Past Successes

Since it began in 2005, Stand has grown from a group of 5 members to a national organization with over 50 chapters across the country. Click on the links below to read about our past successes in the fight against genocide.

Fundraising

In addition to helping raise the funds necessary for Stand to achieve it’s advocacy goals, Stand chapters have raised tens of thousands of dollars for humanitarian organizations such as the ICRC, Doctors Without Borders, GI-Net’s civilian protection program, CARE, Oxfam, and several other organizations working on the ground in Sudan.

MP Meetings

Stand has met with key Members of Parliament (and/or their advisors) from every political party. Notable meetings include:

  • Then-Prime Minister Paul Martin
  • High ranking advisors within both the PCO (Office of the Privy Council) and PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s first term in office
  • Leader of the Opposition, Michael Ignatieff
  • NDP leader Jack Layton
  • Then-Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay
  • Then Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier’s Policy Advisor
  • Prominent Darfur/Sudan advocates Irwin Cotler, Paul Dewar, and Glen Pearson
  • Stand also consults with the Sudan Task Force of the Department of Foreign Affairs
  • Dozens of other MP’s and Senators
Trip to Sudan

Sudan Sudan

In January 2008, Stand members Yoni Levitan and Anne Wagner were invited to accompany Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan (CASS) to the South Sudan/Darfur border by Liberal MP Glen Pearson. Whilst in Sudan, Yoni, Anne and the CASS team were able to interview internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had fled from Darfur to the Rumrol IDP camp. These interviews served as assessments for the International Organization on Migration, and as the driving force for Stand’s activities this past year.

Stand members Jackie Bonisteel, Justin Brake, and Anne Wagner have recently returned from their January 2009 trip to Kenya and Sudan. You can read Anne’s initial thoughts on the trip here, on the Stand blog.

If you would like to host one of them at your school or community event to speak about their experience, please email us at speakers@standcanada.org.

Other Campaigns

  • “Rock the House” campaign led to over 6000 letters being sent to the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • “10,000 voices for Darfur” culminated in a press conference on Parliament Hill, after a 12,000 signature petition had been presented in the House of Commons
  • Stand has staged three national conferences, providing in-depth leadership and advocacy training to over 125 young leaders from coast-to-coast.
  • Stand has staged numerous rallies, with our three biggest (two in Toronto and one in Alberta) each attracting thousands.
  • Stand’s targeted divestment campaign is active on several campuses that began work after the successful campaign at Queen’s University in 2007.
Speak the Name: Stand for Darfur Election

The 2008 Canadian Federal Election saw Stand embark on its first major election campaign—Speak the Name. The overall objective of Speak the Name was to make Darfur an election issue and, as a result, secure promises for action from our elected officials.

Stand developed “Report Cards”, evaluating the major parties’ policies related to Darfur, and created a special edition of the Darfur Digest focused on the election. Through a special website, our blog, a Facebook group, campus activities, and engagement with the media, we helped us stimulate a discussion on Canada’s role in Darfur.

We approached all candidates across the country to inform them about Stand and our aim to make ending genocide a cornerstone of Canadian foreign policy. The names of candidates who agreed to “speak the name” of Darfur were listed on Stand’s website, as well as publicized through other channels. Stand members also spoke the names of supporters by volunteering for their campaigns and attending events such as all-party debates.

In total, 51 Stand supporters were elected to the House of Commons. Having so many allies in Parliament is heartening, and we will continue to work with these individuals to take action for Darfur!