Elections 2025: “Many Canadians want to vote for politicians who can take a stand on genocide.”

Since March 18, the Israeli army has resumed its bombardments in Gaza, ending the ceasefire that was established in January. Since then, the human toll has increased, reaching 1,000 deaths. Meanwhile, in Canada, federal elections have been taking place since March 23. Defenders of Palestinian rights see this as an opportunity to impose the Israeli-Palestinian question in the political debate.

Mobilizations in support of Gaza have continued to grow in the country since October 2023. Demonstrations, petitions, awareness campaigns — a growing portion of the Canadian population is calling for a stronger government position against Israel's military operations. This movement is also reflected politically: voters and activists are organizing to make the Palestinian cause a major electoral issue.

A mobilization that is gaining momentum

Thursday 27 March. Haya appears on our computer screen. Her smile contrasts with the frustration she says she is experiencing during this election period. The young woman of Palestinian origin is one of the figures behind Vote Palestine, a non-partisan campaign that seeks to put the issue of Palestinian rights at the heart of the Canadian electoral debate. We meet her by video conference, as she has been on a series of calls and meetings since the campaign was launched just two weeks ago.

“Since October 2023, we have seen that Canada is very, very complicit in the Israeli genocide, whether through investments, diplomatic support or even the export of arms and military components,” she begins.

For Vote Palestine, the objective is twofold. “On the one hand, we want to show that we will no longer tolerate Canadian complicity. (...) We also want to show that we have a voice that has been strengthened since October 2023,” explains Haya. She then explains: “It is the voters who have the power to give a seat to deputies. If they want our support, they have to listen to us. They need to listen to the demands of Canadians, Arabs, Palestinians and Muslims who put this issue at the heart of their concerns.”

“With the Vote Palestine campaign, we show that this issue is not just about Palestinians: many Canadians want to vote for politicians who can take a stand on genocide,” she says.

Launched on 11 March, Vote Palestine federates a network of 135 organizations — including the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Quebec coalition Urgence Palestine and the organization Independent Jewish Voices — representing nearly 2 million people who officially support the platform, notes the site.

The initiative closely follows the positions of the candidates and is actively involved in several constituencies. Volunteers send emails to candidates presenting their demands and offering to sign them if they agree. These efforts then identify those who support Vote Palestine's demands and make this information accessible to voters.

The five main demands of Vote Palestine

1. Impose a bilateral arms embargo between Canada and Israel.

2. Denounce anti-Palestinian racism and protect freedom of expression in Canada on the Palestinian issue.

3. Protect and fund humanitarian interventions in Gaza.

4. End Canada's involvement in illegal Israeli settlements

5. Officially recognize the Palestinian state.

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As of April 3, 152 federal candidates have declared themselves in favor of the Vote Palestine platform: 107 from the New Democratic Party (NDP), 9 from the Liberal Party and 36 from the Green Party. Among them were two leading political figures: Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP, and Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, who publicly endorsed the platform.

“Politicians are feeling pressure from their voters, and some are finally starting to take a principled stand on Palestine,” notes Haya.

“I don't think a politician who turns a blind eye to genocide can seriously address the housing crisis or mounting instability.”

Among these voters who intend to make Palestine a central issue in the election, Amina*, a 25-year-old woman from Montreal, will vote for the second time in federal elections.

In 2019, she made her choice based on other criteria. But this time, she feels a break. “Palestine is a big question in this election. And we saw that the last government played a role in the genocide. We want it to stop.”

In a sullen tone, she continues: “Palestine is my red line, because a politician who is silent or complicit in genocide, I don't think he will have my Palestinian or Canadian interests at heart.” She insists: “I don't think that a politician who turns a blind eye to genocide can seriously address the housing crisis or mounting instability,” she insists. "It's a question of values!"

After a sigh, she goes on: “We are going through a difficult time. That's why we have to ask for more from our politicians, more than usual. They need to be a little afraid of us. If they don't respect that, they're not going to get our votes.”

Announcements of humanitarian aid were not enough to convince her. “I saw that Mélanie Joly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, had signed a $100 million shipment to Gaza. But that doesn't make it go away the fact that, during the genocide, she did nothing to stop it. It's going to take a lot more than that.”

For her, the Vote Palestine campaign is a new way of demanding accountability. “It's a key moment. If politicians want our votes, they need to understand that this issue is non-negotiable. We don't want any more half-measures. They have to accept each and every one of our demands.”

She paused and resumed in a sullen tone: “As a Canadian, I don't want my government to be on the wrong side of history. Our country claims to defend human rights, so now is the time to prove it.”

“An option that seems more coherent to me”

“I am a Conservative, but I am going to vote for the Liberal Party in the next election because of the events in Gaza and the position of the Conservative Party of Canada on the subject,” Tristan* tells us by email.

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On the third day of the elections, his observation illustrates the increasingly intense dilemma that some voters are experiencing. A government official, Tristan prefers to remain anonymous because of his duty of restraint.

“I have always had a fairly conservative political sensibility. Historically, I voted for the Conservative Party, even though support for Israel has always been clear,” he explains on the phone. However, with the passage of time and his personal experiences, his vision changed.

