Well, if you have followed the back-and-forth correspondence between myself and my Member of Parliament, Rob Oliphant, who also serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (another coward), you know I have taken the time to write lengthy and detailed examinations of the situation and critiques of Oliphant’s statements, all with citations and sources included, and asked numerous questions of him.
See Oliphant’s first reply here.
And see my second, essay-length response here.
Well now, I got a reply to my long letter with countless sources and simplified questions (since he had such a hard time with questions the first time around).
His response was brief, empty of substance, once again self-congratulatory and evasive.
This prompted an equally short and terse response from myself.
Both are posted below.
Enjoy. And, remember, these are our political so-called “leaders.”
It’s really time for a clean-sweep of this morally bankrupt political class.
Dear Mr. Marshall:
Thank you for your email of August 10. Having had many trips to both Israel and Palestine over the last 43 years, I am well aware of the recent history of the 20th and 21st centuries. As a Biblical scholar and theologian (as well as having worked briefly as an archeology student in the region) I am well aware of the 3000 years of history that has brought us to this point.
You have made your thoughts known to me and I thank you for that. Many hundreds of people in Don Valley West have similarly made their thoughts known to me and they cover the wide spectrum of ideas and concerns about a just and equitable outcome for both Israelis and Palestinians.
In the meantime, I will continue to call for an end to hostilities from both sides, the release of Israeli hostages, more humanitarian aid for Palestinian people in Gaza, the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, the end of the terrorist regime of Hamas, the recognition of the State of Palestine by both Canada and all nations of the world, and lasting peace and prosperity for all people in the region.
Your points have been well expressed, and I do not feel the need for a meeting for further elaboration of them.
Yours sincerely,
The Hon. Rev. Dr. Robert Oliphant, P.C., M.P.
Don Valley West
Rob,
This was an absolutely unacceptable answer.
You claim to know the history, yet everything you’ve said to me is barely a grade above repeating Israeli talking points.
I wonder, how much of your views and how many of your trips to the region were paid for by Canada’s main Israel lobby?
I know you are one of the most heavily lobbied Canadian MPs by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), I have counted about 21 different meetings with this schill of a lobby group since 2016.
Since you were clearly too cowardly and self-important to answer ANY of my questions, let alone agree to a face-to-face conversation (what are you afraid of, Rob? Not being able to defend your indefensible positions?), just answer me this one simple question:
How many meetings have you had with the Canadian Israel lobby, CIJA?
Also, I will never vote for you again, and I really look forward to canvassing, organizing, and mobilizing efforts to support literally anyone else other than you, and to get you out of office. It’s clear to me and every Canadian I know and speak to that our political class are a bunch of spineless, useless, sycophantic, self-important blow-hards collecting checks from the people they claim to represent but won’t in any way actually be accountable to.
Disgraceful.
As you wrote, my points were “well expressed” and you “do not feel the need for a meeting for further elaboration of them.” The request, of course, was to give you a chance to explain your points, which were not well expressed, cookie-cutter talking points, and of course, so that you couldn’t cherry-pick which questions you were comfortable to answer (i.e. lie or repeat empty rhetoric about). And the reason you “do not feel the need” to elaborate or defend them is because there is nothing there to be defended. They are empty words from an empty politician.
Go on patting yourself on the back while LYING about continuing to send weapons to a genocidal state, while you LIE about caring about international law or the ICJ decisions, or about having any values or political courage whatsoever.
It’s clear that you just lie to and deceive your constituents based upon who you are speaking to, changing your colours like some sort of political chameleon.
I will not be silent about your cowardice and lies.
Sincerely,
Someone who will never vote for you again.
AGM
If you have any thoughts to share with Rob Oliphant, his email is:
Rob.Oliphant@parl.gc.ca
Constituency phone number: 416-467-7275
Parliamentary phone number: 613-992-2855
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