Canada’s Liberal Party is facing a rebellion among its cabinet members, many of whom are Arab and Muslim, over the Trudeau government’s handling of the Gaza war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more generally.
Fifty-two Arab and Muslim staff working in the Liberal government have signed a letter to the “Leader of the Liberal Party” saying they will not take part in the by-election. Campaign to keep LaSalle seat–Aimard VerdunThe position was filled by the resignation of former Liberal justice minister David Lametti.
The letter, obtained by CBC News, cites “increased pressure on Liberal Party staff to phone bank and door-to-door canvassing” and warns that “while many of us began our political careers as volunteers in elections, we can no longer in good conscience campaign for a party that excludes us and our values.”
The staffers are not acting alone: They have also sought and received support from a group of influential Arab and Muslim donors to the Liberal party in London, Ottawa and Montreal known as Network 100-GTA.
In November, the network announced it was withdrawing its status as a major donor to the Liberal party, citing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s policies. Israel’s then-reluctance to seek a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“They are much braver than us,” Hussein Hamdani, one of the fundraising group’s founding members, told CBC News in an interview.
“Sure, we didn’t put up any money, but they’re putting their livelihoods at risk,” he said.
“I hope the party realises this isn’t just some people who may or may not donate,” he added. “Maybe they think they can find other donors, but you can’t find 50 staff overnight.”
“what [the staff] What they’re really trying to do is wake up the Liberal Party, and that’s why they’re taking these extreme measures.”
Officials state five demands
Donors also said they would withhold their support for the government in key by-elections in which the Liberals face a strong challenge from the New Democrats.
In their letter, the officials said they would not take part in party activities until the government changed its foreign policy stance and “stands alongside its allies and unequivocally condemns Israel’s numerous war crimes and the Israeli cabinet’s genocidal rhetoric.”
They also call on Canada to “join allies, including Norway, Spain and Ireland, in recognizing the state of Palestine” and to “recognize anti-Palestinian racism as a unique form of hatred and work to address it in Canada.”
Staff also echoed the NDP’s demand that the government revoke existing arms export licenses to Israel and close loopholes that allow Canadian-made weapons to be shipped through third countries.
Finally, they call for an end to “all research collaboration between Canadian and Israeli researchers on military and dual-use technologies.”
A statement from Downing Street did not directly address the letter’s demands but said Canada continues to call for an immediate ceasefire.
“We fully support the comprehensive ceasefire agreement outlined by President Biden and endorsed by the UN Security Council,” the statement said. “We urge the parties to the conflict to agree to the agreement. Any delay will only result in further loss of lives.”
The statement also said Hamas must lay down its weapons and release all hostages, demanded the protection of civilians, and called for a continued increased flow of humanitarian aid across Gaza.
A Liberal spokesman did not directly address the demands but said “Canadians choose to participate in the democratic process for a variety of reasons, including support for particular causes or policy positions.”
“The Liberal Party of Canada firmly believes that everyone should feel safe, welcome and included in our movement, and we will continue to work hard to engage our volunteers and supporters on their priorities as we move forward,” the statement said.
Montreal by-elections are a key test
Trudeau has already suffered a major setback in the Toronto-St. Paul by-election. A once safe seat lost to the Conservatives.
The Montreal by-election is seen as a new test of Trudeau’s electability, with his party continuing to trail in opinion polls.
The letter said one of the factors that prompted staff to make the decision was the Liberal party’s decision to withdraw from the Capital Pride march in Ottawa after organizers released a pro-Palestinian statement on Aug. 6.
The statement promised that the Capital Pride organization would “acknowledge the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in its opening remarks” at the Pride event. It also condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the “act of terrorism” and “atrocities against civilians” committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Groups representing 2SLGBTQ+ staff already sent a letter to the party protesting the decision on Aug. 23. Staff told CBC News they were surprised the party made the decision to boycott the event based on a statement that the government of Canada said was not inconsistent with positions it has taken in the past.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe also decided to boycott the parade in support of the Palestinian cause, but was joined by several city councillors and the capital’s health officer.
Employees allege double standards in the workplace
Staffers told CBC News that the decision to opt out of campaigning was not only a response to the party’s boycott of Capital Pride, but also reflected anger at double standards within the party.
They said they were angry that Liberal MPs and staff, some of whom have relatives in Gaza, were reprimanded or told to tone down their opinions. Meanwhile, Liberal MP Anthony Housefather was given free rein to criticise his own party and openly speculate about leaving it, but was appointed the new chairman in July. Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Anti-Semitism and Jewish Questions.
Political staff are not unionized and can be hired and fired at will, and they receive frequent requests for volunteer work during elections but say they will not respond to such requests until the party changes course.
“We will be suspending our partisan activities until we are no longer embarrassed to tell our communities and families that we are actively campaigning for the Liberal Party,” they said in a statement.
The group wrote to Trudeau in November 2023 urging Canada to play a stronger role in seeking a ceasefire in Gaza. The letter called for reform but did not threaten any concrete action, such as refusing to campaign for the party.
The new letter refers to a final attempt to influence government policy.
“Over the past few months, we have voiced our growing concern about the human rights violations experienced by the Palestinian people and advocated for policy changes that are more consistent with our values,” the letter said. “We have often felt unheard by the party leadership.”
Staffers told CBC News they were reluctant to hurt the party’s chances in the Montreal by-election and would personally deliver the letter to the premier to avoid embarrassing the ministers they work for. Staff from nearly every minister’s office have signed the letter.
“No one wants to see a Canada with Pierre Poirierbre as prime minister,” the letter reads, “but we cannot exploit our workforce at home while continuing to dehumanize us abroad. As employees we find ourselves in an extremely difficult position, but we have a moral obligation to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves.”
Staff also told CBC News they were frustrated that ministers who wanted Canada to take a stronger stance on the Gaza war were being overruled by pro-Israel ministers who have the prime minister’s support.
NDP tries to make inroads with Muslim communities
The move by Liberal staff comes as the NDP is trying to make inroads into LaSalle-Emaar Verdun’s Muslim community.
Last Thursday afternoon, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and local candidate Craig Sauve visited the mosque, Masjid Verdun.
The NDP invited local leaders from across the Montreal region, as well as the president of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), one of the large advocacy groups representing Canadian Muslims.
The NDP and NCCM declined to be interviewed after the meeting, but one of the guests, Reverend Hassan Guillet, spoke to CBC News.
“We want to listen to everyone and hear what the parties have to offer,” Guillet said. “Political parties try to seduce voters and convince them that they will work for their concerns, and we understand that.”
Guillet was due to run for the 2019 general election as a candidate for the Liberal Party, but the party withdrew his candidacy after Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith alleged he had praised pro-Hamas activists.
Hamdani said he knows some Network 100 members have already begun supporting the NDP’s efforts at LaSalle-Emaar Verdun.
“I know there are people going door-to-door in Quebec,” he said.
The visit to the mosque came a day after Trudeau was to hold a meeting with members of the Muslim community at a reception hall in Laval, Quebec, just north of Montreal. But the show was cancelled. Many members declined to attend, and instead pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested at the entrance to the venue.
More than five per cent of LaSalle-Emaar-Verdun’s population identifies as Muslim, according to the 2021 Statistics Canada census.
