A no-day motion filed Monday by the NDP’s foreign affairs critic could find its way into the ranks of the federal Liberal caucus.
The non-legally binding motion calls on the government to take a number of actions in response to the Middle East wars, including “formally recognizing the state of Palestine”.
The motion was sponsored by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and led by the party’s foreign affairs commentator Heather McPherson.
“We wrote this in a way that this should not be a ‘gotcha’ motion,” she said.
“This was supposed to be a motion that was in line with international law and in line with Canadian policy. So we were hoping that we would get some support from the Liberals, and we’ve certainly seen a move from the Liberals in recent days. is increasing.”
Liberal MP: ‘I expect there will be a split’
But the motion is also expected to split the government caucus.
“This is by no means a perfect motion, and no motion is perfect, but in the big picture this is a push in support of human rights,” Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith told CBC News. I support it despite my reservations.
“And I think this emphasizes Canada’s role in focusing on and maintaining human rights and peace.”
NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson said 139 United Nations member states recognize Palestinian statehood, and if Canada really wants to adhere to a two-state solution, it’s time to publicly recognize it. said that it was coming.
Councilor Erskine Smith, R-Toronto Beaches (East York), said he had heard a wide range of opinions from constituents on the issue, but added, “My inbox says, ‘I want to end the violence. We want to stop.” “We want civilians to be protected, but we don’t want to see more casualties. We don’t want to see more children die.” And Canada must do more to end violence.”
Erskine-Smith is also aware that her views are not shared by all party members.
“I expect there will be a split,” he said. “I think the government’s position is obviously very important to my colleagues.”
“That’s a big slap in the face” Housefather
One Liberal who intends to specifically oppose the motion is Montreal’s Anthony Housefather.
“This is very significant in that it is a huge blow to the majority of Canada’s Jewish community,” he told CBC News.
Housefather, MP for Mount Royal, said he opposed the terms of the motion calling for an immediate cease-fire and an end to sales of military equipment to Israel.
He called this an “anti-Israel movement.”
“Because it’s essentially a motion to reward Hamas for attacking Israel,” Housefather said.
“This changes the position of 50 years of successive Liberal and Conservative governments on recognition of a Palestinian state, moving away from the fact that territory needs to be agreed upon and negotiated between the parties that normally recognize the state. ”
Housefather pointed out that G7 countries have not yet recognized a Palestinian state. Canada would be the first.
In fact, if you look at a world map, you will see that there is a clear division in perception between north and south and east and west. 139 of the 193 United Nations member states recognize Palestine, including nearly all countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe (mainly since the Soviet bloc era).
Trudeau’s eight years in office have produced a more uniformly anti-Palestinian UN voting record than his famously pro-Israel predecessor Stephen Harper, but there have been some recent adjustments. .
Trudeau began voting in favor of annual motions supporting Palestinian self-determination in 2019, but the prime minister has downplayed the significance of the change in comments about the Jewish community.
Prime Minister Trudeau is also trying to prevent the Palestinians from pursuing statehood in court.
Three different Liberal foreign ministers have written to the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court asking it to refuse to hear the Palestinian case, in part because Israel does not recognize the court.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is sent a personal letter to Prime Minister Trudeau This is to request Canadian intervention on Israel’s behalf.
When the International Court of Justice met last month The Trudeau government’s filing refuses to hear the case on the grounds that Israel does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction to consider “the legal consequences of Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem.” We once again called on the government to do so. He argued that these issues were best left to negotiations between the parties.
The debate is not “if,” but “when.”
Macpherson said Canada’s official position that there should be no move toward approval until after final status consultations between the two parties is an “excuse.”
“Now is the time to come up with better solutions for peace in the Middle East,” she said.
Housefather said he agrees that “a two-state solution is absolutely necessary.”
But, he said, “now is not the time to suddenly recognize a Palestinian state that contradicts our policy for decades, because that would just mean that policy has changed.”
“Why did the policy change? Because Hamas started the war. I would be appalled if Canada changed its position as a result.”
Mr MacPherson disagrees.
“By stopping the killing of children, by ending bloodshed, by ending hunger, by giving humanitarian aid to innocent people, by stopping conflict, we are moving towards a more peaceful and peaceful direction. “I don’t believe we can move forward. I don’t believe it will be rewarding for Hamas, just for Israelis and Palestinians,” she said.
US, UK and France are working hard towards recognition
Since the start of the Gaza war, Canada is not the only country where the idea of unilaterally recognizing Palestine without waiting for Israel has spread.
The Biden administration, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and French President Emmanuel Macron have all signaled a move in that direction.
Last month, Biden officials said they weren’t just thinking about confirmation. Actively plan for awards It is expected to take effect once the war in Gaza ends.
His comments came days after former Prime Minister David Cameron said British recognition of Palestine “cannot happen at the start of the process, but it doesn’t have to be at the end.”
Last month, France’s Emmanuel Macron said France had come to a similar conclusion.
“Recognizing the Palestinian state is not taboo for France,” President Macron said after meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Paris.
“We owe a debt to the Palestinian people, whose aspirations have been trampled on for far too long. We owe a debt to the Israelis, who lived through the worst anti-Semitic massacre of our time.”
red line warning
Some of the measures called for by the motion have already been implemented. For example, it calls on governments to “immediately restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), ensure long-term continued funding, and support independent investigations.”
Canada announced on March 8 that it would restore funding to UNRWA and support investigations by both the UN Bureau of Investigation and former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
The motion also calls on the government to “support the work of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court,” and the government says it will do so.
Housefather said he knows some of his caucus colleagues will support Monday’s motion, but he is less concerned with how backbenchers vote than ministers.
“I will be actively monitoring what the government’s position is on Monday and how the vote goes, and of course I will continue to do so, but I will be speaking out on what I believe is right.” said.
Housefather hinted that he may not remain in caucus if ministers support confirmation.
McPherson says he expects to win, but knows he faces an uphill turn in the polls.
“We are working hard to convince the public that this is the right direction and a fundamental shift in our foreign policy in the right direction.”
It’s not clear which direction the Bloc Québécois will go in, but the party has signaled it is open to the motion.
