TORONTO — The Liberal Party “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the democratic state of Israel. End of story.”
Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff spoke at the Beth Emeth Synagogue last week as part of his “Open Mike” program. In the background is riding MP Ken Dryden. [Cory Pike photo]
That was the first message Liberal party leader Michael Ignatieff told an audience at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue in Toronto last week.
As part of his ongoing “Open Mike” town hall discussions, Ignatieff also responded to a question about an Oct. 7 blog post made by a Liberal candidate in the riding of Toronto-Danforth, Andrew Lang, that criticized Canada’s current policies on Israel, saying they’re too “sycophantic” and that the country should stop “placating” Israel.
Ignatieff said Lang’s comments don’t reflect his party’s position on Israel and that he was “caught by surprise” by them. “We’ve told [Lang] you’re not speaking for the Liberal party and what we think about the necessity for our party to stand by Israel.”
Ignatieff also said Canada’s failure last week to attain a seat on the UN Security Council was “a sad day for Canada.” He noted that while he doesn’t believe the UN “is perfect,” the country has lost a chance to get involved to make it a better institution.
Additionally, he said he realizes that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the current “incarnation of Holocaust denial. I can’t be in the room when that man’s talking. Is that clear? Nor, were I… your prime minister, would I authorize any [government official] to be in the room.”
Ignatieff said the Jewish community should have no doubt that a Liberal government he led would continue to “stand against a regime that stands against everything that right-thinking Canadians represent.”
The Liberal leader also took questions on fighting AIDS in Africa, making post-secondary education more affordable, strengthening First Nations communities, and fiscal responsibility to preserve social programming such as welfare and pensions, among others.
Ignatieff was joined at the event by other high-profile Liberals, including MPs Joe Volpe, Judy Sgro, Ken Dryden, Rob Oliphant and former justice minister and renowned human rights advocate Irwin Cotler, who flew in from Montreal to attend.
