The NDP declined to comment on former candidate Yavar Hameed (Ottawa West-Nepean, ON) threatening to prosecute Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a friend of Israel, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “My law firm provided notice to the prime minister, the minister of foreign affairs and others with an intention to prosecute Canadian officials for aiding and abetting crimes that have been committed by Israel,” said Hameed at a press conference. Hameed accused Israel of committing war crimes. He added he was prepared to initiate public prosecutions against the RCMP commissioner, attorney general and director of public prosecutions. There are concerns around Canada providing Israel with financial assistance. “It does have a very close relationship with Israel,” he said. “That context is important.”He campaigned for the NDP in Ottawa West-Nepean in the 2021 Canadian election. He finished third, losing to Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld (Ottawa West-Nepean) by 14,726 votes. He co-signed a November 6 petition seeking to contextualize the Israel-Hamas War. “We reject the notion it is antisemitic, hateful or illegitimate to contextualize the October 7 attack,” said the petition’s signatories. “Similarly, we reject the notion it is antisemitic, hateful or illegitimate to express support for Palestinians in the face of ongoing Israeli apartheid and genocide.”The NDP did not reply when asked if it would sign future nomination papers for him. NDP MPs said they condemned the killings of Jews. “The idea the New Democratic Party and myself would not condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack by Hamas is absolutely slanderous,” said NDP MP Heather McPherson (Edmonton-Strathcona, AB). “The fact we have called for a ceasefire and Conservatives refuse to call for that is something very different.”The NDP caucus wrote a letter to Trudeau on November 1 to ask him to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War.READ MORE: NDP sends Trudeau letter to call a ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war“We are horrified by reports of airstrikes near hospitals, schools and cancer facilities,” said the NDP caucus. “We are appalled by the indiscriminate and unjustified bombing by Israel of the Jabalia refugee camp on October 31.”
