Defending Cuba is defending our future: The No War on Cuba Campaign in Canada

The international solidarity community has called for a worldwide No War on Cuba Campaign in the face of extreme aggression against the island that is being deemed a ‘silent genocide’ by activists and politicians around the world. 

Cuba is currently experiencing the worst economic and humanitarian crisis since the triumph of the revolution, due to the extreme intensification of the blockade, particularly of fuel since January 2026. The island has received only one fuel shipment since January. 

While the weapons and tactics may be different, the situation in Cuba has been deemed a ‘silent genocide’ because of the explicit aims of causing hunger and desperation across the island. An undeclared war is being waged on the government and people of Cuba. To claim that this war seeks only to attack the government is not only a lie but impossible in principle because of the nature of the people’s power in Cuba. An attack on the government and its services is a direct attack on the people of Cuba. The Cuban people are the ones suffering at the hands of United States policy. 

In August, over 1500 delegates gathered in Havana at the colloquium ‘Fidel: Legacy and Future’ to honour the historic role that Fidel Castro played in the Cuban revolution and the lasting impact his memory has on the global movement for socialism and peace. Solidarity movement leaders met to develop an action plan for the campaign that would roll out regionally. The 10-point action plan focuses on mobilizing each country’s government to condemn the US blockade in the upcoming United Nations assembly this October. 

Events and actions will be held all around the world in the weeks leading up to the vote. It is vital that the youth play a significant role in these mobilizations and initiatives, particularly in Canada. 

The Canadian government is cooperating in the blockade against Cuba by issuing an unwarranted travel advisory, cancelling all direct flights to the island from Cuba, and by refusing to protect Canadian interests on the island, such as Blue Diamond Reports operations and Sherritt International Mining Corporation. These are only the latest examples and don’t even scratch the surface of Canada’s commitments to supporting American wars. Canada has held unbroken diplomatic relations with Cuba for more than eight decades, yet when they need our help the most, Canada could only muster $8 million in humanitarian aid. 

In a recent poll, more than half of Canadians said they believe Canada should do more to help Cuba, even if it risks tensions with the United States. Canadians have a long history of support and connection with Cuba. Until the liberal government issued an unwarranted, trivial advisory for the island and all direct flights from Canada were cancelled, Canadians were the largest source of tourism on the island, making up more than 40% of all visitors in a year. 

Canadians support Cuba, and the youth must utilize this public support to draw attention to the issue of Cuba’s sovereignty. While the United States actively attacks Cuba’s right to self-determination, Canada’s own sovereignty is being encroached upon as well, in more ways than one. As recently reported by People’s Voice, during the recent trade negotiations between the United States and Canada, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered Canada a deal in exchange for support for the blockade against Cuba. For 33 years in a row, along with every other country besides the U.S. and Israel, Canada has voted in favour of the UN resolution that calls for an end to the U.S. blockade.  

Canada must not submit to pressures from the U.S. Not only do we have a duty to Cuba as neighbours and internationalists, but we have a duty to our own people to defend against future aggressions from the United States. Amid threats of annexation, tariff’s lending to soaring gas and food prices, Canada must defend its own sovereignty, its right to do business with Cuba, and the right of every nation to determine its own path. 

This must be at the forefront of the youth fight against U.S. imperialism both at home and abroad. Cuba is a model for what is possible in the world. Despite days-long blackouts, healthcare continues to be provided free of charge to everyone who needs it; schoolchildren continue to gather in classrooms; and the people continue to celebrate their culture, find joy in the darkness, and struggle for a better tomorrow. We owe it to Cuba, and to our future generations, to defend the achievements of socialism and demand that Cuba be free of US occupation and economic strangulation. 

The No War on Cuba campaign, being led by the Canadian Network on Cuba in English-speaking Canada and La Table de concertation de solidarité Québec-Cuba (TCSQ-C) in Quebec, has four core demands. These demands are presented in the active parliamentary petition sponsored by NDP Member of Parliament Leah Gazan, from Winnipeg Centre. The petition demands that Canada: 

1. Deepen and defend economic and cultural exchanges between Canada and Cuba in the face of United States aggression;

2. Enforce the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act, to protect Canadian corporations who do business in Cuba against United States sanctions;

3. Lift the Government of Canada’s advisory against non-essential travel to Cuba and expand opportunities for tourism and trade; and

4. Reaffirm Canada’s historic opposition to the United States embargo against Cuba at the United Nations and support the annual resolution on the Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo.

As youth, we must bring these demands to our workplaces, campuses, and community organizations. Leaflets, posters, and yard signs can be requested through the Canadian Network on Cuba website. Canadian people support Cuba, but it’s the job of those working in Cuba solidarity to educate Canadians  on how to mobilize in solidarity. All clubs of the YCL-LJC must be active in collecting signatures on the parliamentary petition, distributing materials, and planting lawn signs from coast to coast to coast. 

Questions about how you can support the campaign? Contact donate@canadiannetworkoncuba.ca or message @cdnntwrkoncuba on Instagram.

Cuba is not alone! No War on Cuba! Viva Cuba!