CJPME Guide to the Liberal Leadership Candidates

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has assessed each of the candidates in the 2025 leadership race for the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC), and ranked them in terms of their commitment to a Canadian foreign policy that upholds Palestinian human rights.

Click here to download the full report in PDF format, or read the executive summary and full analysis below.

Executive Summary

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has prepared the following assessment of Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) leadership candidates on the issue of Palestinian human rights.

The following assessment looked at each candidate’s stated positions and documented record, incorporating information from various sources: social media, press statements, published interviews, leadership debates, the Hansard (the record of parliamentary debates), the candidates' campaign websites, and more.

CJPME also issued a questionnaire to the leadership candidates in early February 2025 to help them clarify their positions on a range of policy issues, but none of the candidates responded by the deadline.

Based on all of the information collected, CJPME has determined that—in terms of their commitment to a Canadian foreign policy that upholds Palestinian human rights—the candidates rank as follows. Note that candidates who received the same grade are listed below in alphabetical order by last name.

B- : Frank Baylis

D+ : Mark Carney

D+ : Karina Gould

F : Chrystia Freeland

On January 6th, 2025, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign, triggering a Liberal Party leadership race. The next leader will become Prime Minister and lead the party into the next general election, which could be triggered in the days following the vote. CJPME believes this provides a rare opportunity for the party to break away from its former positions and take a stronger position on human rights.

Under Trudeau’s leadership, the Liberal Party has been a staunch supporter of Israel, despite its documented human rights abuses and its grave crimes of apartheid and genocide against the Palestinian people. Only over the last year has Canada begun to modify its positions, in response to the devastating humanitarian catastrophe caused by Israel’s genocidal policies in Gaza: for example, Canada imposed a limited ‘pause’ on some arms exports to Israel, and switched a handful of votes at the United Nations to support Palestinian rights. However, these policy changes have been far from sufficient to compensate for Canada’s complicity in genocide or to make up for its longstanding role in defending Israel from criticism in international forums.

However, it is not inevitable for the Liberal Party to show unconditional support for Israel. There are a growing number of Liberal MPs who quietly support Palestine, and even some who are willing to openly challenge the government’s position. Public opinion polls have consistently shown that the party membership is overall much more supportive of Palestine,[i] and only 22% of Liberal supporters view Israel favourably.[ii] During a recent byelection, a group of Liberal Party staffers refused to volunteer for their candidate over Canada’s failure to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.[iii] Evidently, there are significant divisions within the party over the direction it takes on this issue.

Now that Trudeau has stepped down, there is an opportunity for new leadership to adopt a principled, human-rights-centric approach to this issue. Whether the incoming leader will choose to seize this opportunity is an open question. The below analysis aims to provide an indication of which leadership candidates are most, or least, likely to chart a new path for the party.

Unfortunately, while there is a range of opinions between the candidates, none were awarded an excellent grade. Frank Baylis easily rose to the top of the list as the most likely to champion a human rights-focused approach, albeit with a disappointing grade, while Chrystia Freeland was quickly identified as the candidate least likely to advance freedom for Palestinians. Meanwhile, Mark Carney and Karina Gould each received the same grade in the middle of the pack but for entirely different reasons.

Frank Baylis stands out from the rest of the candidates for several reasons. He has made the immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood a key part of his campaign, and has repeatedly urged a stronger role for Canada in bringing a peaceful resolution to Gaza. His language on several issues is strong, including his criticism of the Gaza visa program’s double standards. However, Baylis has previously voted to condemn supporters of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS), and he has not pledged support for specific policy tools to hold Israel accountable, such as an arms embargo. While he appears more likely than any other candidate to pursue a new direction for the party, he is not yet advocating for the concrete measures necessary to uphold human rights.

Mark Carney is the only candidate who has never been elected to Parliament and has not served under Prime Minister Trudeau. As a result, he has rarely been given an opportunity to speak about Israel and Palestine, and he has never been forced to take a side or vote on relevant motions in Parliament. His positions on this issue, to the extent that he has any, are entirely untested. CJPME hesitates to assign too much importance to any individual statement, such as his appropriate comment on Trump’s Gaza plan, to speculate on how he might act once in leadership. Such an empty record likely indicates that he is not interested in this issue, and is more likely to maintain the status quo. Moreover, his very few statements during the Gaza genocide indicate that he leans in a pro-Israel direction. On the other hand, he does not have a record of being directly involved in anti-Palestinian policies, unlike some other candidates.

