By Shimon Koffler Fogel, CIJA CEO, Times of Israel
For many in the pro-Israel community, the election of a new federal government has raised questions about the future of the Canada-Israel relationship and whether the unparalleled friendship developed over the last decade will prove to be durable or anomalous. These questions reflect the strength of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s record, which brought bilateral ties to new heights, rather than any deficiency in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s orientation toward the Jewish state.
Although Trudeau and Harper’s tone and style are dramatically different, Mr. Trudeau has been unequivocal, both as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister, that support for Israel will remain a fixture of Canadian foreign policy under his stewardship, firmly rooted in a cross-party consensus and reflecting shared values, interests and opportunities.
The Trudeau government has been tested early on this pledge. Consistent with his longstanding opposition to theboycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Israel, which he has called “an example of the new form of antisemitism in the world,” Mr. Trudeau criticized new EU labeling guidelines for Israeli products as an instance of “initiatives that single out Israel above all others.”
Canada’s new Prime Minister also made a point of meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the recent Paris climate change talks. The new Canadian Prime Minister indicated his desire to accept Mr. Netanyahu’s invitation to visit Israel again – Trudeau first visited Israel in 2008 with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) – and to “continuing the strong friendship that Canada has shown towards Israel for decades and will continue in ongoing times.”
While these statements and gestures are important, actions speak louder than words. Perhaps the most significant test so far of continuity in the Canada-Israel relationship occurred at the UN General Assembly toward the end of 2015. The Trudeau government maintained Canada’s principled vote, which began under Paul Martin and became further entrenched under Stephen Harper, opposing the GA’s annual series of one-sided resolutions condemning Israel.
The Trudeau government will have to overcome some challenges with which the previous government did not have to contend. First, the Liberal Party is not monolithic in its orientation toward Israel and the Middle East. There will be internal pressure on the Prime Minister to shift Canada’s support for Israel.
Second, Liberal governments have traditionally fostered closer relationships with the public service than their Conservative counterparts. Within this context, Ministerial staff will need to exercise a degree of vigilance to ensure policy development and implementation closely reflect the Prime Minister’s vision.
Third, the Trudeau government has repeatedly emphasized a more multilateral approach to international relations, which can invite pressure to abandon more independent-minded positions in favour of an anti-Israel international consensus.
Last week, a CIJA delegation held its first meeting with Canada’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Dion. The atmosphere at the meeting was warm, with Mr. Dion expressing a keen desire to work closely with CIJA on a range of files of interest to the Jewish community. The Minister emphasized that Canada’s substantive policy vis-à-vis the Middle East would not change, noting that the government would like to play, in their view, a more active role in contributing to regional peace and stability.
Minister Dion underscored Canada’s commitment to Israel and enthusiastically pledged to grow the bilateral relationship with a particular emphasis on expanding trade. With regard to the Palestinians, he noted a desire to assist in helping foster circumstances in which they will feel a vested interest in pursuing peace with Israel.
Perhaps the most striking shift pending in Canadian foreign policy pertains to Iran, a country with which Canada currently has no direct diplomatic relations. Minister Dion cautioned against interpreting any Canadian re-engagement as a sign of accepting Iran’s human rights record or the negative role in the region. Rather, it reflects the new government’s belief that it is better to dialogue and engage with countries, even if there are strong disagreements.
While there will be differences in tone and approach, the fundamental goals of Canadian foreign policy in the Middle East are unchanged. Canada remains a strong ally – a term Dion has used repeatedly – and close friend of the Jewish state, continuing a mutually beneficial partnership that has advanced the two democracies’ shared values and interests for almost 70 years.
OMG !! The liberals have made their first big move against Israel
Of course the first small move was to “appoint Omar Alghabra to Foreign Affairs — Global Affairs, the Liberals call it now — as Parliamentary Secretary to the foreign minister.”
……
Brian Lilley reviews a statement from “Global Affairs Canada” indicating that Canada will go back to its “honest broker” role in the Middle East, pointing out the shocking moral equivalence applied despite violence coming predominantly from one side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LRZE7VBNj0
Only the beginning, only the beginning. The fakery is gone. Justin is turning loose the wolves.
If Trudeau can put the final nail in the coffin of Israel he will be very very proud.
A jihadist in the white house and a Jihadist in Ottawa. Can things get any worse?
“Community and change” Now all can see the hollow lie in these words.
lsatenstein Said:
You posted trolling propaganda , not facts. You are an eight year old in your mommy’s basement using her computer trying to annoy the adults Trolls with bad intent need insults. You eat excrement, you live in excrement, your words are excrement and you are the mother fracker of all of excrement.
You are waging propaganda Jihad, you don’t deserve any polite response
You deserve nothing but abuse and insults.
