Michael Higgins: Trudeau must condemn these obscene rallies that shame Canada
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Will Trudeau now condemn ‘this hate and its manifestations’ or will he allow his silence to speak for him?
Published Oct 09, 2023 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 4 minute read
Protestors gathered on Parliament Hill Sunday, May 23, 2021. Photo by ASHLEY FRASER/POSTMEDIA
Palestinian supporters took to the streets of Canada over the weekend to celebrate the butchery and barbarity of Hamas terrorists.
Ottawa, Montreal and Mississauga, Ont., saw hundreds of men and women waving Palestinian flags, honking car horns, and shouting Allahu akbar (God is great) only hours after terrorist atrocities in Israel shocked the world. More “cheerleading” rallies are due to be held today.
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Similar scenes happened around the globe — in London, England; in Times Square in New York and outside the White House, as well as in Berlin and Sydney, Australia.
It may be free speech, but it is still a shocking display of hate — disgusting and deplorable to witness. An obscenity on our streets, a shame on our conscience.
It is also hardly surprising.
In the West, a coalition made up of the left, along with so-called intellectuals and academics, and, of course, the unions, is so wedded to the “Palestinian cause” that all atrocities committed by “their side” will be applauded.
No matter that a wheelchair-bound Holocaust survivor was kidnapped along with mothers and children; that partygoers were murdered in their hundreds or that people at a bus shelter were massacred and left to die in the street, for a Canadian union these were reasons to be jubilant.
“Palestine is rising, long live the resistance,” tweeted CUPE Local 3906 on Saturday. The union represents academics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario, tweeted he was thankful for the “power of resistance.”
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As we all think about reasons to be thankful this #thanksgiving2023, I know I’m thankful for the power of workers, the power of resistance around the globe. Because #Resistance is fruitful and no matter what some might say, #Resistance brings progress, and for that, I’m thankful
— Fred Hahn (@FredHahnCUPE) October 8, 2023
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That the “resistance” involved atrocities didn’t seem to bother the tweeting union bosses. The death of 700 Israelis, with more than 2,000 wounded and over 100 kidnapped, not even worth a mention.
What did they care for Shani Louk, the 30-year-old German-Israeli who was kidnapped and subsequently murdered, her semi-naked body desecrated and spat upon before being paraded around in a pick-up truck like some ghoulish trophy.
This is CUPE’s brave resistance in full glory. These are the actions CUPE celebrates — the slaughter of the innocents.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow quickly came in for criticism after posting, “We must also acknowledge Palestinian pain and severe loss of life during this time.”
Perhaps Chow hadn’t read about the Supernova music festival held in southern Israel that was invaded by Hamas. More than 260 bodies of young people have been recovered from the site. Witnesses said it was like the scene from a horror movie as partygoers were killed in a hail of bullets.
Other reports said terrorists raped women alongside dead bodies. People were rounded up, kidnapped and some executed.
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Chow later deleted her tweet saying, “My earlier tweets on this have been deleted because of the harm and confusion they caused.”
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The confusion is entirely Chow’s. No one is confused about what Hamas has done.
CUPE 3906 also deleted its tweet almost certainly because of a backlash.
As my colleague, Terry Glavin, points out, CUPE and Chow weren’t the only “progressives” promoting the Palestinian cause.
So why wouldn’t Palestinian supporters feel emboldened to demonstrate, wave flags and honk horns? If the woke left can ignore and rationalize the carnage and the depravity, why shouldn’t they take to the streets?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been quick in the past to call out “hateful” protests.
Only a few weeks ago, as tens of thousands of concerned parents took to the streets to protest gender ideology in schools, Trudeau took to Twitter, now X, to slam them for their hate.
“Let me make one thing very clear: Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country. We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the country — you are valid and you are valued,” he said.
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Let me make one thing very clear: Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country. We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the country – you are valid and you are valued.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 20, 2023
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As the truckers convoy headed to Ottawa, Trudeau branded them a “fringe minority” with “unacceptable views.”
Trudeau has rightly condemned “Hamas’ barbaric, brutal terror attacks” but has yet to comment on the rapidly growing Palestinian rallies.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, on the other hand, has been unequivocal.
“The hate rallies celebrating the kidnapping and slaughtering of innocent Israeli people by terrorists are reprehensible and disgusting. They have no place in Ontario. Now more than ever, we stand with Israel and affirm its right to defend itself and its people,” he tweeted.
Late Monday morning, Chow also rightly condemned a Palestinian rally planned for Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square later in the afternoon.
“The rally to support Hamas at Nathan Phillips Square today is unsanctioned, without a permit and I unequivocally denounce it. Glorifying this weekend’s indiscriminate violence, including murder and kidnapping of women and children, by Hamas against Israeli civilians is deplorable,” she said in a statement.
We have allowed the woke left to so demonize Israel and praise the “heroic” Palestinian resistors that when Hamas carries out the most appalling brutality, the most awful atrocities, we have celebrations in Canadian cities.
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The rallies are vile, indecent, disgraceful and immoral and will almost certainly prompt rival protests. Where will it all end? Probably in violence. What’s to be done? Denounce them and the people who embolden them; call them out for what they are, hate-filled supporters of evil. Shine a light on their darkness and condemn them for their obscenities.
Such denunciation should start at the very top. The prime minister has been quick to denounce protesters for what he deemed hateful demonstrations. Will Trudeau now condemn “this hate and its manifestations” or will he allow his silence to speak for him?
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