The holiday greeting your company won’t ever send
To All Our Valued Employees,
As the holiday season approaches, I want to reflect on the year we have shared and express my deepest gratitude to each of you. This time of year prompts us to consider the broader world and our place within it, recognizing our joys and challenges.
This year, we have been particularly mindful of the ongoing effects of settler colonialism here in Canada, including surfacing news of ethnic fraud, a refusal to search landfills for murdered and missing Indigenous women, and millions of dollars spent on RCMP policing to secure pipeline projects that have directly undermined the ethos of reconciliation. We acknowledge the deep and complex layers of these issues but also recognize that it’s inappropriate to hide behind the guise of “complexity.”
We are witnessing an ongoing genocide of Palestinians despite international demands for a ceasefire. This has had, and continues to have, a profound impact on many within our global community, including some of you, our valued team members.
We are disappointed by the actions and policies that contributed to these global challenges, including those by the Canadian government. For example, Trudeau declaring that Israel had a right to defend itself against an act of resistance – as awful as October 7th was – to an illegal occupation was a grave mistake. Nothing can justify the ongoing siege and unrelenting bombardment we’ve seen for which our Prime Minister gave the green light.
Our firm belief is that businesses like ours play a crucial role in fostering a fairer and more just world. In line with this, we are committed to a company-wide boycott of all businesses that are found to fuel or fund acts that go against our core values of peace and justice. An external consultancy has been retained to conduct an immediate audit of our spending to provide recommendations that align with the BDS movement.
Furthermore, I want to make it abundantly clear that our company stands firmly against all forms of hatred and bigotry. Yet, we also appreciate that we cannot take an “All Lives Matter” approach to a current humanitarian crisis that specifically affects Palestinians. Further, we recognize that criticism of the policies and actions of a country should never be conflated with prejudice against a group of people based on their faith or ethnicity. In our diverse and inclusive workplace, we encourage open and respectful dialogue, always upholding the values of understanding and empathy.
As we look towards the holiday season, I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and your families. May this time bring peace, joy, and a chance to recharge and reconnect with loved ones. Let us carry hope into the new year, a hope for a world marked by greater understanding, peace, and justice.
Thank you for your continued dedication and hard work and for being an integral part of our company. Here’s to a peaceful holiday season and a promising year ahead.
At the risk of being cancelled,
CEO, Values Are Everything Inc.