Anthony Housefather among three Liberals who voted against the final motion which called for progress towards a two-state solution
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Quebec Liberal MP Anthony Housefather said Tuesday he is “reflecting” on his future in the Liberal party after a heavily amended NDP motion on Palestinian statehood passed in the House of Commons on Monday.
“I think it’s the first time in my parliamentary career that I’ve had a reflection like this,” a sombre Housefather said Tuesday as he arrived on Parliament Hill.
Housefather was among three Liberals who voted against the final motion, which passed Monday night with a vote of 204 to 117 after extended negotiations between the Liberals and the NDP.
The original version, put forward by NDP MP Heather McPherson, called for Canada to “officially recognize the state of Palestine.” The amended motion adjusted that to recognize Palestinian statehood as part of a two-state solution within a peace process in the Middle East.
It also added language calling for Hamas to lay down its arms, identified it as a listed terrorist organization in Canada and replaced language calling for Ottawa to “suspend all” military goods and technology trade with Israel with a paragraph calling for Canada to stop approving the transfer of “arms exports” to Israel.
The final version was very close to Canada’s existing Middle East policy.
Housefather, along with most major Canadian Jewish organizations, decried the original motion as one-sided, saying it rewarded Hamas for its Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel.
He said the amended version was better but still not one he could support.
Housefather added he doesn’t think his colleagues fully appreciate what Jews around the world are facing amid a “strong wave of antisemitism,” or realize that Israel, the only Jewish state, is the last refuge for Jews “when they’re exiled or thrown out of countries.”
“I didn’t feel like some members of Parliament, or a lot of members of Parliament, understood the existential threat that Israel faces and the fears of Jewish Canadians as a result of what’s happening domestically, what’s happening abroad,” he said.
The Liberals could have chosen to vote against the flawed NDP motion, he said – but “we did not do that.”
“And then we give a standing ovation to the NDP member who sponsored the original motion, and I have to reflect now,” he said.
Housefather added he will have more to say soon.
The other two Liberals who voted against the motion were former public safety minister Marco Mendicino and Manitoba MP Ben Carr.
Both said Tuesday they are not looking to leave the Liberal party even though they could not support the motion.
Mendicino said he did not agree with making more than a dozen “substantive” amendments to a motion at the 11th hour without proper time to reflect and debate.
“Canada must play a constructive role in the Middle East but our foreign policy should not be negotiated on the back of an NDP motion,” he said.
The original NDP motion called for “the unilateral recognition” of the state of Palestine “absent a peace process, which would have been inconsistent with Canada’s well established support for a two-state solution,” he said.
The original motion did call for Canada to work toward a two-state solution, but not alongside its demand that Ottawa recognize the state of Palestine. The final version of the motion bridged the two together.
Last week, Carr said he wouldn’t support the motion because it contained many elements he could not back, including that unilateral recognition.
Carr said you cannot have peace as long as Hamas remains in charge of governing the Gaza Strip, as it has since 2007.
He added many of the amendments reflected his concerns, but there was not enough time to think them through and decide whether to change his vote.
Liberal House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the amendments came after lengthy negotiations on a “complex, delicate and emotional” topic.
He did not apologize for the fact they were introduced so late in the process.
“It took the time it took,” he said.
“I am very proud that almost two-thirds of the Parliament of Canada was able to back something of that level of complexity, and I think that Canadians should be very proud that there was a uniquely Canadian position taken yesterday by their Parliament.”
He said the Liberals are reaching out to Housefather.
“He’s a colleague that I have enormous respect for and who has been an incredible spokesperson for his community, and we’re going to continue talking with Anthony,” said MacKinnon.
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said the Liberals need a voice like Housefather’s in the caucus.
“I have enormous respect for him and the community he represents and I think we all benefit from having people like Anthony among our caucus, so I certainly wish that he would stay with us,” said Champagne.
Yes Mr Honorable Carr, there was totally peace before Hamas. That’s exactly how things work, yes. As in the Zionist were able to genocide in peace, but you know…
“I didn’t feel like some members of Parliament, or a lot of members of Parliament, understood the existential threat that Israel faces and the fears of Jewish Canadians as a result of what’s happening domestically, what’s happening abroad,” he said.