Karina Gould has held several cabinet positions in the Trudeau government, and as such, she must share a portion of the blame for its disappointing record on Palestinian rights and its complicity in the Gaza genocide. However, her record is somewhat mixed. As Minister of International Development, she funded UNRWA (the UN aid agency for Palestine refugees) and repeatedly defended it in Parliament from Conservative attacks. However, she has also promoted “steadfast” support for Israel, identifies as a “Zionist,” and has voted to condemn Canadian supporters of the BDS movement. She wants to water down Canada’s limited arms embargo on Israel to apply only to “offensive” weapons and does not support immediately recognizing the State of Palestine. Her record suggests that as leader she would likely push the party back towards Trudeau’s most pro-Israel positions.

Chrystia Freeland has served as both Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, and has consistently used her mandate and authority to promote closer relationships with Israel and push back against criticism of its human rights abuses. As Foreign Affairs Minister, Freeland refused to condemn Israel’s deliberate targeting of Palestinian protestors during the Great March of Return, and pledged that Canada would serve as an “asset for Israel” if it won a seat at the UN Security Council. She served as Deputy Prime Minister for the majority of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and never broke from the party line. Despite some strong policy statements during the current leadership race, her record overwhelmingly indicates that she is likely to be hostile and dismissive towards Palestinian rights as leader, instead viewing herself as an ally to the Israeli regime.

CJPME is a non-partisan organization. We do not endorse or back any specific political party. We recognize that CJPME members and supporters support different political parties at any given moment. We have previously assessed the candidates for the NDP, Liberal and Green parties in their most recent leadership contests.[iv] We provide these resources so that Canadian voters can be better informed of the candidates’ records and positions on Palestinian human rights.

CJPME Assessment of Liberal Party Leadership Candidates

1.1 Assessment Criteria

CJPME has carefully assessed each leadership candidate’s positions on Palestinian human rights, taking into account their public record on related issues. This includes comments, statements and actions through February 28, 2025, from sources including social media, press statements, quotes and references in the media, their voting record and/or statements in Parliament, the candidates' campaign websites, and more.

Some of the criteria we have taken into consideration during the assessment include: 1) do they demonstrate support for international law and universal human rights; 2) have they been outspoken against injustice, and are they likely to be an advocate on these issues; 3) do they express support for meaningful and concrete action against human rights violators; 4) do their answers demonstrate a sense of urgency in responding to crises; 5) do they support non-violent social movements, and are they willing to engage with them on these issues. A further key consideration in our assessment is how the candidates responded amid the Gaza genocide.

1.2 Candidate Analyses

The candidate evaluations below are presented in alphabetical order.

1.2.1 Frank Baylis

Frank Baylis served as an MP in the Trudeau government from 2015 to 2019. His record from this time is limited and mixed. Baylis sponsored a Parliamentary petition against Islamophobia in 2016, long before the Trudeau government was willing to act on this issue.[i] The same year, however, Baylis voted “yes” on a Conservative motion to condemn Canadian supporters of the non-violent Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), which seeks to put economic pressure on Israel to comply with international law.[ii] In 2018, Baylis attended Palestine Day on the Hill,[iii] but also met with the Israeli consul general to discuss Canada-Israel collaboration in research.[iv]

More recently, however, Baylis has deliberately made Palestine a significant part of his current leadership campaign. Early on, he held a press conference to announce his proposal to immediately recognize the State of Palestine. In his speech, Baylis said it was a double standard for Canada to talk about a “two-state solution” but only recognize one of the two states. He also said that Canada needs to be a moral leader and stop following the US line.[v] None of the other leadership candidates endorsed this policy when it was raised during the French leadership debate.[vi]

During the Gaza genocide, Baylis publicly called for Canada to play a stronger role in achieving a ceasefire. In a November 20, 2023 op-ed in the Hill Times, he quoted an Israeli officer who said “we cannot allow the massacre of innocent Israelis to result in the massacre of innocent Palestinians,” and asserted that Israel’s right to defend itself has limitations. He recommended that Canada play a role in peacekeeping and negotiations, and provide field hospitals.[vii] In a follow-up op-ed on March 14, 2024, Baylis positively referenced the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling against Israel, and wrote that Canada should call for a ceasefire, support humanitarian assistance, and be a mediator for peace.[viii]

