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September 26, 2008
Rayek fights an uphill battle
Newcomer may become Western Canada's only Jewish MP.
PAT JOHNSON
For most political neophytes, getting the governing party's nomination in the riding of the former minister of foreign affairs might seem like a shoo-in. But the Conservative candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway does not underestimate his challenge.
Salomon Rayek is the candidate who has been selected to try to keep Kingsway in the Conservative column. But although the riding is home to David Emerson, the Conservative foreign affairs minister, he won it as a Liberal in 2006 and, in an act that rattled the political landscape, Emerson switched parties days after the election.
The Conservative candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway in 2006 received fewer than one in five ballots cast. Speaking to the Independent last week, Rayek, who is one of the few Jewish candidates running in this election, said he believes he can take the riding.
"First of all, let me say that David Emerson has done an excellent job for Canada," Rayek said. "The riding ... anyone can win it," he continued. "We are confident that if we work hard and we do the right things, we can keep it as a Conservative [seat]."
Rayek believes the right thing is stressing the Conservative policies on public safety, crime and taxes.
"Vancouver-Kingsway is a riding of families," said Rayek. "We all want safe streets and let's start from there. The Conservatives have more credibility than any other party talking about safe streets and having our kids safe from pedophiles and that sort of threat."
As the U.S. economy appears headed for a crash, Rayek believes Conservative policies have helped stave off similar problems here.
"Which leader is more capable to handle the Canadian economy in a worldwide downturn economy?" he asked. "The global economy is going down. We have seen it in the States. The proof that it's working, what the Conservatives are doing, is [that] Canada has not been impacted as bad as the United States. Low taxes in businesses, low taxes in income tax, trying to get the GST under control, prices under control, that is what is working right now."
Hot button issues, on the other hand, are not what the Conservative candidate expects to be on the agenda. On capital punishment, Rayek said, his party will maintain the status quo.
"There is no capital punishment," he said. "Nobody's advocating for that at all. I'm sad that some people think that we need that. If we will have a justice system that is working, nobody will be thinking about that. But I am totally against that."
Same on abortion. "A Conservative government will not legislate anything about abortion," said Rayek.
And, on gay marriage, it's case closed, according to Rayek. "It cannot be reopened," he said. "That issue is closed. The House of Commons has already voted twice on that and the high court's already ruled on that. The issue is totally closed. There are other issues more important – crime, taxes, the economy."
Rayek's own experience gives him insight into economics. He and his family moved to Canada in 1997 from Mexico City, because crime and corruption were becoming intolerable, he said. After an unsuccessful restaurant venture, Rayek worked for a year at Tim Horton's before starting a successful company.
"It's a baby shoes business," he said. "We design in Canada, make them in Mexico and China and we export all around the world. They are special, soft-soled shoes, they are not hard-soled shoes. They are better for the infants to start walking with. Pediatricians recommend that, when children start walking, they need soft-soled shoes."
Rayek got involved in Canadian politics in 2001, fearing that the federal sponsorship scandal heralded the sort of culture of corruption he saw in Mexico. An inspiring speech from Harper and Rayek had found his political home, first in the Canadian Alliance and then in the unified Conservative party.
"I remember vividly," said Rayek. "It started with the corruption. I said I'm not going to permit that to happen in Canada the same way it happens in Mexico. When Harper was president of the National Citizens' Coalition, he delivered a speech, I listened to it and it made a lot of sense, everything just clicked."
Rayek then founded Jewish Advocacy for the Conservative Party to spread the word about his party's policies to the community.
"When I got involved in the party, I always thought that all the Jewish community [would] have more or less the same kind of thinking about Israel, about how Canada has to treat Israel fairly," he said. "And that is not the case. I realized that a lot of Jews still support the Liberals after all they have done against Israel. They support even NDPers after what happened with Durban. After that, I said, they are not informed properly. So the Jewish Advocacy for the Conservative Party was formed to inform the Jewish community of the policies of the party and how they affect positively Israel.
"Everything they do – human rights, relations with the States, relations with Israel – they take a principled stand," he said. "Not a convenient stand, a principled stand. What else can you ask?"
Supporting Israel is something his party does as a core value, he said.
"The Conservative government has been and will be consistently and strongly in favor of Israel on principle," said Rayek. "We believe that Israel is a small democracy in the middle of a place where democracy doesn't exist at all. We believe that Israel is really important for the future of the region and the world."
He credits the recent announcement of funding for at-risk communities to increase security infrastructure as another sign that the Conservatives understand the Jewish community.
"[Public Safety Minister] Stockwell Day was in town some days ago to announce funding to keep safe our community centres, our synagogues," Rayek said. "The Liberals always promised, never delivered. We're delivering. That is one of the hundred examples we can give."
Though Vancouver-Kingsway does not have a large number of Jewish voters, Rayek said he is getting a lot of support from the Jewish community.
"The Jewish community is really excited about this opportunity that we have. We have the opportunity to have a Jewish member of Parliament from Western Canada, inside what will be the next government. They are really excited about it."
Pat Johnson is, among other things, managing director, programs and communications, for the Vancouver Hillel Foundation.
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