Canada’s legal and moral obligations in the face of the ongoing genocide in Gaza were examined by a three person panel of experts assembled by the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine on June 16th. It seems clear that we are falling short. We discussed why and how we could do better. Read the text and watch the video of the event.

About 140 people gathered at First Unitarian Congregation in Ottawa to hear three experts analyse Canada’s timid response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza from different perspectives.

There was broad agreement that Canada is not living up to the image it has of itself as a moral beacon for the world. But is the glass half full, or half empty? What are the constraints we face? Are trying our best, or are we mostly mouthing empty platitudes? Not all the speakers had exactly the same views.

A lively question and answer period followed the presentations, moderated by Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel Palestine. Some of the discussion focused on the issue of what more we could do as individuals. OFIP shared a brochure with some suggestions on WHAT CANADA SHOULD DO and WHAT WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS.

Follow the links provided below to read the substance of each presentations and to watch the video of the whole two hour event.

PRESENTERS

Dr. Iyas Salim, Adjunct Professor, College of Public and Global Affairs, Carleton University. Dr. Salim shared first hand accounts from friends and family in Gaza today. He also gave a powerful and moving description of his own life in Gaza under Israeli occupation before October 7th, 2023. In commenting on the current situation in Gaza, he quoted from a note from a personal friend. “This is not a war. This is killing for the sake of killing — state terror like we have ever seen before. A live-streamed genocide, visible on everyone’s phones and screens. Gaza has exposed the hypocrisy of the West. Western governments have enabled, protected, and justified Israel’s actions while claiming to stand for human rights and international law,” he said.

Peggy Mason, retired Canadian diplomat and now President of the Rideau Institute, analysed Canada’s legal obligations under international treaty, and outlined the many ways in which our rhetoric exceeds our actual action.

Mason’s main arguments were laid out in her June 15th article in Ceasefire . “there exists a clear and unambiguous legal obligation on all parties to the Genocide Convention, including Canada, to prevent genocide where there is a risk of it being committed. It cannot be said with any semblance of rationality that no such risk has existed for the last twenty months,” she argued.

Hon. Senator Yuen-Pau Woo, an independent Canadian Senator, reviewed some of the constraints facing new Prime Minister Mark Carney and his government in navigating between pressures coming from different directions, both domestic and foreign. Sen. Woo’s speech was reprinted in its entirety on his website. “Even if we do not suffer international legal consequences from our failure to act against an unfolding genocide in Palestine, our international stature will be diminished and any moral authority that we had on human rights issues in other parts of the world will be undermined,” he argued.

At the end of the evening, OFIP Chair summed up what we had learned and identified some steps that need to be taken.

The video recording of the whole event can be found HERE.

Canada Talks Israel Palestine (CTIP) is the weekly newsletter of Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion in Canada about Canada’s response to the complicated and emotional Israel/Palestine issue with a focus on the truth, clear analysis and human rights for all. Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
Want to learn more about us? Go to Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine.ca