OneCity sets out which parts of the Vote Palestine pledge its candidates will adopt
OneCity published a statement on September 27 explaining its position on each component of the Vote Palestine pledge, accepting some parts and declining others.
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OneCity published a statement on September 27, 2026, explaining its response to each component of the Vote Palestine pledge. The statement was posted on the party's own website and addresses four areas: condemning the genocide in Gaza, the Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge, city procurement, and an anti-racism framework.
On the first component, the party says its candidates and campaign team "unequivocally and unanimously condemn the genocide in Gaza." The statement also says OneCity condemns genocides in Darfur and against the Rohingya people. These are the party's stated positions.
The Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge
The Vote Palestine pledge asked candidates to sign the Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge, which OneCity says has three elements. The party says it accepted the first two: supporting freedom, justice, and equality for Palestinians, and opposing racism against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim people. The party says it declined the third element, which asks signatories to work to end all support for what the pledge calls Israel's apartheid regime. The party gives two reasons in its statement: questions about what a city government has the power to do, and feedback from residents.
Procurement
On city contracts, OneCity says it would work to keep city dollars from going to companies working for governments involved in genocide, in Israel or anywhere else in the world. The party says this falls within its broader commitment to local and Canadian suppliers. The party has not published a list of specific companies or contracts it would review.
The Arab Canadian Lawyers Association framework
The Vote Palestine pledge also asked candidates to recognize a framework published by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association for addressing anti-Palestinian racism. OneCity says it declined to adopt that external framework. The party says it prefers to do that work in Vancouver, with Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and Jewish Vancouverites involved. These are the party's own reasons.
OneCity has 11 candidates on the October 17 ballot: Iona Bonamis (陶思穎), Frances Bula, Jarrett Hagglund, Lucy Maloney, and Caitlin Stockwell for City Council; Rory Brown, Steve Cardwell, Christopher Lee (李基鵬), and Krista Sigurdson for School Board; and Dominic Denofrio and Tyler Petersen for Park Board. Voters who want to compare party positions on this topic can read the full statement at onecityvancouver.ca/news/statement-on-vote-palestine-pledge, and find all party platforms at /parties/onecity. Voting takes place on October 17, 2026. Information on where to vote is at /where-to-vote.
Questions this story answers
What is the Vote Palestine pledge?
The Vote Palestine pledge is a commitment that a group asked candidates in the 2026 Vancouver election to sign. According to OneCity's September 27 statement on its own website, the pledge had four components: condemning the genocide in Gaza, signing the Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge, cutting ties with Israeli institutions, and recognizing the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association's anti-racism framework. OneCity's statement describes each component and explains the party's response to each one. This site has not independently reviewed the full text of the pledge itself.
Did OneCity condemn the genocide in Gaza?
According to the party's own September 27 statement, yes. OneCity says its candidates and campaign team 'unequivocally and unanimously condemn the genocide in Gaza.' The statement also says the party condemns genocides in Darfur and against the Rohingya people. These are the party's stated positions, published on its own website.
What is the Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge and what did OneCity accept?
The Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge is an external commitment that the Vote Palestine group asked candidates to sign. According to OneCity's statement, the pledge has three elements: supporting freedom, justice, and equality for Palestinians; opposing racism against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim people; and working to end all support for what the pledge calls Israel's apartheid regime. OneCity says it accepted the first two elements. The party says it declined the third, citing questions about the limits of what a city government can do and feedback from residents. These are the party's own explanations.
What did OneCity say about city procurement and Israel?
OneCity's statement says the party, if elected, would work to ensure city contracts do not go to companies working for governments involved in genocide, whether in Israel or elsewhere in the world. The party says this comes under its broader commitment to local and Canadian suppliers. This is the party's stated procurement goal. The party has not published a list of specific companies or contracts it would review.
What is the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association framework and why did OneCity decline it?
The Arab Canadian Lawyers Association has published a framework for fighting anti-Palestinian racism, which the Vote Palestine pledge asked candidates to adopt. OneCity's statement says the party declined to adopt this external framework. The party says it prefers to do that work in Vancouver, with Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and Jewish Vancouverites all involved. These are the party's own reasons as given in its September 27 statement.
Which OneCity candidates are running in the October 17 election?
OneCity has 11 candidates on the October 17, 2026 ballot. Running for City Council are Iona Bonamis (陶思穎), Frances Bula, Jarrett Hagglund, Lucy Maloney, and Caitlin Stockwell. Running for School Board are Rory Brown, Steve Cardwell, Christopher Lee (李基鵬), and Krista Sigurdson. Running for Park Board are Dominic Denofrio and Tyler Petersen. You can read their profiles on this site.
What is OneCity's overall commitment as stated in the September 27 statement?
OneCity's September 27 statement closes with the party's stated goal: 'Our job, if we are elected, is to make every person in this city feel safe and welcome.' This is the party's own framing, published on its website.
How can voters read the full statement before voting on October 17?
OneCity published the full statement on its own website on September 27, 2026. The primary source is at onecityvancouver.ca/news/statement-on-vote-palestine-pledge. Voters can also read about the party's full platform at /parties/onecity. Candidate profiles for all 11 OneCity candidates are on this site. Voting takes place on October 17, 2026, and information on where to vote is at /where-to-vote.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- OneCity Vancouver: Statement on the Vote Palestine Pledgeonecityvancouver.ca
- voche.me: OneCity party pagevoche.me
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