His analysis of the situation often goes much further than that of the other candidates. When writing about Israeli hostages, he has also mentioned Palestinians in Israeli jails under administrative detention – an issue that very few Liberal politicians will touch.[ix] He has also compared Canada’s failed temporary visa program for Gaza to its similar policy for Ukraine, and named this as a double standard and a form of discrimination.[x] On Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and expel its population, Baylis wrote: “Donald Trump’s call to force Palestinians out of Gaza is morally appalling and violates international law. Canada must stand on the right side of history. We need to support the Palestinian people, not punish them.”[xi]

The problem is that apart from Palestinian statehood, Baylis has put forward few concrete policy measures that could advance the protection of human rights. Baylis’ campaign website has a section on foreign policy which talks about “prioritizing diplomacy over military intervention,”[xii] but provides no specifics about the Middle East. He has not expressed support for concrete measures to hold Israel accountable – such as sanctions, an arms embargo, or enforcing the ICC warrant against Netanyahu. We do not know where he stands on these matters, as he did not complete CJPME’s questionnaire. As leader, he would likely continue to push for Canada to undertake a bold and constructive new approach to the region, but his recommendations so far are insufficient for achieving this goal.

1.2.2 Mark Carney

Mark Carney does not have a public record of any significance on Israel and Palestine. He is the only leadership candidate who has never been an elected politician and has not served in Trudeau’s government. As such, he has not been presented with as many opportunities to comment on this issue, and he has never been forced to take a side by voting on a motion in Parliament. Any evaluation of his record will be based on limited data, with only a handful of comments or actions available publicly.

Carney has made one substantive policy statement during the leadership race. In response to Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and expel the population, he wrote: “President Trump's proposed forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is deeply disturbing. It would violate the rights of Palestinians and international law, and it would set back efforts to promote peace and security for all in the region. I support the hard work of reaching a two-state solution, with a viable and free Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the state of Israel.”[xiii] This is certainly much stronger than the Trudeau government’s own statement, although most of the language is fairly boilerplate.

Prior to the leadership race, there have been only a few activities and statements to assess where Carney stands on the issues.

In 2012, as the Government of the Bank of Canada, Carney made an official visit to Israel in as a guest of the Bank of Israel, and met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Steinitz.[xiv]

On November 10, 2023, Carney praised a right-wing, pro-Israel speech by Brian Mulroney, writing on Twitter: “Quoting Elie Wiesel ‘I learned the perils of language and those of silence. I learned that in extreme situations where human lives and dignity are at stake, neutrality is a sin,’ [Brian Mulroney] captures the right response to current horrors.”[xv] The attached link was an article in the National Post reproducing a speech by Mulroney, with the title: “Hamas answered Hitler’s call.” The speech itself blamed the killing of Palestinians in Gaza on Hamas, argued that criticizing Israel’s human rights abuses amounts to antisemitism, and connected the October 7 Hamas attack to the Holocaust.[xvi] It is important to note that as of this same date, Israel’s attacks on Gaza had already killed 10,800 Palestinians in Gaza, 70% of them women and children, and displaced 1.5 million people.[xvii] It is not a positive indication that Carney would be moved by such a provocative article that evoked the Holocaust while downplaying the emerging reality of genocide in Gaza.

In April 2024, Carney signed an open letter which was published in the Globe and Mail titled “An open letter to Canada’s political leaders – for the sake of the country’s future.” While the language of the op-ed was itself ambiguous and bland, it was perceived as a direct counter to pro-Palestine protests across the country, urging action against “the rise of incivility, public aggression and overt hatred that are undermining the peace and security of Canadian life.”[xviii]

Based on the above, it is perhaps impossible to come to a definitive conclusion on where Carney stands on the issue, but it does indicate that he leans to a certain side. While his recent comment on Trump’s Gaza plan was welcome and appropriate, his few public comments during the Gaza genocide involved praising an anti-Palestinian speech and signing a letter perceived as an attack against pro-Palestine demonstrations. In terms of policy, he did not agree with the idea of recognizing the State of Palestine when directly asked during the French leadership debate,[xix] and he has not provided any indication of whether he supports efforts to hold Israel accountable – such as an arms embargo. He did not complete CJPME’s questionnaire, which would have given him an opportunity to explain where he stands on these matters. On the other hand, his lack of experience in the Trudeau government means that he does not have a record of overseeing or being complicit in anti-Palestinian policies, unlike some of the other candidates.

