QUESTION PERIOD — Foreign Affairs
Canada's Vote at the United Nations
December 1, 2020
I have a supplementary question for the government leader. Senator Gold, Canada has a long-standing history, one that dates back to then-Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, and was adhered to very steadfastly by the former prime minister and the Harper government, of not voting against the State of Israel, and always stood steadfastly with the State of Israel and did not support resolutions that seek to delegitimize the Jewish state.
Last year, when your Liberal government broke with this principled position, it was because of Justin Trudeau’s attempt to secure a UN Security Council seat, and that was of course just to upstage the former government, and we saw how that turned out. But now your government has done it again and has made it clear that this is your position going forward — to vote against Israel when it is prejudicially singled out by dictators and despots at that United Nations that has become a fiasco right now.
My question to you is very simple: What has happened to your principles, and why has this government chosen not to stand by the State of Israel and not stand by the only beacon of hope and the only democracy we have in the Middle Eastern region?
Thank you for your question. As your colleague Senator Frum underlined in her statement earlier today, the vote has been disappointing to large segments of the community, especially but not exclusively the Jewish community, and I understand that well, as most of you would know.
However, honourable senators, with respect, it is not the case that Canada is not standing with Israel. If you take a fair look at the number of resolutions that have been put before the UN and Canada’s voting record on those, it is overwhelmingly in support of Israel, notwithstanding this one continuation of a change to which you referred. Canada and Israel are strong allies. Israel relies upon Canada and Canada upon Israel for economic cooperation and cooperation in many other domains.
Though I understand the disappointment when the government continued on this one particular motion amongst many, it is simply not the case that this represents an abandonment of principles. On the contrary, Canada stands with Israel as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East and as a strong and enduring ally.
