Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poièvre spoke out against rising anti-Semitism in Canada and commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel at a ceremony in Ottawa on Monday night.
But while Trudeau spoke generally about the need to combat rising anti-Semitism, Poièvre mainly offered sharp criticism of the Liberal government.
“This ideology that seeks to divide people on the basis of race and ethnicity is causing such a horrific outburst of hatred, and it’s not from the bottom up. It’s from the top down,” Poièvre said. said.
The Conservative Party leader pointed to recent controversies such as: Birju Dattani as Chair of the Canadian Human Rights Commission and awarding federal contracts. Group hired consultant accused of posting anti-Semitic content About X — as an example of government failure.
“The time has come for the people to change the government,” he said, to loud applause from the audience.
Poilievre said that if his party were to form a government, it would cut funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and “spread anti-Semitism and make Jews feel unsafe and uncomfortable on campus.” He also said he would deny federal funding to universities.
“We will abandon this ugly ideology that has divided our people and we will restore the country we know and love.”
Prime Minister Trudeau, who spoke before Poièvre, began his speech by thanking those who had gathered and specifically naming caucus members.
“I want to thank the MPs of all parties for putting aside partisanship and coming here today,” Prime Minister Trudeau said.
The Prime Minister outlined the need to combat anti-Semitism in Canada following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants.
“What makes this barbaric attack even more painful is the fact that you relive this nightmare every day. When cowards shoot and smash the windows of schools and synagogues in the middle of the night, you Relive it when anti-Semites wave Hamas and Hezbollah flags in the streets of our cities,” Trudeau said Monday.
“It is unacceptable for these acts to become normalized. It is incumbent on me and all leaders to stop the rise of this hatred and reverse its spread, with no tolerance for anti-Semitism.”
Prime Minister Trudeau’s remarks were met with applause, but the applause that greeted Poilievre was particularly loud.
Ido Moed, Israel’s ambassador to Canada, spoke before Trudeau and Poièvre took to the stage, praising Canada as a friend of Israel and a country of “integrity and honor.”
But the ambassador also questioned some of the Liberal government’s recent actions. Excludes certain military exports to Israel and Liberal Party support House of Commons motion on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Moed said he was encouraged by the recent designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Klops as a terrorist organization.
“In a world that is increasingly dangerous and, sadly, evil, Canadians and Israelis must work together to protect our people and our values as a free and democratic nation.”
Earlier on Monday, MPs observed a moment of silence in the House of Commons to mark the anniversary of the attack. The House also unanimously passed a motion condemning the attack and expressing support for the victims and their families.
The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack left approximately 1,200 people dead, including several Canadians. Approximately 250 people were taken hostage.
October 7th marks one year since Hamas attacked Israel. More than 1,000 people were killed and another 250 were taken hostage. The ensuing Middle East conflict claimed thousands of lives and sparked global division and protests.
Since then, sustained Israeli air and ground attacks have killed at least 41,500 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
It is believed that about 100 hostages remain in Gaza.
About 90% of the Gaza Strip’s population of 2.3 million people have been forced to flee their homes, and at least 680 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank.
On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that 728 of its soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip last year.
