Introduction to Canadian Politics
The leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, has experienced a rollercoaster ride in recent months. For several happy months, polls confirmed that Poilievre was poised to become the country’s next prime minister with a significant plurality. Impatient voters had soured on Canada’s spent prime minister, Justin Trudeau, due to the ever-rising costs of living, from groceries to homes. Poilievre and his shadow cabinet exploited the prevailing zeitgeist and seemed destined to wrest power from an exhausted Liberal Party.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A Shift in Political Terrain
Then, Donald Trump returned to the White House, threatening to turn Canada into the fractured union’s 51st state. The political terrain and stakes shifted like a sudden, disorienting earthquake. Fretting Liberals capitalized on the opening by ditching Trudeau and electing a new leader, former banker Mark Carney, as a "serious" antidote to Trump. With election day on the horizon, Liberal fortunes have made a stunning volte-face. Once trailing far behind, the party has edged slightly ahead.
The Palestine Issue
However, for many concerned Canadians, the state-sponsored genocide devouring Palestine and Palestinians is the defining issue of these times. Those same concerned and motivated Canadians have made it plain that genocide is on the ballot, and Canada’s established political parties are obliged to take note, or they will suffer the inevitable and harsh consequences. Last week in Ottawa, scores of Canadians demonstrated their resolve to hold Canada’s political leaders to stiff account if they continue to deny that Israel is guilty of genocide and refuse to put tangible pressure on Tel Aviv to end the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The Power of Arab and Muslim Voters
Arab and Muslim voters make up a sizeable part of the electorate in 90 ridings across Canada, and could tip the scales in more than 40 seats. As a career-long numbers man, Carney surely understands that dismissing or alienating that many Canadians, in that many ridings, only invites disappointment and possible peril. A recent public opinion poll commissioned by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) offers Carney a template for how he can win over Canadians who intend to vote with Gaza and the West Bank top of their minds and souls.
A Call to Action
More than half of Canadians support a ban on weapons exports to Israel. Even more tellingly, almost 50 percent want that ban expanded into a full-blown, two-way embargo. These are not trivial findings. They represent a clear, growing consensus among Canadians who are tired of moral evasions from their leaders. Carney needs to do much more than endorse the loophole-laden arms embargo that Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced in March. If he is serious about justice, Carney has to support a two-way ban, stand with and by the ICC, and insist that Canada will not be a haven for alleged war criminals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Canadian election has become a critical moment for the country’s political parties to take a stand on the issue of Palestine. With the power of Arab and Muslim voters, Carney and Poilievre must reconsider their stance on the issue. Carney still has time to do the right thing, at the right moment, for the right reasons. However, if he fails to take a strong stance against genocide and support the Palestinian people, he will likely pay a lasting and stinging price. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect any editorial stance.
