"No one in Canada should ever be afraid to call themselves Zionists. I am a Zionist." These are the words that outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should have said on Oct. 8, 2023, and every single day since. Instead, he chose to say them only as he exits his role as leader of the Liberal Party.
Meanwhile, Canadian Jews have endured a 670% increase in antisemitic incidents since that dark Saturday when Hamas infiltrated Israel, slaughtering 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 others. It is understandable why Canada's government might find it easier to pander to "both sides" – after all, both Israelis and Palestinians have suffered tremendously since Hamas's onslaught.
Yet a true leader must be able to acknowledge civilian suffering while also placing blame where it belongs – on the terror group that initiated this war, committed the worst massacre in Israel's history, murdered eight Canadians, and has continued to hold hostages captive, including the remains of a slain Canadian, for over 520 days.
Adi Vital-Kaploun was a 33-year-old dual Canadian-Israeli citizen who lived in Kibbutz Holit. On the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, she warned her husband and father not to enter their home, ultimately saving their lives. Moments later, Hamas terrorists stormed in. She somehow convinced them not to murder her children, but that did not stop the terrorists from executing her in front of her two sons, 4-year-old Negev and 4-month-old Eshel.
This is just one of many horrifying stories of Canadians slaughtered on Oct. 7. The fact that Canadians were among the murdered and kidnapped should have been enough for Canada to take a clear moral stance against Hamas. Instead, the government's failure to crack down on pro-Hamas mobs in Canadian streets and its fear of upsetting anti-Israel constituents have exposed its weakness and lack of backbone. Rather than standing by Canada's longtime ally and condemning the terrorists who butchered its own citizens, Trudeau's government has capitulated to extremists and terror supporters.
Iris Haggai Weinstein is the daughter of Canadian-Israeli hostage Judi Weinstein, who was murdered by Hamas in Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside her husband, Gadi Haggai, while they were out for their morning walk on October 7. Both of their bodies remain in Hamas captivity. Upon hearing Trudeau's recent statement, Iris – who personally met the prime minister while advocating for her parents' release – welcomed his words but found them meaningless.
"It would have been nice of him [Trudeau] to show moral clarity at the UN and condemn Hamas for holding innocent babies, elderly, men, and women, instead of pushing to reward them with a state and issuing irresponsible statements like an arms embargo on Israel after the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. These actions are not very Zionist," says Iris.
Canada's attempt to push for the recognition of a Palestinian state, just months after Hamas's atrocities, is beyond absurd. While I still believe a two-state solution is the only viable path for Israel to remain both Jewish and democratic, discussing it now – while Hamas is still holding hostages – is delusional. This conversation rewards terrorism, sending a clear message to Hamas and other extremist groups: kidnapping civilians works. It tells terrorists that if they massacre people and hide behind civilians, the international community will reward them, not punish them.
Despite overwhelming evidence that UNRWA staff were actively involved in Hamas's atrocities – including killings, torture, rape, and kidnappings – Canada still chose to resume funding UNRWA in March 2024. Its statement on an arms embargo against Israel further set a dangerous precedent.
On March 6, at the National Forum on Combating Antisemitism, Trudeau finally strongly condemned the rise of antisemitism in Canada, including attacks on Jewish students, day schools, and institutions. He acknowledged the use of 'Zionist' as an insult and called these hate crimes "not normal."
Trudeau said all the right things. Every single word of his speech is what we expect from a leader who genuinely stands up for Canadian values and protects Jewish citizens. But his words came 520 days too late, just as he was set to be replaced as Liberal Party leader by Mark Carney.
This sentiment is echoed by Iris, who believes Trudeau "has nothing to lose now" and that he "did absolutely nothing to bring my Canadian mother and my father home." She challenges him: "If he truly does feel he's a Zionist, show us in action—demand the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza."
Words – or the lack thereof – matter. Canada's failure to take a moral stand from the start has emboldened antisemites, allowing them to come out of the woodwork without fear. Canadian Jews have faced unprecedented levels of violence, including shootings targeting Jewish institutions, arson attacks on schools and synagogues, and extreme harassment in public spaces. Despite making up just 1.4% of Canada's population, Jews account for 70% of religious hate crimes.
Trudeau should have spoken up when Jews across Canada were begging their government to fight antisemitism and protect them from extreme violence in schools, restaurants, and city streets.
As for Canada's new Liberal leader, Mark Carney, his stance on Jewish community safety and Israel remains unclear. As the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, he has never held an elected position. However, with the G7 summit approaching in Canada, he will soon have a global platform to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the largest hostage crisis in modern history.
We hope to see a shift in Canada's leadership – one that demonstrates true moral clarity, upholds Canadian values, and stands firmly against terrorism.
