CIJA angered and disappointed by passage of amended NDP motion

Ottawa, ON – March 18, 2024 – Tonight, an amended version of the New Democratic Party (NDP)’s non-binding Canada's actions to promote peace in the Middle East motion passed in the House of Commons.

In response, Shimon Koffler Fogel, President and CEO, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, issued the following statement:

"The Canadian Jewish community strongly objects to the passage of a non-binding New Democratic Party (NDP) motion related to the current conflict in Gaza. While the removal of the very problematic clause calling for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state is an important result of the substantial mobilization of the pro-Israel community, the fact that the NDP failed to achieve its core objective is of little comfort. We are angered and deeply disappointed that the Liberal government has chosen to effectively sub-contract Canadian foreign policy to anti-Israel radicals within the NDP and the Bloc Québécois.

"By supporting today’s amended motion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is demonstrating a failure of moral leadership that will result in Canada being perceived as an unreliable partner on the world stage – one that bends to the whims of political fringes. 

"Not only does the motion undermine longstanding Canadian foreign policy, it is also misguided and disingenuous. It will not effectively address the humanitarian crisis. It will not liberate Gazans from the tyrannical rule of the Iranian proxy, Hamas. It will not promote peace. It is shameful that the Liberal government has drawn moral equivalence between Israel, a declared democratic ally, and Hamas, a Canadian government-listed terrorist entity.

"We are equally concerned the motion will further fuel the increased animosity towards the Jewish community in Canada that has plagued our streets since Hamas’ depraved and unprovoked attack that resulted in the barbaric murder of more than 1,200 innocent men, women, and children in Israel and the kidnapping and brutalization of more than 250 others.

In Toronto alone, it was announced today that hate crime is up 93%, with a majority of those crimes targeting Canada’s Jews.

"It is very worrying that passage of this motion could be used to further embolden the antisemitic protests we have seen targeting the Jewish community under the guise of demonstrating against Israel.

"We commend the principled stance shown by the Conservative caucus that voted against the motion, along with Liberal MPs Ben Carr, Anthony Housefather, and Marco Mendicino, and independent MP Kevin Vuong."

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