Canada’s support for the UN ceasefire motion in the Israel-Hamas conflict draws criticism, sparking debate over policy shifts and principles amidst global perspectives. Photo Credit: Eduardo Muñoz/Reuters
Weak men make for hard times. Trudeau and his Liberal government are largely composed of weak men and women, incapable of doing the right thing if the decision is difficult or if votes are potentially at stake. Canada’s decision to support the United Nations’ motion to call for an unconditional ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war is just the latest indication of our weak and unprincipled federal government’s lack of capacity to differentiate between right and wrong, and its inability or refusal to understand the true nature of the conflict and its lengthy and complex history.
Canada’s UN vote this week was an abrupt departure from Canada’s longstanding record of support for its ally, democratic Israel. As recently as October, the UN voted on a resolution that called for a “humanitarian truce” in the war that did not specifically mention Hamas and the fact that Hamas’ obscenely vicious and unprovoked attack on Israeli civilians started the war on October 7. Canada’s representative at the UN, Bob Rae, opposed the resolution as he noted that the role of Hamas had been ignored in the text, and he proposed an amendment which included Hamas’ culpability. The amendment was not supported by the majority at the UN, so Canada abstained from the vote. Abstaining is still a wimp-out, and a vote in opposition would have been much more powerful, but at least Canada did not support the motion.
How things have changed in just a few weeks. Prior to this week’s vote on support for an unconditional ceasefire, Canada issued a joint statement with Australia and New Zealand that placed more conditions on Hamas in the event of a ceasefire, such as releasing all hostages, stopping the use of human shields and laying down arms. None of these elements were included in the UN resolution, which had the effect of blaming Israel for the conflict. Yet Canada weakly abandoned its demands that Hamas also be required to meet certain conditions, and voted in favour of the UN resolution anyway. Even US President Biden, hardly a steadfast pillar of moral rectitude himself, ensured that the US vote against the motion.
In the wake of the UN vote, there have been a number of media stories stating that Israel is losing the support of global opinion. This effectively means that the terrorists are gaining traction in the eyes of the general public. This is an outcome beyond belief. One of Hamas’ leaders, their Chairman Ismail Haniyeh, thanked the UN and all the countries, such as Canada, who voted in favour of this ridiculous resolution. Let’s hope Trudeau, his colleagues and the Canadians that still support them feel great about this endorsement from the murderous terrorists. This unconscionable outcome cannot be permitted to stand.
To their great credit, some Liberals have spoken out against their colleagues’ support of the UN motion. MP Anthony Housefather, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, who is Jewish, has been particularly vocal in saying he does not agree with Canada’s stance at the UN. Good on him to take a principled stand. There are, however, many Muslim MPs who are perfectly happy with Canada’s reversal of its longstanding support of Israel. Since there are many more Muslim votes than Jewish votes in Canada, it is not surprising that the Trudeau government would sacrifice principle to gain votes. It did this recently by undermining its own signature policy of the carbon tax by giving an exemption to Atlantic Canada as it was costing Liberal votes, so clearly, crass concerns about votes rule over doing the right, principled thing for these Liberals.
For their part, Israel has stated that the non-binding UN vote will not change their behaviour or stop their attacks to eliminate Hamas. As so many people seem incapable of understanding, Israel and global Jewry is in an existential battle for their continued existence. There is no grey area in this debate. As stated by Israel’s Ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, “There is no alternative. In our eyes, this is a binary choice. Either you live or you die. Hamas wants to kill you. So if you stop fighting, they will kill you.” Considering that Hamas representatives have said on numerous occasions that their goal is to kill all Jews on the planet, and that they would be happy to repeat October 7 over and over again, you can’t blame Israel for believing these terrorists.
The UN has a long history of anti-Israel votes and anti-Jew sentiments, as so many of its members hail from Muslim countries and others which oppose Israel’s very existence. At this point in time, it is high time the UN was disbanded as it doesn’t perform any useful functions on the global stage and seems to mostly exist to perpetuate existing prejudices and long-standing international tensions.
There was a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 6. It was violated by Hamas. Even the recent temporary cessation of hostilities for several days to permit humanitarian supplies into Gaza was broken by random bombings and attacks by Hamas. Hamas has demonstrated on so many occasions it cannot be trusted that it is unbelievable there would be any support for its goals by Canada or any other supposedly civilized democratic country.
It is truly unfortunate there is no moral clarity in the current Canadian government, and the country is much the poorer for it. I can’t help but wonder if these folks had been in charge about 80 years ago, during the Second World War, whether they would have asked for Adolf Hitler to be cut some slack as well.
She has published numerous articles in journals, magazines & other media on issues such as free trade, finance, entrepreneurship & women business owners. Ms. Swift is a past President of the Empire Club of Canada, a former Director of the CD Howe Institute, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages, past President of the International Small Business Congress and current Director of the Fraser Institute. She was cited in 2003 & 2012 as one of the most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network & is a recipient of the Queen’s Silver & Gold Jubilee medals.
