Honourable senators, Monday marks one year to the day that Canada’s Jewish community woke to the news of their brothers and sisters in Israel being kidnapped and massacred by the genocidal Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. The images that emerged were difficult to watch and believe: entire families bludgeoned or burned alive in their homes, young people at a music festival shot, raped and butchered. Innocent people as young as 9 months and as old as 86 years were kidnapped and dragged to the dungeons of Gaza. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Eight Canadians were among Hamas victims that day: Judih Weinstein, whose body is still being held hostage; peace activist Vivian Silver; Ben Mizrachi, a 22-year-old known for his compassion; Netta Epstein, who jumped on a grenade to save his fiancée; Shir Georgy, known as someone who always radiated light; Adi Vital-Kaploun, a mother of two young children; Tiferet Lapidot, a loving young woman murdered just shy of her twenty-third birthday; and the charismatic Alexandre Look from my hometown of Montreal.

But the horror of Hamas’ actions didn’t end on October 7, as more than 100 hostages remain in Gaza, including the youngest of two Bibas children. Those hostages have endured one full year of starvation, sexual abuse and torture.

Monday also marks one year of the Trudeau government’s overt and despicable abandonment of the Jewish people, both at home and abroad.

Here in Canada, October 7 sparked riots in our streets that continue to this day. Protesters masked themselves and called for violence against Jews in the name of “Free Palestine.” Synagogues and Jewish schools have faced arson and shooting attacks. Yet, this government has failed to criminalize the perpetrators and hold them accountable.

Abroad, we have failed to stand by our ally Israel in its war against Hamas, as well as Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies. Instead of holding UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, to account for its employees’ participation in the October 7 massacre, Justin Trudeau provides it with more taxpayer funds. At the same time, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly brags about cutting Canada’s supply of defensive weapons to Israel.

The war goes on so long as the hostages remain in Gaza, so long as the threat to Israel’s right to exist remains. Canada’s support for Israel and the Jewish people must be unwavering.

It is my hope as we mark the one-year anniversary since October 7 that Israel continues to fight for the return of all hostages and for the destruction, once and for all, of Hamas. It is also my hope that Canada will soon again be considered a friend to the Jewish community and their brothers and sisters in Israel.

May the memory of the 1,200 victims of the October 7 massacre — of Judih, Vivian, Ben, Netta, Shir, Adi, Alexandre and Tiferet — be a blessing. May the hostages come home, and may we have peace in the Middle East and among all Canadians.

Thank you, colleagues.