No Profits from the Murder of Children
Ontario Teachers Demand Pension Plan Divestment from War, War Crimes, and Genocide
We are a group of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP) beneficiaries deeply disturbed that our pensions are being invested in weapons manufacturers who directly contribute to and profit from war crimes and genocide.
Israeli attacks alone have killed or wounded more than 100 thousand Palestinians. And, of those killed, the majority are women and children.
The most respected human right organizations in the world – including the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and B’Tselem – have documented multiple war crimes committed by the Israeli Military (see here here here here here and here) which is being provided weaponry and components by the following OTPP invested companies: Honeywell, Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton and Safran. (See details of each company’s involvement below).
As Ontario teachers we have spent much of our lives committed to the express duty mandated by the Teachers Profession Act to “promote respect for human rights” and to “critically examine the issue of the impact of militarism and war on children” (OTF Bylaws).
These OTPP investments are directly complicit in the killing of over 16,000 children in Gaza, leaving thousands more with life altering physical and mental injuries, so it is very much our duty – and that of every OTF affiliate leader – to demand the plan divest from these companies immediately.
As of today both the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers Federation (OSSTF) as well as the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO), representing over 140,000 Ontario teachers have written to the Pension Plan President, Jo Taylor, demanding he stop investing in weapons of war in our name.
Taylor has ignored those collective demands saying that weapons war play an “essential role” that “delivers returns” to plan members.
We say not in our name. We say: Divest from war. Divest from war crimes.
Campaign Updates:
More than 400 school buses full of children — over 18,000 kids — have been killed in Gaza, many with weapons the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan invests in. On Thursday February 20th Ontario teachers, parents, and allies gathered in front of the Ontario Teacher Pension Plan office in Toronto to hold a vigil for all the students and education workers killed in Gaza, and demand the OTPP divest from war and war crimes. Video by Jay Geerts.
Teachers are rising up. Our pension plan, one of the largest pension plans in the world, invests in war crimes. We are refusing to be complicit.@OTPPinfo : it's time to divest.
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) November 1, 2024
Take action alongside these teachers at https://t.co/ZE62cLWAFR #DivestFromWar #OntEd pic.twitter.com/cCtzUZXseK
Ontario teachers and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan members — Take action here:
Stand with Ontario teachers and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan members — Take action here:
The companies arming Israel that the OTPP is investing in
Honeywell: Has provided jet engines and related services to Israel’s Ministry of Defense, including to trainer fighter jet planes. Its Ontario operations supply components for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 aircraft. The Israeli versions of these fighter jets, known as F35I Adirs, are being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza. One of Honeywell’s products, a family of sensors called Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), are an integral component in many guided bombs, missiles, and drones. For instance, the company’s HG1700 IMU is part of Boeing’s JDAM kits, which turn unguided bombs into precise munitions and have been one of the main weapons systems used by Israel in Gaza. Similarly, Honeywell’s HG1930 IMU is part of Boeing’s GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs, which have become Israel’s “weapon of choice” in Gaza.
Leidos: Supplied Israel with screening technologies used at several military checkpoints in occupied Palestinian territory. The company’s SafeView body scanner machines have been installed in the Qalandia, Bethlehem, and Sha’ar Efraim (Irtach) checkpoints in the occupied West Bank. In addition, SafeView and ProVision scanners have been installed in the Erez checkpoint in the Gaza Strip.
Safran: A French multinational aerospace, defense, and security corporation. They have an agreement with the Israeli government to provide it with telemetry equipment that will serve in the testing of its anti-missile system, specifically Arrow 3 system, as well as an agreement with Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to integrate Safran Vectronix AG’s Moskito Ti with Rafael’s Fire Weaver to make battlefield targeting technology.
NEW INVESTMENT AS OF FEBRUARY 2025 – Booz Allen Hamilton: An American weapons contractor with operations in Israel. The company participates in the supply chain for the F-35 fighter jet, and supplies AI tools to the Israeli military.
DIVESTED AS OF FEBRUARY 2025 – Northrop Grumman: The world’s sixth largest weapon manufacturer, it supplies the Israeli Air Force with the Longbow missile delivery system for its Apache attack helicopters and laser weapon delivery systems for its fighter jets. It has also supplied the Israeli Navy with Sa’ar 5 warships, which have participated in the assault on Gaza.
DIVESTED AS OF FEBRUARY 2025 – Textron: A US-based military contractor known for its Bell, Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker aircraft brands. The Israeli Air Force 100 Squadron, which has supported Israel’s military ground troops in Gaza, uses multiple Textron aircraft, including the Beechcraft King Air, Queen Air, RC12-D Guardrail, and Bonanza A-36.
More information on the OTPP's duty to divest
Our duty to “respect human rights” requires us to listen to the International Court of Justice, and the hundreds of international human rights law and genocide scholars who have said Israel is very likely using these weapons to commit genocide.
These investments are a direct violation of the express policy of multiple plan affiliates. OSSTF policy states explicitly that:
Pension plans to which OSSTF/FEESO members contribute should not invest in companies that contribute to killing, torture, deprivation of freedom, or other violations of human rights.
OECTA policy says:
Wherever possible and reasonable the plan [should] not invest in corporations or their subsidiaries, domestic or foreign, that produce munitions, armaments, or technologies of war, and [should] divest itself of any current holdings in said corporations.
While the weapons and components these companies make and sell to Israel don’t fall within those already excluded by the OTPP and its “responsible investment” policies, OTPP has committed to “an ongoing process to identify and assess companies associated with severe controversies.”
Is there any controversy more severe than Genocide?
We are well aware of the Plan’s claim that it is more effective in addressing human rights issues through “engagement”. We are also well aware of the plan and plan custodian’s “fiduciary duty” to beneficiaries.
However, the plan itself admits that some investments create “irreconcilable risks”. Indeed, it’s for this reason the plan has excluded Tobacco companies, judging that the moral and reputational risks outweigh the financial benefits.
The murder of children and the crime of genocide, while clearly profitable, are irreconcilable to the long term best interests of Ontario teachers.
It is time for the OTPP to fulfill its moral and regulatory duties and divest from Honeywell, Leidos, and Booz Allen Hamilton, immediately.
Campaign Graphics
