The fact he’s left federal politics won’t stop him from being a strong advocate for Israel, former foreign affairs minister John Baird stressed to an audience of about 150 people at a gala held Nov. 7 in support of Canadian Hadassah-Wizo (CHW).
Baird and retired Col. Natan Barak, founder and CEO of mPrest Systems and leader of Israel’s Iron Dome Command and Control System Development, were the keynote speakers at the “I love Israel” gala, held at the Eaton Chelsea Hotel.
Barak spoke first, delivering a presentation on the different types of rocket threats Israel faces and way the Iron Dome works to protect Israelis.
Baird then listed the “few people, or perhaps more than a few people,” who he said were happy to see him leave foreign affairs, including “the foreign policy elites in Ottawa, the gang at CBC, the go-along-to-get-along types at the United Nations, and those who long for the return of that mushy phrase, ‘Canada as an honest broker.’” But he emphasized that he’ll continue to be vocal in his support for the Jewish People and Israel.
“I will continue to be an outspoken advocate for the truth, for the only liberal democracy in the Middle East, for the Jewish state,” he said, drawing applause.
In addition to expressing admiration for the Jewish People for “accomplishing what they have on such a small strip of land in a really tough neighbourhood,” and for Israel as the most economically prosperous country in the Middle East and “a beacon of light in a part of the world where all too often darkness prevails,” Baird said it was one of the greatest privileges of his life to work to strengthen the bonds of friendship between Canada and Israel.
He traced his commitment to Israel back to 1993, when he was in his 20s and spent four months working for a cabinet minister in the ministry of foreign affairs during the brief government of prime minister Kim Campbell.
He described being at a briefing about rockets falling on Metula and asking a public servant what Canada would do about it, such as issue a statement, bring it up at the UN or talk to its allies. Baird said the bureaucrat said something he’d never forget: that Canada “[doesn’t] get involved in things like this, because it’s hard to tell the white hats from the black hats.”
Baird detailed his reaction: “I drew a picture of a white hat and a black hat. Under the white hat, I put Israel. Under the black hat, I put Hezbollah. Under the white, I put liberal democracy, and under the black, I put terrorist organization. Under the white, I put our friend, and under the black, I put our enemy.” He added, “Ladies and gentlemen, it couldn’t be any more black and white than that.”
He said he decided right then that if he were ever in a position to change Canada’s approach, he’d do so.
When he became foreign affairs minister, he instructed his officials to change every vote Canada had previously made in support of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN General Assembly, so that Canada was no longer “joining the pile-on and singling out Israel for condemnation each and every year.”
His officials warned that “all hell would break loose” and that Canada would face an immediate trade boycott by the Arab world. But Baird said Canada went ahead and changed its votes and didn’t get a single question about it in the House of Commons, nor did his press secretary receive a single call from the parliamentary press gallery, nor did then-Palestinian Authority prime minister, Salam Fayyad raise the issue with Baird when the two met.
Baird said that too often, Israel and the Jewish People are on the frontlines in fighting terrorism, confronting groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Canada needs to stand with them. “We call out those who excuse [terrorism] or perversely seek to justify it under the guise of moral relativism,” he said.
Baird concluded by stressing that Israel has no greater friend than Canada and that by “working together, I know we can make this relationship even stronger in the weeks, months and years ahead.”
