Last weekend, Canada voted against the grain on a number of United Nations General Assembly resolutions regarding Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.
In its opposition on Nov. 9 to five out of nine resolutions passed that day by two General Assembly committees, the Canadian delegation was in the minority of UN members, along with the United States and Israel, and sometimes countries including Australia, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru.
According to former Canadian diplomat Jon Allen, the factors behind these decisions include trends set in motion by previous prime ministers, the influence of powerful lobbyists, Canada’s tendency to follow the United States’ lead, and a sense of imbalance among the UN General Assembly’s resolutions.
Allan is a professor of global affairs and public policy at the University of Toronto, former Canadian ambassador to Israel, Spain and Andorra, and chair of Project Rozana Canada, a not-for-profit with the objective is to build bridges between Palestinians and Israelis via the health sector.
“Under various governments up until the end of (Jean) Chretien, there was more balance in the resolutions,” Allen told CTVNews.ca in an interview on Wednesday. “We supported some. We didn’t support the others.”
In the years since then, however, the needle has moved.
THE VOTES
Canada voted against a resolution to have the UN General Assembly request the Secretary-General “take all appropriate steps” to protect Arab properties, assets and property rights in Israel.
It voted against a resolution to “condemn settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” and in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, and condemn any activities involving the confiscation of land, the disruption of the livelihood of protected people, the forced transfer of civilians and the annexation of land, “whether de facto or through national legislation.”
Canada was among four countries to vote against a resolution that would have the UN General Assembly express concern about the critical financial situation of UNRWA and “attempts to discredit the Agency despite its proven operational capacity and consistent implementation of its mandate.” The resolution would also call on Israel to ensure the safety of the UNRWA personnel and the protection of its institutions.
The Canadian delegation also voted against a resolution that would “recognize the right of the Palestinian people to claim restitution as a result of any exploitation, damage, loss or depletion or endangerment of their natural resources resulting from illegal measures taken by Israel, the occupying Power.”
Finally, Canada voted against a resolution that would reiterate the committee’s concern about an oil slick on the Lebanese shores created when the Israeli Air Force destroyed oil storage tanks in the direct vicinity of the Lebanese Jiyah electric power plant in 2014, causing Lebanon US$856.4 million in damage.
In the days since the two committee sessions, Canada’s position on resolutions concerning Israel has fallen under increased scrutiny and has drawn criticism by human rights organization Amnesty International.
In a statement to CTVNews.ca on Friday, Ketty Nivyabandi, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, said she believes Canada’s voting record “reveals a concerning misalignment with global consensus” on the rights of people in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“At this pivotal moment, Canada must prioritize international law over bilateral interests to ensure that everyone’s human rights are upheld and respected impartially.”
CANADA’S EXPLANATION
According to a UN report on the Fourth Committee meeting, the Canadian delegation explained its position on the resolutions by reaffirming Israel’s right to defend itself and arguing that there are too many resolutions related to the Arab-Israeli conflict which single out Israel, adding that Canada will continue to vote “no” on texts that “do not address the complexity of issues.”
CTVNews.ca requested an interview with Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, to discuss the resolutions, but Rae’s office declined. Instead, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) provided a statement further elaborating on Canada’s position.
“When it comes to votes at the UN, Canada reiterates the importance of a fair-minded approach,” the statement reads. “We will continue to vote no on resolutions that do not address the complexities of the issues or address the actions of all parties. We also remain opposed to the disproportionate singling out of Israel for criticism.”
The statement says Canada does not recognize permanent Israeli control over territories occupied in 1967 – including the Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
FORMER AMBASSADOR WEIGHS IN
Allen agrees with the federal government’s position that the number of resolutions on Israel effectively singles it out over other countries whose leadership has carried out acts of violence and oppression — such as Russia, North Korea, China and Myanmar — but which aren’t the subject of as many UN resolutions.
“At one point there were 22 resolutions (on Israel). Now, I think there’s about 14,” he said.
“Should there be some resolutions? Yeah. Just have two resolutions that basically say settlements are illegal and should be stopped and the occupation should be ended as soon as possible.”
However, he said there are other factors influencing Canada’s stance on the resolutions, including a trend set in motion 20 years ago and aggressive lobbying by certain interest groups.
There was a time when Canada supported a greater number of UN resolutions regarding Israel and the occupation of the Palestinian territories, Allen said, but successive prime ministers since former prime minister Jean Chretien have taken a more explicitly pro-Israeli position.
Up until the early 2000s, Allen said, Canada tended to shy away from supporting resolutions that “blamed Israel for not making peace,” but still supported a greater number of resolutions regarding Israel and the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank than it does today.
Around the time Paul Martin took office as prime minister in 2003, Allen said, the dial began to move, little by little.
“I don’t know whether he did it to please the Jewish community, but to my surprise, (because) I was in the department at the time, (Martin) changed maybe two or three resolutions,” he said.
“When (Stephen) Harper came in, he changed even more.”
Based on his various positions in Canadian diplomacy from 2001 to 2016, Allen said he believes these reversals were made partly due to what he described as lobbying by interest groups in Canada in support of minimizing criticism of Israel.
“There is a strong lobby that does not want to see resolutions condemning Israel be supported by Canada,” he said.
And despite the federal government’s insistence that it voted against four out of six of the latest draft resolutions on Israel out of a duty to fairness, Allen said he believes that if the U.S. were to change its position on the resolutions, Canada likely would, too.
“America is pushing a two-state solution now, that’s what their answer is to this war,” he said. “And if (President Joe) Biden had the guts, he would start criticizing the settlements, he would start criticizing the occupation. And I have no doubt that Canada would follow.”
HOW IMPORTANT ARE THESE RESOLUTIONS?
The resolutions come as the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry estimates more than 11,400 Palestinians have been killed in the weeks since the war broke out.
The war erupted after Hamas, a militant group deemed a terrorist organization by the Canadian government, killed some 1,200 people and seized around 240 captives in a surprise attack in Israel on Oct. 7. Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza.
The United Nations said Friday it was forced to stop deliveries of food and other necessities to Gaza because of a lack of fuel, The Associated Press reported, adding that Israel has also blocked the majority of food, water and other supplies. The AP cited aid workers as saying the trickle of aid that does make it in through Egypt is far short of what’s needed.
As a result, Palestinians trapped in Gaza are struggling to survive without electricity or running water and are rationing food, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
At the end of the day, Allen said, resolutions drafted by the General Assembly are little more than paper tigers that are neither executed nor enforced by the UN Security Council because they are non-binding.
“Everybody’s anguishing over resolutions that frankly, don’t mean very much,” he said.
“We’re talking about non-binding resolutions of the General Assembly that really, truly have no effect whatsoever. If this is not the Security Council, you’re not going to get sanctions as a result of this.”
Amnesty International’s Nivyabandi disagrees, saying it would be “misguided and regrettable” to dismiss the resolutions’ importance.
“These resolutions, including those concerning Palestinian refugees and condemning the ongoing development of illegal Israeli settlements, reflect the collective stance of the international community on vital issues,” she wrote. “They hold significant moral and political value.”
Still, Allen said if Canada is serious about wanting peace in the region, going forward, he believes it needs to advocate loudly for solving some of the specific problems standing in the way of a two-state solution, namely, root causes of the conflict including ongoing occupation and settlement efforts in Palestinian territories.
“If you go to the Canadian government website, it says settlements are illegal. It opposes the occupation. It favours a two-state solution. If that’s your policy, then why are you afraid to speak up about it when they’re expanding settlements?”
Israel has occupied the Palestinian territories of the West Bank — including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip since the Six-Day War of 1967. Israel has also occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
