Earlier this week, MPs showed themselves to be sharply divided over the war of Hamas against Israel and the ensuing Israeli military response and the human tragedy.Most voters do not have the time to search the House of Commons Hansard to fully read proceedings and they don’t watch the debates on TV. However, there are times when the raw transcript can reveal much about political philosophy and prejudice. With the benefit of a few days consideration, I have chosen just a few extracts of the Hansard record to supplement what the legacy media didn't tell you. First, the original non-binding motion tabled by the NDP reveals the party's historical bias and intent. That is, the motion appeared to create a false equivalency between the state of Israel and the terrorist organization of Hamas. Second comes the Conservative position that would like to position the Government of Canada where it has been for decades, in support of the democratic values that Canada shares the State of Israel. There is, unfortunately, no middle ground.Here follows then, the NDP motion that was passed 204 to 117, along with some amendments, by its NDP sponsors, the Liberals and the Bloc. Only the Conservatives were opposed. Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona – NDP) moved:"Given that,(i) the situation in the Middle East is devastating to many Canadians, particularly those with friends and family members in the region,(ii) the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 30,000, with 70% of the victims women and children,(iii) the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, killed nearly 1,200 people and more than 100 hostages remain in Hamas captivity,(iv) millions of residents of Gaza are displaced and at risk of starvation, death and disease, and Gaza is currently the most dangerous place in the world to be a child,(v) the United Nations reports more than 70% of civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including homes, hospitals, schools, water and sanitation facilities, have been destroyed or severely damaged by Israeli military attacks,(vi) on January 26, 2024, the International Court of Justice ordered six provisional measures, including for Israel to refrain from acts under the Genocide Convention, prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to genocide and take immediate and effective measures to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza,(vii) Israelis are still at risk of attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups including Hamas and Hezbollah,(viii) the forcible transfer and violent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have significantly increased in recent months,(ix) the casualties of the war on Gaza and the Hamas terrorist attack include Canadian citizens,(x) Canadian citizens remain trapped in Gaza, blocked from leaving,(xi) Jewish, Muslim, Arab and Palestinian Canadians have reported an increase in hate-motivated attacks and racism since October,(xii) Palestinians and Israelis both deserve to live in peace, with full enjoyment of their human rights and democratic freedoms,The House calls on the government to:(a) demand an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages;(b) suspend all trade in military goods and technology with Israel and increase efforts to stop the illegal trade of arms, including to Hamas;(c) immediately reinstate funding and ensure long-term continued funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and support the independent investigation;(d) support the prosecution of all crimes and violations of international law committed in the region and support the work of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court;(e) demand unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza;(f) ensure Canadians trapped in Gaza can reach safety in Canada and lift the arbitrary cap of 1,000 temporary resident visa applications;(g) ban extremist settlers from Canada, impose sanctions on Israeli officials who incite genocide, and maintain sanctions on Hamas leaders;(h) advocate for an end to the decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories and work toward a two-state solution; and(i) officially recognize the State of Palestine and maintain Canada’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist and to live in peace with its neighbours.Here's the other perspective, articulated by Conservative MP for Thornhill Melissa Lantsman, who is herself Jewish."Mr. Speaker, on October 7, Hamas murdered, raped and tortured thousands. It murdered thousands of people. This motion does not hold Hamas accountable in any way. It 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. Why is the member rewarding Hamas terrorists for their October 7 massacre in the House of Commons? She should be ashamed of herself."And Conservative Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills)"…a two-state solution cannot be achieved just by a declaration. It can only be achieved through a long, arduous process that will take months, if not years, of negotiations between the two parties at hand: the State of Israel and representatives of the Palestinian people, representatives who have the popular support of the Palestinian people, who have renounced violence and terrorism and who have accepted the rules-based international order.Let me finish by saying that Conservatives support the aspirations of the Palestinian people to have their own state, a Palestinian state that would join the community of nations around the world and would allow the Palestinian people to fulfill their hopes and dreams, a Palestinian state that would contribute to the region's peace and security, like the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has done and like other states have done in the region, a Palestinian state that would give hope, opportunity and ever-increasing prosperity to the millions of Palestinians living in the region and a Palestinian state no longer ruled by Hamas and other terrorist entities that use violence as a means to an end and that have used the Palestinian people for their own enrichment, their own control and their own ends.Conservatives support the State of Israel. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. It has the right to defend itself and has the right to use all legal means necessary under the law of armed conflict to ensure its peace and security. Conservatives see Israel as a democratic partner in the Middle East. Israel, like Ukraine, is at the front line of a clash between a rising authoritarianism backed by states like the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, and democracies like Ukraine and the State of Israel.In this rising clash between two very different models of governance, there is no doubt where Canada's interests and Canada's values lie. We stand with liberal democracies like Ukraine and the State of Israel. For all these reasons, Conservatives will not be supporting the motion before the House."