1.2.3 Chrystia Freeland

Chrystia Freeland has served as both Foreign Affairs Minister (2017-19) and Deputy Prime Minister (2019-24) in the Trudeau government. Her extensive and significant record on these issues reveals that she is a staunch pro-Israel ideologue who is the most likely candidate to closely align Canada with the Israeli state and be dismissive, if not hostile, toward Palestinian human rights if elected.

During her time as Trudeau’s Foreign Affairs Minister from 2017 to 2019, Freeland repeatedly referred to Israel as a “steadfast ally,” and went out of her way to assure Israel of Canada’s unconditional support. In 2017, Freeland declared in a speech to the World Jewish Congress that Canada “stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel.”[xx] The same year, she was the guest of honour at the Israeli Embassy for its “Independence Day” celebration, where she repeated that “Canada is a steadfast friend and ally of Israel” and that “Canada stands firmly with Israel.”[xxi]

During a trip to Israel in 2018, Freeland met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who told her that “we appreciate your support in various international forums.”[xxii] In a major speech to the Israel Council on Foreign Relations, she expressed that “Canada’s commitment to Israel’s security is unwavering and ironclad.” In explaining why Canada was running for a seat on the UN Security Council, she said that Canada’s presence would be an “asset for Israel.”[xxiii]

While Freeland was often quick to condemn Palestinian violence against Israelis, she almost never criticized Israeli violence against Palestinians, and avoided questions on the subject in Parliament. One important case study is how she responded to the Great March of Return, when Israeli snipers killed 214 Palestinian protesters in Gaza and injured over 36,100 over a year. During the weekly and predominantly peaceful demonstrations, Israel regularly and deliberately shot medics, journalists, and children.[xxiv] Despite this egregious pattern of violence against civilians, it took over a month and a half before Freeland issued a statement claiming to be “deeply concerned by violence in Gaza Strip,” and saying that it was “inexcusable that civilians, journalists + children have been victims.” However, her statement failed to directly mention Israel, instead blaming “all parties of the conflict.”[xxv] Even when Canadian doctor Tarek Loubani was shot by Israeli forces, Freeland failed to mention Israel as the aggressor and instead called for an “independent investigation to ascertain how the actions of all parties concerned contributed to these events.”[xxvi] Such an investigation never happened.

Freeland also used her role to try to prevent Israel’s human rights violations from being criticized in international forums, claiming that Canada was “concerned by efforts that unfairly single out Israel for criticism and seek to isolate it internationally.”[xxvii] In 2017 Freeland opposed the decision of UNESCO to list the Old City of Hebron (a Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank under siege from Israeli settlers) on the list of “World Heritage in Danger,” calling this an act of “politicization” that “hurts UNESCO.”[xxviii] In 2018, Freeland opposed a motion at the UN Human Rights Council to investigate Israeli violence during the Great March of Return. Although she said that “the use of excessive force is unacceptable,” she explained that Canada “did not support” what she described as “a clearly biased resolution.”[xxix]

In 2019, Freeland was appointed to the role of Deputy Prime Minister, and served in this position for almost the entire duration of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza. On October 7, 2023, following the Hamas attacks against Israel and the subsequent launch of Israeli airstrikes against residential buildings in Gaza, Freeland declared “we stand firmly with Israel in support of its right to defend itself.”[xxx] When questioned about the quickly rising death toll in Gaza, Freeland refused to condemn Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians and repeated that Canada supports Israel’s right to defend itself, even stating that “supporting the State of Israel is not a partisan issue, it is a Canadian issue.”[xxxi]

It took weeks before Freeland even began to acknowledge the human toll caused by Israel’s attacks, finally tweeting on November 6 that “Canada continues to support calls for the protection of civilians in Gaza & the West Bank and for humanitarian pauses to deliver essential aid” – without specifically mentioning Israel.[xxxii] Months later, when Israel invaded Rafah in May 2024, Freeland said that Canada was “horrified” by “human suffering” in Gaza, and emphasized “even wars have rules,” but held back from directly criticizing Israel.[xxxiii]

On March 18, 2024, Freeland voted “yes” alongside the Prime Minister and the vast majority of the Liberal caucus in support of a watered-down NDP motion that called for a halt to arms transfers to Israel and expressed support for the ICC. While this was a rare, positive vote from Freeland, it must be emphasized that she was voting alongside cabinet and that only three Liberal MPs voted against it.[xxxiv]

When questioned if Canada would support the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in late 2024, Freeland repeatedly refused to give a direct answer. While insisting that Canada respects the independence of the ICC, she also criticized the ICC’s decision to issue warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders, saying that “Canada has made it clear that it is absolutely wrong to equate the terrorist leaders of Hamas with Israel.”[xxxv]

