Canada's Position: Unequivocal

Canada has, under its current Conservative government, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, dedicated itself to battling the endless scourge of anti-Semitism. Recognizing the fragile state of existence of the State of Israel surrounded by hostile neighbours and terrorist groups, some of them state militia proxies, Canada has taken it upon itself diplomatically and politically, to state common cause for, and support of Israel, a sister democracy.

This unequivocal position of support of Israel has traditionally been a tenuous, more equivocal one, in Canada. Within the hallowed halls of the United Nations Canada has, in the past, too often disgraced herself by withholding support, and even on occasion vapidly voting in Arab-led denunciations against the "Zionist entity".

Which, one supposes, translates as one prime minister away from capitulation once again to the uneven, hypocritical majority in the UN.

In the wake of the IDF's "Cast Lead" operation in Gaza, and Canada's expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself against incessant attacks from Hamas, an assortment of Arab diplomats in Canada were delegated to convey their countries' displeasure with Canada's "uneven" stance on the situation. But Canada's response was a well considered one, given the circumstances, and she had nothing to explain.

Canada's Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism has been quite clear in expressing his government's support for Israel, and its determination to present a unified front with the country. Canada is the only country besides Israel itself to announce its withdrawal from participation in Durban 2, the UN conference on racism, knowing full well from previous experience that its singularly odious purpose is to vilify and condemn Israel.

The Government of Canada has taken it upon itself to consistently vote against hypocritical resolutions at various international forums that single Israel out for humiliation and blame for violation of human rights. Claims generally brought against the Jewish State by a compendium of countries whose human rights records are blatantly and punishingly dreadful.

Minister Kenney has no hesitation in condemning the fear- and hate-mongering of established Muslim and Arab groups within Canada who seek to demonize Israel and encourage censorious public opinion against the state. And by extension Jews, wherever they happen to live, including within Canada. Groups such as the Canadian Arab Federation and the Canadian Islamic Congress, whose leading functionaries are resolutely anti-Semitic.

In his address to the inaugural conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Commission for Combating Anti-Semitism that took place in London, England, last week, Minister Kenney quoted Prime Minister Stephen Harper following upon his visit to Auschwitz: "I was moved beyond words by what I saw to revulsion, anger and most of all a deep, aching sadness for the millions of innocents who perished.

"But I also felt hope, hope because of the indomitable spirit and strength of the Jewish people; hope that left behind the horror of the Holocaust and moved forward to build the thriving, modern democratic state of Israel and also hope because today most people in most civilized countries recognize anti-Semitism for what it is, a pernicious evil that must be exposed, confronted and repudiated whenever and wherever it appears, an evil so profound that it is ultimately a threat to us all."