Cochrane and Smith expressed empathy for those affected by the conflict, but said the city was not in a position to address the federal government on international affairs.

However, another motion requesting the N.W.T. premier to call for Ottawa to support a ceasefire, passed unanimously.

Council also voted unanimously in support of a statement condemning all acts of anti-semitism, anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia in the community.

Lindman said after Monday's meeting that his group still considered council's decisions "a win."