Motion for Gaza must be followed with real action
NDP motion on Palestinian statehood passes after tense negotiations with Liberals yield major amendments, March 18
I have subdued feelings seeing that the NDP motion regarding the conflict in Gaza, altered as it may be, was passed in Parliament. I applaud MPs who stood up for justice. However, I remain apprehensive, and unsure whether the motion will lead to any tangible efforts for Canada to pursue lasting peace. The world, be it in Ukraine or Gaza, is rapidly advancing towards a frightening situation. Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, spoke at the International Peace Symposium in the U.K. this month and said, “we lie at the precipice of a catastrophic global war that will undoubtedly lead to such immense levels of destruction and carnage that lie far beyond our imagination.” He also said that to solve this impending destruction, “we must all come together, setting aside national, political, and other vested interests for the greater good of humanity.” I hope our political leaders heed this important message and advance tangible efforts for peace.
Sinwan Basharat, Ottawa
The vote by Parliament on the NDP motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza helps us to imagine what a Pierre Poilievre-led Conservative government would look like. Voting en masse against the motion, it is clear that a Conservative government would not look to international law to bring about a just and lasting peace. It will offer no rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign of collective punishment and starvation in Gaza. Poilievre believes the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is a terrorist organization. The vote proves the Conservative party is no home for voters looking for a ceasefire. The debate on the motion also shows the party refuses to recognize or identify with the suffering of Palestinians, long before Oct. 7, from displacement through ever-expanding illegal settlements.
Ali Manji, Thornhill
Although it is admirable for our political leaders to support a future Palestinian state, it may be more useful to work with other countries to develop a plan to care for the millions of starving people in Gaza. Both the immediate need for tent housing, food, water, and medical care plus the future need to rebuild their cities will require all of us to assist. We need to work with Israel to achieve this goal.
Ken Stock, Port Hope, Ont.