STIRLING: Why Canada can't stand with Israel on South African genocide claim

Canada’s international partners and its Jewish community are puzzled at the dithering that has gone on over Canada’s statement about the South African motion in the International Court of Justice to declare Israel guilty of genocide. Clearly, it was Israel that was brutally attacked by Hamas, a terrorist organization. Israel’s citizens were tortured and taken hostage; more than 1,200 Israelis were massacred in the most heinous ways. Israel responded with brute force, destroying Hamas enclaves hidden among the houses, apartment blocks, hospitals and schools of the Gazan Palestinian people.To most leaders of democracies that Canada normally partners with, it makes sense to stand with Israel, the only Western-style democracy in the Middle East, against the terrorist Hamas and the upside-down indictment of South Africa.But Canada is cornered by this turn of events.You see, most countries, such as Israel and its friends, would vehemently fight against such a heinous charge of genocide. Canada is probably the only country in the world which has willingly accused itself of genocide.The crime? Establishing Indian Residential Schools, in keeping with Canada’s treaty obligations and with the consent of the chiefs who signed those treaties, in order to educate indigenous children so that they could operate in the modern world, in English or French. Canada is so certain of its guilt that the entire House of Commons, all elected Members of Parliament, voted on October 27 2022 to describe the Indian Residential Schools as genocide, with no debate and no evidence presented.But now of course, millions of people around the world have heard of the ‘mass graves’ discovered at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in May 2021. Actually, the only thing that Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) found was evidence of ‘disturbances.’ Bodies cannot be identified by GPR and it is unlikely any bodies will be found as the ‘disturbances’ happen to lie along a track of ceramic tiles of an old abandoned septic system trench.You see, no one took the time to examine previous land use in that area, which would have shown what these disturbances likely are. But never mind. The area is now fenced off and deemed to be ‘sacred.’ Likewise, no one made the effort to examine the death records of the Kamloops Indian Residential School because, indeed, some children died over the course of 113 years of operation of the Indian Residential Schools — most of them from tuberculosis, which was rampant across Canada until the 1950s.But never mind. The death certificates of the 51 children known to have died while attending the Kamloops Indian Residential School show, for the most part, that the children died at other places than the school, of accidents or illness. Indeed, only 4 children died while at the school.While tragic, it is difficult to claim this is a genocide, particularly since two died of illness and two of accidents. Tragic, to be sure. However, the available death certificates show that in several cases, a parent signed off on the death and the child’s body was typically returned to their Indian reserve for a proper burial. Some genocide.Astonishingly, a bevy of some 22 Canadian lawyers petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hear the case of crimes against humanity and genocide, against their own country — Canada — on June 3 2021, just days after the claimed discovery of 215 bodies at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Amazing that they could put together such a complicated legal brief within less than two weeks of the Kamloops Indian Residential School 'discovery.' Even more amazing, they are accusing Canadians of genocidal crimes against humanity, without a speck of evidence! And unlike the ICJ, which considers civil claims between countries, the ICC adjudicates criminal actions and can prosecute individuals.So, you can imagine how stupid Canadian leaders such as Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly must feel knowing that Canada’s self-inflicted claim of genocide for educating children for a just transition in the “First Industrial Revolution on The Plains” makes a mockery of the real tragedy that first befell the Israelis by the hands of Hamas and by consequence now, the Gazan Palestinians.Parts of Canada and big accounting firms such as Deloitte are on a climate change bandwagon to foist the ultimate climate con of Nature Based Solutions on the populace; other activists are focused on getting “Land Back” as part of Truth and Reconciliation for the alleged Canadian genocide. Those plans are falling apart in the face of what true crimes against humanity look like. Canada is cornered and lacks the courage to stand up for Israel, for democracy and the Judeo-Christian traditions of the West. Because, of course, the Indian Residential Schools were predominantly operated by Christians. Our leaders lack the moral compass to stop the charade of displays of 215 empty shoes and Teddy Bears marking the phantom genocide of Canada, as if somehow the Kamloops Indian Residential School, which featured a near Olympic-sized swimming pool that the children enjoyed, was equivalent to Auschwitz where stacks of shoes of actual Holocaust victims are displayed.Shame. Shame. Shame on those who bear false witness against our history, just to exploit the naivety and goodwill of Canadians to sell us out for carbon credits and critical minerals. For “Land Guardians” and “Land Back” — as if indigenous people are uniquely connected to Mother Nature by ethnicity. And shame on the Canadian government for its disgusting dithering, its fumbling and mumbling while Israel faces a mortal enemy and is accused of a heinous crime.Meanwhile, Canada’s mortal enemy lies within.Michelle Stirling is a Calgary-based writer and author on Kindle.

STIRLING: Why Canada can't stand with Israel on South African genocide claim

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