I suggest you take you excrement propaganda and stuff it up the source of your excrement and stop letting said excrement spill out of your mouth and go back to the Hades of excrement where you came from.
No virgins for you or your friends here, Baghdad Bob.
Hi Moses
Are you yet had bar-mitzvah? My 5 year old granddaughter has a better vocabulary than you and shows a lot smarter.
You show me that you are about 8 years old in supplying examples of where I was wrong. In fact, you and your friend should get out of diapers and find a library book to explain manners and how to research and debate a topic.
Look at my posting. Nowhere was there an insult, or anything defamatory. I posted facts.
You and baba only post insults. Small small minds. Age 12.
You might also like to review one of the last 6 from the 10 commandments.
Do not covet! Get your own brains.
@ lsatenstein:
I understand you are some kind of “Troll of the Season” around here.
I hereby award thee the semi-annual “Baghdad Bob” award – it is a great honour. along with the award comes a lifetime subscription of crows delivered to your door fried and ready to eat.Please contact your nearest mosque to pick up your prize – tell them moses sent you.
lsatenstein Said:
..
“Canadians” have nothing to do with anything – the power lies with the Liberal Radical Left.
I already explained it to you – you didn’t listen – you are too busy waving the patriotic flag of Foolishness.
I have the right to call a fool a fool because I am from a Western Democratic country and you are a Fool’s Fool
In fact your are the Emperors of Fools.
And even worse a fool without a brain.
Do you even know who Omar Alghabra is and the appointment Trudeau gave him? Did you know that Trudeau recited the shadada in an Canadian Al Qaeda mosque? He has technically converted to Islam. .He is importing hundreds of thousands of Jew Haaters into Canada with the full knowledge of who they are.
You are not just a foolishness Jew , you are a walking deaadd foolish Jew praising your murdererrs.
..
And like I said before I will come back here and double rub this in your fool’s face when Trudeaus’s Islamic excrement hits the fan then the excrement will shower all over your fool’s face and when you open your mouth you will be eating that excrement so and my advice to you is don’t open your mouth because what is left of your fool’s brains will fall out.
Hi Max
This is the fool, deaf and dumb, and all else that your upbringing has given you the right to call someone.
You and babuska display small thoughts and small minds. Small vocabularies and insults from small uninformed and I would say, uneducated people.
Don’t like what I respond with? Present a counter argument. Show the readers where Canadians have moved one iota away from Israeli Support.
As an aside. Trudeau’s home in Outremont is in the heart of the Hassidic community. Guess who voted him in. Now you will retort with stupidities against my in-laws, the Bels, and Lubovitchers and my landsmen.
They Hassidim elected Trudeau in his riding with a large majority. I am not in his riding, but my member of parliament, a Jew, a staunch pro-Israeli, was a macabee games participant, and is a staunch Canadian. Further more, I am a member of the Liberal party, and I know what is going on within the party.
My closing comments to each of you. Engage brains before opening mouth.
lsatenstein Said:
I unequivocally state you are a foool and deaf dummb and blind to boot.I’m going to bookmark this and rub it in your face when Trudeau makes his move and attempts to help his Jihadist friends to exterminate Israel. He’s saving his power for when it counts and he can strike with deadlier force – just like Obama did. Trudeau is the radical left , more left than left – he has made pacts with his radical Muslim base when the crisis hits the fan he will help them with their agenda not Israel.
Remember they hate Israel because of the Jews not because it is Israel.
..
Trudeau has fixed it so that Canada will no longer be safe for Jews, His Jihadist immigrants and the “moderates” already here will soon start to kill Jews like they do in Europe. I predict that as well – they are already beating them up – it’s only a matter of time before they start killing them.
I am a Canadian, and I unequivocally state that what you read in the above report about Canada’s support for Israel is actual.
Canada has a firm committed, non-reversable support for Israel.
Point – finale.
babushka, ha ha ha to you. Become analytical and serious, and some of your postings wont be laughed at. Ha ha ha ha
The Muzzies are the Chosen People Of The Left.
And the Muzzies want to exterminate Jews.
Ergo, impassioned leftist declarations of Judeophilia notwithstanding, liberals are the allies of the enemy.
Therefore, liberals are the enemy.
.
bwhaaa ha ha ha ha
bwhaaa ha ha ha ha
snicker snicker
{Sarcasm}(For more information contact Omar Alghabra the Parliamentary Secretary to the foreign minister who is in charge of Canadian Embassies worldwide.) {End sarcasm}
And of course no Trudeau promises no more Jews will get beaten up in Canada by Palestinian Jihadist immigrants and no more Jew Haters will be imported into Canada so the Muslim Syrian refugee program is terminated.
Be a smartie, join the Liberal Party.
Now come-on, the truth .Was this piece written in Sidon or Gaza City? or Tehran?