The Trudeau/Dion Liberals voted with the Conservatives to “condemn” those who support a boycott of Israel known as BDS. What next? Over 2000 people have already signed an on-line petition indicating they support BDS and asking to be “condemned”. A growing embarrassment for the Liberals. Read more
The anti-BDS motion adopted in Parliament on Feb. 22nd risks becoming a headache for Justin Trudeau. The motion was proposed by Tory Tony Clement. Trudeau’s Liberals made no secret of the fact that they were not comfortable with the proposed motion, but did not dare oppose it.
Because of Liberal support, the motion, which calls on the government to “condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups or individuals to promote the BDS movement, both here at home and abroad.” is now Canadian policy.
Logically the government should do something. But what, exactly?
Probably Trudeau and Global Affairs Minister Dion (who was not in the house for the vote) would have preferred to let it lie there – a vacuous condemnation with no action.
But now, Thomas Woodley, President of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has sent an open letter to Trudeau challenging him to “condemn me”.
In the letter, Woodley indicates that he actively supports the three main aims of the BDS movement, pointing out that all three are completely consistent with existing official Canadian policy. Further, he reminds Trudeau that BDS is a peaceful, nonviolent and legal way to bring pressure on Israel.
“As you can probably imagine, in the face of your opprobrium, I’m feeling pretty vulnerable now. Nevertheless, I’ve realized that being condemned by Canada’s government, merely for supporting the human rights of Palestinians, might be the most admirable thing I’ll accomplish in my life“, wrote Woodley.
CJPME has circulated an on-line petition asking other Canadians to join his challenge to Trudeau. So far more than 2300 Canadians have asked that they, too, be “condemned”. CJPME hopes many more Canadians will make the same request bringing the total number of signatories to 5000.
In essence, it asks Canadians who support the BDS objectives of:
- An end to the occupation and dismantling the wall
- Equality for Jews and non Jews living inside the State of Israel
- Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of 5 million Palestinian refugees to return
to consider adding their own name to the 2300+ names already gathered.
Woodley’s letter to Trudeau and the growing petition is an embarrassment to many Liberals who wished the government had not voted with the Tories.
But the Liberals did support the Tory motion, it was adopted by Parliament, and the Trudeau government now faces a dilemma:
- Either ignore Parliament’s wishes (and look undemocratic and foolish),
- or try to find a way to punish people who are in favour of a non violent, legal approach to support policies which are consistent with stated Canadian objectives. (and just look foolish).
If you know a Liberal MP, you might ask him or her what the Liberals plan to do now. To be continued…
Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 
Hopefully it might be possible to turn this disingenuous resolution around and agree that it can be consistent to support the policy aims of BDS – human rights and justice for the Palestinians which is official Canadian policy – without necessarily supporting the tactics of BDS which Canadian parliamentarians in their majority do not. Condemning BDS and those who practice it then becomes less or even irrelevant relevant for policy purposes. What should be debated is how to get to the goals of BDS which in most conceptions requires an independent, sovereign state of Palestine to achieve human rights for Palestinians standing beside Israel which seeks to achieve a homeland and civil and human rights for its citizens and the international Jewish community. It is therefore only possible to argue about BDS as a reasonable means to reach such a “two state” solution rather than “condemning those who favour BDS.
What does “…even irrelevant relevant for policy purposes…” mean?
There will never be a two state solution – Ben Gurion made that clear in 1937. Jewish Zionists will kill or ethnically cleanse all Palestians.
That would be great for the Palestinians, problem is, most countries do not want the Zios back.
The state of Israel was created decades ago with boundary’s. What needs to happen is for Israel to have defined internationally agreed boundaries with no further condoning of incursions into Palestinian territories. Nothing short of this will solve the problem of Israel continually taking more land by force while the world looks the other way for fear of being branded anti-Semitic.
The creation of Israel was a mistake. The world did not, and does not, need ethnically biased states. Trying to get this mistake to stop expanding and return to its original boundaries only makes the mistake permanent
So, David, what is your solution?
it’s fantastic – how can non-Canadians join in free speech, boycott Israel and embarrass the Government, all in one move?
Hey Alohamichaeldaly,
I do not understand. Who are the non-Canadians you are referring to? Please elaborate.
May I suggest that the individual is not Canadian, but wants to be included in the process?
Very true. Israel is allowed exceptions all round by our fool governments.
Hey Noz,
Please be careful. This blog is about Canadian understanding of the Israel/Palestine issue. If you want to criticize Israeli policy that is fair game. But attacking Canadian Jews who don’t share your point of view, whether in entertainment, or media or wherever is unacceptable. I also urge you to use respectful language. Using foul language demonstrates your anger, but does not make your case more credible.
Hey Peter, Noz didn’t attack Canadian jews in his comment. You think Noz is angry? Too bad. More and more Canadians are angry. It still hasn’t become a criminal offense to be angry about something. It surely will however if we continue to allow our laws and government to be highjacked by a minute percentage of the population. We’re just as subservient to Israeli first types as the Americans. Have you noticed that Obama’s pick for Scalia’s replacement is jewish? That makes their supreme court top heavy with Israeli first American jews. The jewish population of the USA is about two percent, and soon they may control the scotus. We can expect more malfeasance than “Citizens United” in the future, and it will directly effect us since we’re still being brainwashed into fighting Israel’s wars against their neighbours. The pentagon has an open door policy for war criminals like Axelrod and his ilk, all of whom are fanatical supporters of Israel uber alle. If we are legally refused our right to protest the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Israel, when will the crimes end? PS: Be at peace Rachel Corrie.
