This is not Canada, what happened in Edmonton," Martin said. "Let us understand that. We will condemn it with every fibre of our being."
The prime minister said anti-Semitism has no place in Canada, and added that the nation stands for the same values as the eight-day Jewish festival.
"What Hanukkah represents is the continual struggle of the Jewish people to practice their religion freely, and what the light of the menorah stands for is the very light of freedom. For people of all faiths, this is what Canada represents."
I wish that I could believe that his outrage were genuine. I can't help but think that he had to run it by David Herle and Scott Reid to make sure that his apology didn't offend the Muslim vote--this candidate in particular.
This isn't a facetious concern, either. As the Muslim population grows in Canada and becomes more radicalized, anti-Semitism is going to pass from the periphery to the centre of Canadian political discourse.
The next time something like this happens, expect political leaders to start qualifying their remarks with expressions of concern for the Palestinian plight and a hundred other supposed sins by Israel against the Muslim world.
Source: CTV
ADDENDUM: This isn't the first time Edmonton synagogues have been attacked. Two of them were firebombed in 2000 by a Palestinian immigrant. But back then, most people weren't thinking about worldwide jihad.
1 comment:
It woud be refreshing to see a non-partisan reaction by Canadian federal leaders to violent outbreaks over the holidays.
Martin's opening statement: "This is not Canada" is ridiculous! Edmonton vandlism is another oppurtunity for Liberals to capitalise on a string of tragic violance in Canadian cities and fan embers of fear into Canadian citizins that the liberal party is the only solution to protect Canadians at home and abroad by apparently restoring Canadian values and tolerance. It is direspectful and patronising to Canadians and victoms of such violance.
Violance in Canadian cities is a complex dynamic of socioeconomic and cultural factors. If politicians are serious about resolving such issues they will not use them as election amunition, but rather unravel the specific coplexities that lead to them in the first place.
Liberaly disgusted,
Anonymous
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