Canadian MP Heather McPherson lashed Justine Trudeau's led Canadian government for defending Israel's right to strike Gaza and not asking for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid the deadly air strikes.
Heather McPherson got applause at the end of her speech in the Canadian parliament.
Responding to Heather, the Canadian deputy prime minister said that Ottawa supported Israel's right to defend itself.
The crisis in Gaza is a humanitarian & political disaster. Where is the gov’t in condemning this siege, this humanitarian crisis? Canada must call for a ceasefire & an end to the forcible transfer of civilians.
— Heather McPherson (@HMcPhersonMP) October 17, 2023
My statement in the House of Commons today.https://t.co/sKiTDLaUzM
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Canadian MP Heather McPherson said: "The Honourable Member for Edmonton Strathcona. Mr. Speaker, New Democrats are devastated by the brutal massacre and terrorist attack by Hamas who, on October 7 killed over 1,300 Israeli civilians including women, children, and the elderly.
"Among those victims were Canadians, members of our communities. The accounts of what was done to Israelis in this attack including what was done to children horrifies every one of us. We condemn Hamas and these terrorist attacks that have caused so much pain for the Jewish community globally and in Canada. And this begs the question of what Canada has done in the past few years to stop arms going into the hands of Hamas's actions constitute heinous violations of international law and international crimes for which they must be held accountable."
"I want to express my profound sadness and anger at rising antisemitism and anti-Palestinian racism that we are seeing globally, including in Canada. Rising antisemitism is causing Canadian Jews to keep their children from school. Mr. Speaker, rising anti-Palestinian racism took the life of a 6 year-old in Chicago yesterday."
"Canadians from both of these communities are distraught. And I think that the federal government could more to increase the security across places of worship something many many communities have called for for years. Mr. Speaker, we are in a very dark time and I am urging all Members of this House to take care to understand how deeply communities are hurting.
I grieve with Canadians who have lost loved ones and who are afraid for their families. I stand with the families of hostages and call for their immediate release. And as this crisis worsens, I also want us to pay attention to the unfolding humanitarian nightmare in Gaza.
I want to state clearly that international law obligations are not reciprocal. One war crime does not excuse another. Retribution is not justice. Retribution does not bring peace. And I want Members of this House to know that international law was not written by pacifists.
One child every 16 minutes
The laws of war were written by governments whose militaries had suffered extraordinary losses, who had seen civilians massacred, who had experienced the horrors of war. International law, which Canada has promised to uphold, seeks to set limits on military actions – state and non-state – what those countries can do in war.
It seeks to protects civilians, all - all civilians. David Milliband, the head of the International Rescue Committee, said yesterday: “International Humanitarian Law is the way that previous generations have learnt to mitigate the worst of war.”
It is a very low bar. But this low bar applies to everyone. And we are, unfortunately, watching violations of international law in Gaza. A siege with no water, no electricity, no food. Entire communities destroyed. Entire families wiped out.
Over a thousand children have been killed. Hospitals have been bombed. And workers killed. Humanitarian aid workers killed. United Nations independent experts have said, this amounts to collective punishment. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, has said
“A full blockade of Gaza could be considered a crime against humanity and a genocide.” This morning, Defence for Children International confirmed that more than 1,030 children in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces since October 7.
That is one child, Mr. Speaker, every 16 minutes. That is one child every 16 minutes.
And now we are reading reports that Hamas is stealing what little humanitarian aid is available for civilians.
Let’s be clear: Hamas is making already vulnerable Palestinians suffer further in this siege. Palestinians have been suffering from Hamas brutality as well as the absence of real democratic Palestinian leadership.
And with the dangerous influence of external states like Iran, this has made things very, very much worse. But it does not absolve Israel of its obligations to protect civilians. Nor does it absolve Canada of its obligations to call out violations to international law when they occur.
Past week has been a test for humanity, and humanity has failed
United Nations Relief Chief Martin Griffiths said yesterday: “The past week has been a test for humanity, and humanity has failed.”
The forcible transfer of a million people from their homes is not an evacuation, it is illegal. Babies in incubators unable to be relocated. Medical staff refusing to abandon these babies, knowing that they may die in the coming days.
Gazans are afraid to be pushed into Egypt because they do not know if they will be allowed back. This is a humanitarian and political disaster of enormous proportions.
And Canada is silent.
Where is the Government in condemning this siege, this forcible transfer, this humanitarian crisis? The Minister has spoken to her Israeli counterparts. The Prime Minister has spoken to the leader of Israel - to convey Canada's support.
But in any of those conversations, has Canada told Israeli officials that this scale of revenge, these clear violations of law, are unacceptable to Canadians?
So many Israelis are speaking out against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Survivors of the Hamas terrorist attack are asking for peace.
They are saying “Not in our name”. They are asking for the release of hostages – including Canadians.
Maoz Inon, whose parents were murdered by Hamas, said - and I quote... “I am not crying for my parents. I am crying for those who will lose their lives in this war.
"We must stop the war…. We are not seeking revenge. Revenge will lead to more suffering and more tragedies.”
Yonatan, the son of Canadian hostage Vivian Silver, has said the following: She would be mortified by the attack on Gaza because you can't cure killed babies with more dead babies. We need peace. Vivian Silver is a member of Women Wage Peace. She has spent years working for peace and justice in Israel and Palestine. Yesterday, Women Wage Peace made the following comments: “We hear words of revenge. We hear 'all restraints have been removed', 'we’ll wipe out Gaza'
But one cannot resolve injustice with another injustice. We, in this House, need to be thinking of both the short-term humanitarian crisis and also the long term. New Democrats for decades have called for an end to the occupation and for a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
New siege of Gaza
This year has already been brutal - brutal for all in the region, before the terrorist attacks, before this new siege of Gaza. And now we are moments away from a broader war that could engulf the entire region. We are moments away from an alarming and long-term refugee crisis. We are further from peace, Mr. Speaker, than we have ever been.
We speak of ending the occupation, but we are so far away from a political solution. And the Liberal government is failing to step up. It's failing to step up for international law, for Israelis, and for Palestinians.
This is the moment to call for calm. We are witnessing an increase of attacks on Palestinians in Jerusalem and in the West Bank by settlers and Israeli security. We have seen reports of abuses of Israeli families who are demanding that the leadership of the Israeli government put the hostages first.
People are divided. People are hurting. Mr. Speaker, the only solution is a political solution. There is no military solution to this conflict. I am begging the government to realize that what they say now matters.
It matters so much and they must call for a ceasefire. Canada must support international justice efforts by the ICJ and the ICC to investigate war crimes by all military actors in Palestine.
All war crimes by all parties in this conflict must be prosecuted. Canada must call for a ceasefire and an end to the forceful transfer of civilians. And I want to end by thanking all Israelis and Palestinians working to preserve life -medical workers, humanitarians, human rights advocates, those calling for peace, ordinary people doing what they can – in the face of such horror."