You may argue about his language usage and his tarring all Jews with the same brush. He’ll never get a degree in English Literature writing arguments like that. However, you seem to be playing down the main idea of what Noz attempts to get across to the readers, and that is that the Israelis are getting away with human rights abuses and regular killings of Palestinians and it appears that nobody on the planet will stop Netanyahu and his hoodlums from repressing and abusing their neighbors in Gaza. At some point in history, justice MUST prevail. I suppose that once the oil in the region has been removed from world markets due to a dwindling supply, the American War Machine will not need Israel to destabilize the region any longer, at which point the Israelis will lose their fair haired boy status and experience what Iraq and Libya and Iran have experienced when it was no longer politically expedient for the US War Machine to be on friendly terms with them. Unfortunately, for the Palestinians, by that time what is left of them and their country will be occupied by Israeli settlers homes and their population will consist of the Palestinian refugees scattered around the world.
Hey Heather, who cares whether the writers are paid or acting out of legitimate concerns? Lets focus on the arguments, not the people. Best.
EXACTLY – “Nevertheless, I’ve realized that being condemned by Canada’s government, merely for supporting the human rights of Palestinians, might be the most admirable thing I’ll accomplish in my life“, wrote Woodley.
It is sad world that we live in. Unjustis, hypocrisy, lies and deception are the norms.
It may take many generations to correct and wake up from this nightmare. Or it may take a courageous leader of the free world to put stop to it.
Unless their “law” outlaws ALL boycotts and Sanctions it is RACIST and BIGOTED.
Have they outlawed Israel from boycotting anyone? Have they dumped ALL sanctions against Russia and Iran?
Robert, your comment seems to imply that you would like something bad to happen to Mr. Trudeau. I cannot allow that to stand on my blog. I am interested in promoting a free and respectful discussion among Canadians. Please clarify your comment or I will be obliged to erase it.
Zionism is the worst form of fascism ever! I don’t see why Canada would counter the only way, at this point in time, to undo very partially the harm already done, when Canada is the country where the historian Arnold Toynbee demonstrated brilliantly the illegality of the Zionist confiscation of Palestine, its land, its resources, its assets, including prosperous trade with Europe (Yaffa Oranges….), its harbors, its cities, its rivers, its historical monumental monuments, its banks, its private and public libraries, its coast, its sea, its beaches, its fauna and flora, its beautiful starred sky…
People seem to have very short and selective, biased memory when it comes to oppressed non European people, especially with Arabian culture….
Lets put it this way – America and Canada were also founded on stolen land, the same like Israel was. The British had no right to give other people’s country away. So the Americans/Canadians almost exterminated the native population in North-America (120 Million). The German murdered perhaps 10-15 million in WW II and half a million so called Jews out of this crowd lead to the condemnation of the Germans. Britain is the truly leader – during its colonial time Britain murdered over 700 million people.
It is time to boycott also North-America/Canada/UK.
Hopefully this petition will spark off Canada’s wonderful democratic tradition to throw a true light on the BDS movement. – At the very least, to show that the true aim of BDS is actually the end of Israel.
(Norman Finckelstein on this: “…They don’t want Israel. They think they are being very clever; they call it their three tier. We want the end of the occupation, the right of return, and we want equal rights for Arabs in Israel. And they think they are very clever because they know the result of implementing all three is what, what is the result? You know and I know what the result is. There’s no Israel! ..”).
Perhaps it will eventually be shown that a very real and tangible antisemitism is pervasive within BDS, and that it cloaks itself in the language of “human rights”? – At least that is my own considered opinion, based on close-hand observation. I believe I am correct.
I have more faith in Canada’s democratic traditions, than in anywhere else. The BDS bullies ought to be shaking in their boots.
Why is it that one can be against Iranian foreign policy and not get labeled anti-Muslim, and one can be against American foreign policy without being considered anti-Christian, but any-one who is against Israeli foreign policy is an anti-Semite?
Irrationality. Impervious to reason. Imperviousness to anything Israel may say in her defense. For starters. And we’re not really talking about “Israeli foreign policy” are we. Rather we are talking about her right to defend herself. Her historical and moral rights to Palestine. Her recognition of Palestinian rights to same, yet the Palestinian refusal to reciprocate. – When you examine the position of many within BDS, you cannot come to any other conclusion but that there must be some ulterior motive at work. – When you attend their demonstrations, you sense what is in the air… Of course, there is criticism of Israeli government policy that is not antisemitic… But a lot of it is. Just listen to how much of this “criticism” is focused on demonisation, delegitimisation of Israel, and betrays gross double standards, for example. Very little of what they’re saying is actually “criticism”. – I am not Israeli or Jewish, btw, but I am not stupid – I hear exactly what these people are saying, and I can discern intentions there.
BECAUSE WE LET IT HAPPEN.
Trudeau has broken his contract with Canadians first by agreeing to a Conservative motion and then by moving that motion toward becoming law. This as an absolute abscess of decay in the liberal ranks and is abusive to those who have every right to speak their minds regarding the criminality of Israel and to side with the crushed peoples of Palestine.
He, just a Harper did, has proved himself unworthy of the position of Prime Minister of Canada.
To attack freedom of speech and boycott actions he has moved us one step toward a totalitarian style government where only the voice of big lobbies has say.