A prominent Liberal MP says he is reflecting on whether he belongs in the governing party after the Liberal caucus and cabinet backed an NDP opposition motion on the Israel-Hamas war, which passed.
Anthony Housefather, who has represented the Montreal riding of Mount Royal since 2015, says the Liberals should have voted down the motion advanced by NDP MP Heather McPherson.
However, the Liberals worked with the NDP to significantly amend the motion to come up with one that they could support. Housefather, the parliamentary secretary to Treasury Board President Anita Anand, also said he was struck by Liberals applauding McPherson after the vote.
Speaking to journalists today at the House of Commons, Housefather, who recounted his pride in being both a Jewish Canadian and a Canadian, said he is pondering his next move.
“I think it’s the first time in my parliamentary career that I’ve had a reflection like this where I truly felt last night that a line had been crossed,” he said.
“When my party members got up and cheered and gave a standing ovation to Heather McPherson and the NDP, I started reflecting as to whether or not I belonged, and I will let you know further how I feel over the coming days. For the moment, I am still there.”
As Senior Political Reporter Marieke Walsh reports here, the non-binding motion, which passed late Monday evening, came closer to mirroring existing government policy on a negotiated two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, after a day of tense negotiations between the Liberals and the NDP.
The talks resulted in the NDP removing the most contentious part of its motion, which called on Canada to recognize the state of Palestine. Meanwhile, Israel’s ambassador to Canada says the motion will weaken Israel’s ability to defend itself.
Housefather said he cares passionately about Israel. “It’s the only refuge for Jewish people when they are exiled or thrown out of countries, and with the strong wave of antisemitism across the world, you need an Israel,“ he said.
“I didn’t feel like some members of Parliament or a lot of members of Parliament understood the existential threat that Israel faces and the fears of Jewish Canadians as a result of what’s happening domestically and what’s happening abroad.”
