Humiliation loomed, until … at the 11th hour, after debate in the chamber had closed, the Liberal House leader, Steve McKinnon, stood to put forward a series of amendments. The most consequential was a proposal to replace the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state with language more in line with current policy: that Canada would work with international partners to pursue the goal of a “comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, including towards the establishment of a state of Palestine as part of a two-state solution.”
The motion’s sponsor, NDP MP Heather McPherson, agreed to the amendments and Trudeau’s blushes were spared.
We will doubtless find out the quid for this particular quo in the next budget.
The hasty nature of the rescue act was apparent from the fact that McKinnon did not even table a French translation of the amendment.
The whole thing smacked of farce and furtive intrigue. MPs on all sides complained that their parliamentary privileges were infringed because for hours they had debated a motion that, when finally presented for vote, bore little resemblance to the original.
We will doubtless find out the quid for this particular quo in the next budget
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Since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said, “Canada will stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.”
On Monday night, Justin Trudeau’s actions told our Israeli allies, “Canada will stand with Israel until it gets mildly uncomfortable for the Liberal Party.”
Both Ukraine and Israel have been invaded by brutal, sadistic enemies who launched deadly and illegal invasions. To Trudeau, and his Liberal Party who
voted in favour of the NDP motion, only Ukraine can really defend itself.
Standing with Ukraine is the principled position that Canada should take, but so too is standing with Israel, with whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.
And here is where domestic politics, specifically ethnic diaspora politics, enters the equation and changes Canada’s position from one of principle to one of expediency.
There are an estimated 1.3 million Canadians with Ukrainian ancestry, and they have a strong interest is supporting Kyiv. By comparison, there are fewer than 350,000 Jews in Canada but nearly 1.8 million Muslims, a fact not lost on the Liberals as they shifted Canada’s allegiances on Monday.
Both countries are democratic allies of Canada, but Trudeau treats them differently based on votes at home
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