What’s funny is that I feel this way too, but towards this exact kind of liberal Zionist.
The religious Zionism movement and the Jewish supremacy movement are taking a wrecking ball to the foundations in which Israel’s long term security sits.
I think it’s almost a given that Israel in 10 years is going to exist as a very direct country. There’s no going back to the status quo in which the world treated Israel as a respected participant among law abiding nations without a reestablishment of some kind.
Anyone who cares about this project of a stable, democratic homeland for Jews should be linking arms with defenders of Palestine. It is obvious to me at this point that it can’t exist without justice for Palestinians.
Housefather, along with most major Canadian Jewish organizations, decried the original motion as one-sided, saying it rewarded Hamas for its Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel.
The other two Liberals who voted against the motion were former public safety minister Marco Mendicino and Manitoba MP Ben Carr.
Mendicino said he did not agree with making more than a dozen “substantive” amendments to a motion at the 11th hour without proper time to reflect and debate.
The original NDP motion called for “the unilateral recognition” of the state of Palestine “absent a peace process, which would have been inconsistent with Canada’s well established support for a two-state solution,” he said.
The original motion did call for Canada to work toward a two-state solution, but not alongside its demand that Ottawa recognize the state of Palestine.
Liberal House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the amendments came after lengthy negotiations on a “complex, delicate and emotional” topic.
The original article contains 811 words, the summary contains 153 words. Saved 81%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Thing is, there’s no “existential threat” to Israel. If they would just retreat behind the borders suggested by the UN in the late 1940s and stay there, the other nations of the world would defend them to the death. The Israeli government keeps getting greedy and then acts surprised when their fingers get burned.
As for Palestine, turn the lot over to the government of the West Bank and support them in restoring order in the Gaza Strip. It isn’t ideal, but it’s the sanest solution I can see at this point, and it doesn’t reward Hamas.
Thing is, there’s no “existential threat” to Israel. If they would just retreat behind the borders suggested by the UN in the late 1940s and stay there, the other nations of the world would defend them to the death.
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Yes Mr Honorable Carr, there was totally peace before Hamas. That’s exactly how things work, yes. As in the Zionist were able to genocide in peace, but you know…
What’s funny is that I feel this way too, but towards this exact kind of liberal Zionist.
The religious Zionism movement and the Jewish supremacy movement are taking a wrecking ball to the foundations in which Israel’s long term security sits.
I think it’s almost a given that Israel in 10 years is going to exist as a very direct country. There’s no going back to the status quo in which the world treated Israel as a respected participant among law abiding nations without a reestablishment of some kind.
Anyone who cares about this project of a stable, democratic homeland for Jews should be linking arms with defenders of Palestine. It is obvious to me at this point that it can’t exist without justice for Palestinians.
I think you fail to understand that this is the foundation on which Zionism and Israel is built. It cannot be otherwise.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Housefather, along with most major Canadian Jewish organizations, decried the original motion as one-sided, saying it rewarded Hamas for its Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel.
The other two Liberals who voted against the motion were former public safety minister Marco Mendicino and Manitoba MP Ben Carr.
Mendicino said he did not agree with making more than a dozen “substantive” amendments to a motion at the 11th hour without proper time to reflect and debate.
The original NDP motion called for “the unilateral recognition” of the state of Palestine “absent a peace process, which would have been inconsistent with Canada’s well established support for a two-state solution,” he said.
The original motion did call for Canada to work toward a two-state solution, but not alongside its demand that Ottawa recognize the state of Palestine.
Liberal House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the amendments came after lengthy negotiations on a “complex, delicate and emotional” topic.
The original article contains 811 words, the summary contains 153 words. Saved 81%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
… just, he represents another country other than Canada.
Maybe we should get someone who represents Canada. After all, we hated Russian and Chinese interference.
Thing is, there’s no “existential threat” to Israel. If they would just retreat behind the borders suggested by the UN in the late 1940s and stay there, the other nations of the world would defend them to the death. The Israeli government keeps getting greedy and then acts surprised when their fingers get burned.
As for Palestine, turn the lot over to the government of the West Bank and support them in restoring order in the Gaza Strip. It isn’t ideal, but it’s the sanest solution I can see at this point, and it doesn’t reward Hamas.
History has proven this statement to be false.
What history?