Earlier this week, MPs showed themselves to be sharply divided over the war of Hamas against Israel and the ensuing Israeli military response and the human tragedy.Most voters do not have the time to search the House of Commons Hansard to fully read proceedings and they don’t watch the debates on TV. However, there are times when the raw transcript can reveal much about political philosophy and prejudice. With the benefit of a few days consideration, I have chosen just a few extracts of the Hansard record to supplement what the legacy media didn't tell you. First, the original non-binding motion tabled by the NDP reveals the party's historical bias and intent. That is, the motion appeared to create a false equivalency between the state of Israel and the terrorist organization of Hamas. Second comes the Conservative position that would like to position the Government of Canada where it has been for decades, in support of the democratic values that Canada shares the State of Israel. There is, unfortunately, no middle ground.Here follows then, the NDP motion that was passed 204 to 117, along with some amendments, by its NDP sponsors, the Liberals and the Bloc. Only the Conservatives were opposed. Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona – NDP) moved:"Given that,(i) the situation in the Middle East is devastating to many Canadians, particularly those with friends and family members in the region,(ii) the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 30,000, with 70% of the victims women and children,(iii) the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, killed nearly 1,200 people and more than 100 hostages remain in Hamas captivity,(iv) millions of residents of Gaza are displaced and at risk of starvation, death and disease, and Gaza is currently the most dangerous place in the world to be a child,(v) the United Nations reports more than 70% of civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including homes, hospitals, schools, water and sanitation facilities, have been destroyed or severely damaged by Israeli military attacks,(vi) on January 26, 2024, the International Court of Justice ordered six provisional measures, including for Israel to refrain from acts under the Genocide Convention, prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to genocide and take immediate and effective measures to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza,(vii) Israelis are still at risk of attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups including Hamas and Hezbollah,(viii) the forcible transfer and violent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have significantly increased in recent months,(ix) the casualties of the war on Gaza and the Hamas terrorist attack include Canadian citizens,(x) Canadian citizens remain trapped in Gaza, blocked from leaving,(xi) Jewish, Muslim, Arab and Palestinian Canadians have reported an increase in hate-motivated attacks and racism since October,(xii) Palestinians and Israelis both deserve to live in peace, with full enjoyment of their human rights and democratic freedoms,The House calls on the government to:(a) demand an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages;(b) suspend all trade in military goods and technology with Israel and increase efforts to stop the illegal trade of arms, including to Hamas;(c) immediately reinstate funding and ensure long-term continued funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and support the independent investigation;(d) support the prosecution of all crimes and violations of international law committed in the region and support the work of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court;(e) demand unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza;(f) ensure Canadians trapped in Gaza can reach safety in Canada and lift the arbitrary cap of 1,000 temporary resident visa applications;(g) ban extremist settlers from Canada, impose sanctions on Israeli officials who incite genocide, and maintain sanctions on Hamas leaders;(h) advocate for an end to the decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories and work toward a two-state solution; and(i) officially recognize the State of Palestine and maintain Canada’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist and to live in peace with its neighbours.Here's the other perspective, articulated by Conservative MP for Thornhill Melissa Lantsman, who is herself Jewish."Mr. Speaker, on October 7, Hamas murdered, raped and tortured thousands. It murdered thousands of people. This motion does not hold Hamas accountable in any way. It 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. Why is the member rewarding Hamas terrorists for their October 7 massacre in the House of Commons? She should be ashamed of herself."And Conservative Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills)"…a two-state solution cannot be achieved just by a declaration. It can only be achieved through a long, arduous process that will take months, if not years, of negotiations between the two parties at hand: the State of Israel and representatives of the Palestinian people, representatives who have the popular support of the Palestinian people, who have renounced violence and terrorism and who have accepted the rules-based international order.Let me finish by saying that Conservatives support the aspirations of the Palestinian people to have their own state, a Palestinian state that would join the community of nations around the world and would allow the Palestinian people to fulfill their hopes and dreams, a Palestinian state that would contribute to the region's peace and security, like the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has done and like other states have done in the region, a Palestinian state that would give hope, opportunity and ever-increasing prosperity to the millions of Palestinians living in the region and a Palestinian state no longer ruled by Hamas and other terrorist entities that use violence as a means to an end and that have used the Palestinian people for their own enrichment, their own control and their own ends.Conservatives support the State of Israel. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. It has the right to defend itself and has the right to use all legal means necessary under the law of armed conflict to ensure its peace and security. Conservatives see Israel as a democratic partner in the Middle East. Israel, like Ukraine, is at the front line of a clash between a rising authoritarianism backed by states like the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, and democracies like Ukraine and the State of Israel.In this rising clash between two very different models of governance, there is no doubt where Canada's interests and Canada's values lie. We stand with liberal democracies like Ukraine and the State of Israel. For all these reasons, Conservatives will not be supporting the motion before the House."