Throughout her political career, Freeland has shown hostility toward the pro-Palestine movement. In 2016, Freeland voted “yes” on a Conservative motion to condemn Canadian supporters of the non-violent Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), which seeks to put economic pressure on Israel to comply with international law.[xxxvi] In 2024, Freeland amplified a false narrative to claim that a pro-Palestine protest targeted a Jewish hospital, condemning it as an act of antisemitism.[xxxvii] Even though journalists have thoroughly debunked this interpretation of the events,[xxxviii] Freeland has not retracted this false claim, which demonized the protestors. At her leadership campaign launch in January 2025, Freeland was disrupted by over a dozen pro-Palestinian protestors who were subsequently kicked out of the event. When she was asked about this by a journalist, she claimed that while people have a right to protest, “the right to protest doesn’t include the right to disrupt other peoples’ right to speech.”[xxxix]

Despite Freeland’s record, she has made two positive statements during the current leadership race. First, Freeland has made a campaign promise to scrap a division of the Canadian Revenue Agency which is responsible for the discriminatory auditing of Muslim groups, which have often been based on accusations of supporting Palestinian organizations.[xl] Second, in response to Trump’s plan to take over and expel Gaza, Freeland pledged that “my government will oppose any forced displacement of the Palestinian people,” which she said “would be a serious violation of international law and an attack on the rules-based international order.” [xli] This is arguably the strongest statement out of all of the candidates on this issue, and far exceeds the muted response from the Trudeau government itself.

However, the credibility of Freeland’s promise to “oppose” the dispossession of Palestinians is undermined by her entire political record so far. Despite serving in the positions of Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and having the authority and mandate to oppose acts of violence and dispossession against Palestinians, Freeland has repeatedly refused to do so. Freeland has instead chosen to loudly and consistently demonstrate Canada’s full and unconditional support to the State of Israel, while refusing to directly condemn its human rights abuses. Of all the candidates, Freeland is the least likely to prioritize upholding Palestinian human rights in her foreign policy.

1.2.4 Karina Gould

Karina Gould was elected to Parliament with the Trudeau government in 2015. She has served in three different ministerial roles, including Minister of International Development from 2019 to 2021, and as the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons for most of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza (2023 to 2025) – although she was on maternity leave for a significant portion of the latter period. She has been one of the strongest defenders of humanitarian funding for Palestinians while simultaneously promoting close political ties with Israel.

Gould first visited Israel on a Birthright trip and has described it as “a beautiful country. It’s unique in the world. It has difficult challenges.”[xlii] Today, she describes herself as a Zionist, saying: “I am a Zionist … I absolutely believe in Israel’s right to exist and being the homeland for Jewish people. I think it’s important to have an honest conversation about what it means to be a Zionist.”[xliii] In doing so, she defines Zionism exclusively from a pro-Israel perspective, ignoring the role that the political ideology and social movement has played in the dispossession of the Palestinian people from their homeland.

In 2019, as Minister of Democratic Institutions, Gould presented a speech for an event celebrating Israel’s “Independence Day,” in which she said that “our support for Israel is steadfast”: “in the seven decades since the nascence of the modern State of Israel, the bond between our countries has continued to grow stronger. Ours is a friendship built on shared values, bilateral collaboration and a commitment to democracy and the rule of law.” One of the forms of collaboration that she cited was the Canadian army’s “participation in a number of multinational missions that promote and preserve peace for Israel.”[xliv] The same year, she presented to the Canada-Israel Business Forum during a visit by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, in which she emphasized that “ties between Canada and Israel are long, deep, and mutually beneficial,” and praised trade and research collaboration.[xlv]

After Gould took up the role as Minister of International Development in late 2019, she became the key defender of Canada’s support for UNRWA, the UN aid agency for Palestine refugees, which was frequently the source of attacks by Conservatives. In 2020 she announced a small increase in annual funding for UNRWA,[xlvi] and provided additional funds following Israel’s attack on Gaza in 2021.[xlvii]

In 2021, following a pro-Israel smear campaign to discredit UNRWA based on allegations about inappropriate materials in some textbooks, Gould called for an investigation of UNRWA materials and engaged with UNRWA officials to ensure corrective measures.[xlviii] Positively, Gould declined requests from Conservatives to pause UNRWA funding while the investigation was underway, and repeatedly defended UNRWA in Parliament, saying, “if there is one thing I will not do, it is deny education to 500,000 Palestinian children. That was denied to my grandfather by Nazi Germany, and I will not do that for any child around the world.”[xlix] This indicates an ability to see Palestinians as human beings worthy of human rights that is not typical of some of Israel’s supporters.

