Firstly, for those who haven’t read it, you can see my letter to my Member of Parliament (MP) on the issue of the Gaza genocide, previously posted on this blog.
After numerous phone calls to his constituent office, I finally received a response. Needless to say, it was immensely unsatisfactory, answered perhaps two or three of my dozen or so questions, all of which were pretty much standard politician word jumble answers that amounted to, ‘Canada (and I) are doing all we can and we’re doing a great job’.
On the question of genocide, he is choosing to wait years for an ICJ ruling before developing enough courage or spine to call it as such (even though he privately acknowledge to a constituent in February of 2024!!! that he would consider it “probably, yes, a genocide”). So, in other words, waiting until it’s over before calling it out? And then, no doubt, patting himself on the back yet again for such outstanding “courage.”
And he completely sidestepped the issue of Canada’s ongoing arms shipments to Israel by repeating the talking points about there being “no permits issued” in further weapons sales, while completely ignoring the ACTUAL issue, which is the ONGOING weapons shipments from Canada to Israel, fulfilling prior weapons deals with a genocidal state, which should all be cancelled and shipments stopped. Notice his wording about all “permits” being suspended, and not actual WEAPONS. Typical political double-speak.
And of course, he simply ignored ALL of my questions regarding taking action against Israel, on questions of sanctions, boycott, divestment, suspension of a free trade agreement, basically everything tangible, and instead opted to simply address the point of Canada’s (conditional) recognition of Palestine as a state (ignoring my points about how our conditions – on the Palestinians, not Israelis – make this irrelevant if not impossible), and asserted that it was not “mere rhetoric” because it could, maybe, someday, have an impact on how other states “think and act.” Very tangible. Sure.
I WILL be replying, and post my reply online as well. These answers are totally unacceptable and, frankly, pathetic. Our political class needs to be tossed out of office, as far as I’m concerned.
Perhaps it will come as no surprise to readers that this MP is one of the most heavily lobbied parliamentarians by Canada’s own Israel lobby, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). In fact, I counted about 21 instances of direct lobbying by the CIJA of Rob Oliphant between 2016 and 2025. But I’m sure that has nothing to do with his completely myopic, self-important, cookie-cutter responses to this devastating situation, which included the claim that, “Hamas has been holding Gazans hostage for decades.” Yes, I guess that is a unique way to describe Israel’s decades-long blockade and bombardment of Gaza. Truly warped.
Read his full response below.
Dear Mr. Marshall,
Thank you for taking the time to write to me. I agree that innocent Gazans have suffered far too much, and I continue to stand with them. The violence endured by civilians has been unimaginable. This is an issue I have taken extremely seriously as an elected official and even well before getting elected to Parliament. As you may be aware, I have been resolute in my calls for a complete ceasefire, for increased access to humanitarian aid, for the release of Israeli hostages and for long term solutions so Gazans can live in peace and safety.
The terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, was a horrendous attack, not only on Israel and Israelis but on all who believe in democracy, the rule of law and human decency. Israel deserves to live in peace, as do all of us, free from terror and the threat of terror. Even while holding Israeli hostages, Hamas has been holding Gazans hostage for decades. Canada will continue to work for a just and viable two-state solution with Hamas playing no role in the governance of the new state of Palestine.
That being said, Canada cannot achieve this on its own. We belong to an international order of nations, institutions, and organizations, working together towards a credible plan for a lasting peace.
As a founding member of the ICC and ICJ, and a member of the United Nations, Canada stands up for international law and abides by all the regulations and rulings of the international courts. As the question of genocide is before international courts, I await their ruling. Regardless of this decision, Palestinians are suffering immeasurably, and Canada is committed to continuing its leadership within the international community to fight for justice.
Statements, like Prime Minister Carney’s announcement regarding Canada’s intention to recognize Palestine, and Canada’s joint statement on July 21st regarding Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories, are not mere rhetoric. They, in coordination with international parties, create a uniform position on the ongoing conflict. Declarations such as these have the power to change the way governments around the world think and act.
Further, Canada is committed to taking on a leadership role in delivering humanitarian aid to Gazans and the eventual rebuilding of Gaza. I have personally worked to ensure that Canada remains a principal backer of UNRWA. And, in December, I represented Canada at the Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza, where I met with world leaders to discuss how to increase humanitarian assistance into and throughout Gaza. At the conference, I was proud to announce $50 million in funding for humanitarian assistance addressing the acute needs of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Since October 7, 2023, Canada has committed more than $355 million in international assistance to respond to the humanitarian and resilience needs of Palestinian civilians, including $10 million to support the Palestinian Authority’s role in stabilizing and governing the West Bank.
In addition to our humanitarian response, Canada is strict, purposeful, and rigorous in our efforts to prevent items from being sent to Israel that could be used in the conflict. Since January 2024, Canada has refused any export permits for materials that could be used in the war in Gaza. And, last year, Canada suspended all existing export permits for items that could have been incorporated into that conflict. Those permits remain suspended today.
Every Palestinian and every Israeli deserves to live in peace and security. As someone who has been engaged in this work for many years, I will keep advocating for human rights, peaceful coexistence and positive change that brings people together and stops conflict.
Thank you again for writing to me. Please do not hesitate to reach out in the future with your thoughts.
Sincerely,
The Hon. Robert Oliphant, P.C., M.P.
To read my initial letter to my MP, click here.
Discover more from Empire and Economics
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.