Having travelled often to the Middle East, he understood that conflicts were not simple topics for political discussion: they governed the daily lives of populations. “We are talking about an entire region that has been erased in almost 70 years. And now they want to erase what's left. And Israel publicly assumes it. The ironic thing is that Western politicians are staying silent on the issue.”

According to him, “if the leaders are not saying anything, it is for questions of financing and electoral calculations in various constituencies.” He sees the unwavering support for some of Israel's positions as a reflection of the influence games behind the scenes, much more than a sincere stand.

This position prompted him to reconsider his political choices. If he dismisses the NDP, which he considers too left-wing and far removed from his economic and social values, he sees Mark Carney as a more centrist and balanced alternative. “The Liberal Party remains at the centre of the political landscape, especially in a context of polarization. It is an option that seems more coherent to me,” he confides.

A Canadian foreign policy at odds with its own principles

Antonius Rachad, a retired sociology professor and expert on conflicts in the Middle East, has seen Canada evolve during his 55 years of living in Quebec. Of Egyptian and Syro-Lebanese origin, he says he is above all “pro-human rights” and not “pro-Palestinian”. It is through this prism that he analyzes the Canadian position on Gaza.

“Canada has never been a major power in the region; rather, it plays a secondary role behind the United States,” begins the specialist. However, he recalls his dual approach: “Canada is offering humanitarian support to Palestinians, while adopting an ambiguous political position.”

In humanitarian terms, the country does indeed play a role. In particular, it finances UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), which provides vital aid to Palestinians. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) also supports social and economic development projects in the occupied territories.

But this posture conflicts with Ottawa's foreign policy. On paper, Canada presents itself as being very close to international law. You can thus read on the site of Global Affairs Canada the following:

“Canada recognizes the right of Palestinians to self-determination and supports the creation of a sovereign, independent, viable, democratic and contiguous Palestinian state.”

“Canada does not recognize the permanent control exercised by Israel over the territories occupied in 1967 (the Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip).”

Source: Global Affairs Canada

However, in fact, the country is in line with Israeli and American interests, relegating the Palestinian cause to the background, notes the expert: “Canada shows its support for the Palestinian people in its official statements, but first and foremost on its site puts “support for Israel and its security” on its site. Today, however, it is the security of the Palestinians that is the most threatened.”

This commitment to Israel was reflected in particular in the sending of arms to the IDF. A report published on 26 March by Project Ploughshares — a Canadian peace research institute — reveals in particular that the Quebec company General Dynamics (GD-OTS-Canada) signed a $78.8 million contract in September 2024 to supply artillery propellants (propulsion products) to Israel, even as the bombardments on Gaza continued.

This agreement was validated by the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) on September 26, 2024, just two weeks after Minister Mélanie Joly blocked the sale of 50,000 “high-explosive” mortar cartridges in the face of pressure from defenders of human rights. At the time, she assured that “no form of weapon” made in Canada would be used in the Gaza Strip, and that the country would prevent any export of arms or military components that could be used in Gaza, including through the United States.

Canadian elections: a tough choice for citizens concerned about the situation in Gaza

Faced with this ambiguous policy, what can Canadians concerned about the situation in Gaza hope for? According to Mr. Rachad, an expert on conflicts in the Middle East, the prospects are not encouraging.

“If conservatives come to power, there will be no reference to international law. Support for Israel will be total, and humanitarian aid to Palestinians will disappear,” he said.

On the other hand, he believes that liberals may also not react as defenders of Palestinian rights hope to Israel's attacks. While Justin Trudeau, while still Prime Minister, had declared that an arrest warrant would be issued against Benyamin Netanyahu if he set foot on Canadian soil, Mark Carney remained silent in the face of the resumption of bombings. This silence was all the more striking as two influential figures from his own party, Meyer Weinstein and Marco Mendicino, voted against the ceasefire. The organization Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPMO) gave Mark Carney a D+ in the area of defense of Palestinian rights, due to its lack of public statements on the subject.

According to Antonius Rachad, citizens concerned about the situation in Gaza will therefore have to make a difficult choice. Indeed, voting for the NDP — which takes a more critical position against Israel — is likely to be counterproductive, as it could encourage the Conservatives to win. “If the vote is divided between Liberals and NDP, the Conservatives pass. You have to analyze things riding by riding: if the Conservatives are in second place, then you have to vote Liberal, even if reluctantly.”

“Cover your nose and vote liberal”, advises the expert to citizens concerned about the Palestinian issue. Not out of inclination, but to “avoid the worst,” he concludes.

At the time of writing, the Liberal Party of Canada had not answered our questions about the appointment of Marco Mendicino as Prime Minister's Chief of Staff and the repercussions that decision could have.

Nor did the Conservatives answer our questions, including questions about their policies on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Will the demands of defenders of Palestinian rights be heeded? To date, no political party has clearly spoken out on the Palestinian question in its official commitments. However, the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois, and the People's Party of Canada have all taken a stand on the war in Ukraine.

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