At the same time as Gould defended aid funding to organizations in the occupied Palestinian territories, however, she also pushed back against Conservative allegations that Canada was abandoning Israel. She countered that “when it comes to defending Israel … Canada has been there and has been firm in that commitment.”[l] In 2019, Gould proclaimed: “I am incredibly proud that Canada is one of Israel's strongest allies at the UN and many other international organizations. We are opposed to efforts that unfairly single out Israel for criticism and seek to isolate it internationally. We agree that there are too many resolutions related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”[li]

Following October 7, 2023, Gould played the role of defending Trudeau’s positions as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Despite this, she took a more empathic tone than some other Liberal leaders, insisting early on that “there are many innocent victims on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides”[lii] and that “we call on all to abide by international humanitarian law and protect civilian lives.”[liii] She has repeatedly talked about the impact of war in terms of impacting many communities, saying that “Jewish, Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian communities are all hurting right now.”[liv] When a group of Muslim donors pulled funding over Canada’s refusal to call for a ceasefire, Gould said that "there's a really awful situation happening in the Middle East and we are having those hard conversations, both internally but also with our donors and supporters."[lv]

On March 18, 2024, Gould voted “yes” alongside the Prime Minister and the vast majority of the Liberal caucus in support of a watered-down NDP motion that called for a stop to arms transfers to Israel and expressed support for the ICC. It must be emphasized that she was voting alongside cabinet and that only three Liberal MPs voted against it.[lvi]

Today, Gould says that she does not support a full arms embargo on Israel but endorses the idea of blocking exports on a case-by-case basis: “I think it’s a case-by-case situation to ensure that Israelis have the ability to defend themselves from attack and then understand what that offensive weaponry is and how it’s being used.”[lvii] Neither does Gould support recognizing the State of Palestine immediately, unlike another Liberal leadership candidate, explaining that “you can only do that within a two-state solution that is negotiated between two peoples.”[lviii]

Most recently, in responding to Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and expel its population, Gould issued a statement which had the weakest language out of all the current Liberal candidates, awkwardly noting that Canada “should not accept the suggestion of forced displacement of Palestinians.”[lix] She later reiterated that the plan was “unacceptable” and “not something that is constructive and that is going to lead to peace or security for anybody in the Middle East right now.”[lx]

Finally, there are indications that Gould is not warm towards pro-Palestine protests. In 2016, Gould voted “yes” on a Conservative motion to condemn Canadian supporters of the non-violent Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), which seeks to put economic pressure on Israel to comply with international law.[lxi] Gould’s current leadership platform promises to enact “bubble legislation to protect community institutions from harassment and intimidation.”[lxii] While seemingly well-intended, there is a current movement to use these proposals to stop pro-Palestine demonstrators from protesting political events, such as those featuring personnel in the Israeli military or real estate sales of property in illegal Israeli settlements.[lxiii]

While not the most ideological candidate, Gould clearly feels connected to the State of Israel and has supported efforts internationally and domestically to push back against valid political criticism of its human rights abuses. She does not support concrete measures to uphold human rights, such as a full arms embargo or recognizing the State of Palestine. Her strong support for providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians is admirable, but it does not entirely compensate for her longtime political support for the Israeli state that oppresses them.

[i] https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-411

[ii] https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/votes/42/1/14/

[iii] https://x.com/frankbaylis/status/992113229366112256

[iv] https://x.com/frankbaylis/status/1032365532270419968

[v] https://www.youtube.com/live/q33sVntht34

[vi] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7a_EraGMEE&ab_channel=CBCNews

[vii] https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2023/11/20/canada-has-a-role-to-play-in-israel-hamas-conflict/403564/

[viii] https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2024/03/14/canada-should-be-a-force-for-peace-in-the-middle-east/414985/

[ix] https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2024/03/14/canada-should-be-a-force-for-peace-in-the-middle-east/414985/

[x] https://www.youtube.com/live/q33sVntht34

[xi] https://x.com/frankbaylis/status/1887297409249689736?s=46&t=uChVdZeRtlJD6s-cI7_GAg

[xii] https://www.frankbaylis.ca/foreign_policy