Emotions run high over Palestinian statehood motion
• Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly hinted that her cabinet might not support a motion recognizing Palestinian statehood scheduled for Monday, as Conservatives and the NDP warn the governing Liberals that Canadians will be closely watching how they vote.
Joly said Monday that Canada cannot change its foreign policy based on a non-binding motion presented by an opposition party.
The motion, brought forward by the NDP, calls on the House of Commons to take nine measures which the NDP claims will de-escalate the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The most notable measure is for Canada to “officially recognize the State of Palestine.”
The Bloc Québécois and the Greens have said they would support the NDP'S motion, but Liberals are deeply divided on the issue, with some voting indicating they will vote against it and some in favour.
Joly said during debate on the motion in the House of Commons that there are “issues” with what the NDP is proposing.
Talks between the Liberals and the NDP were happening to amend the motion behind the scenes, but they broke down as the debate started, according to an NDP source. Among the sticking points were the motion calling for the suspension of arms trade with Israel and the language around state recognition.
“We were willing to accept their language on statehood but not the arms trade, so we couldn't come to an agreement,” said the NDP source.
The Conservatives have confirmed that they will be voting against the NDP'S motion.
“This motion is about rewarding Hamas for their massacre. This motion is a vote to reward the murder, the rape, the kidnapping of Israelis, and this motion is deeply irresponsible for this Parliament,” said Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman in the House of Commons.
Lantsman said that Canadians would be watching to see how their elected officials vote on this motion, and hinted that there would be consequences for those who support it.
“There are going to be many politicians that make a choice today. Ours will be the right one. And I can only hope that members, all members on the other side, make the right one too. And when they don't, those who sit with them will have to account for their own choices,” she said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Canadians should indeed be taking note of how MPS vote.
“Will members of Parliament vote in favour of peace, or not? Will they support a motion that's calling for very important steps that Canada can take to save lives or not?” he told reporters.
NDP foreign affairs critic Heather Mcpherson, who is the lead on this file, said the motion's intent was meant to be supported by all parties.
“We drafted this motion so that we could bring all parties along. This is in line with international law. This is in line with our obligations under Canadian law. We wrote this piece of legislation so members of Parliament could stand and support it,” she said.
But emotions were high during Monday's debate over the motion as Mcpherson presented this vote as an opportunity for Liberals and Conservatives to “show that Palestinian lives matter as much as anyone's lives matter, that Palestinian rights are human rights and that all children deserve justice.”
Liberal MP Leah Taylor Roy inquired about the timing of the motion, adding that it would create “greater division not only in the House, but more importantly, among Canadians at a time where Islamophobia and antisemitism are on the rise.”
“What the member is suggesting is that the children around the world should die, should be killed, should starve to death and that the Canadian Parliament shouldn't act shouldn't take steps to put things into place that would help,” said Mcpherson.
Taylor Roy took issue with that comment and said that Mcpherson “was impugning (her) motive which is completely unacceptable in the House.”
Lantsman argued that the NDP'S motion “does not hold Hamas accountable in any way, does not call for the surrender of Hamas or for the putting down of its arms or even for the return of those hostages in any meaningful way” and pointed fingers at Mcpherson for supporting it.
Mcpherson said that Lantsman had “clearly” not read her motion or listened to her speech.
Joly, who is back from a trip in the Mideast last week, said Canada will remain committed to a two-state solution “including the creation of a Palestinian state where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace security and dignity” but said it is not as easy to implement it.