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Feb. 16, 2007
An Ottawa gathering
Jewish delegates meet with parliamentarians.
MYCROFT SCHWARTZ
Nineteen delegates from British Columbia attended the Democracy
in Action conference in Ottawa Feb. 4-6. The conference was organized
by the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC) and the
Canada-Israel Committee (CIC).
The aim of the event was to encourage the attendees to get involved
in the political process and learn how to communicate ideas. Individuals
such as Mike Eizenga, past president of the Liberal Party of Canada,
and Tim Powers, a Conservative strategist, had much to say about
getting involved in politics. Warren Kinsella and Ezra Levant spoke
at a session on communicating via blogs, some of which are now read
more widely than even major newspapers.
There were also meetings between small groups of delegates and members
of Parliament, party leaders and their staff. The group I was in
had the opportunity to meet with the Hon. Lucienne Robillard, a
Quebec MP who served in cabinet in both the Jean Chrétien
and Paul Martin governments. Robillard, who lived on a kibbutz in
the late 1960s and early 1970s, has a strong connection to the Jewish
community.
The issues that were brought up at these meetings included the need
for additional security at institutions for threatened groups in
this country, the Iranian nuclear situation and Canada's role in
the United Nations.
Special guests at the conference included Yossi Olmert (brother
of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert) and Israeli Minister of Public
Security Avi Dichter. Among the close to 600 delegates from across
Canada, the B.C. contingent included representatives from CIC, Canadian
Jewish Congress and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.
The highlight of the meeting was the parliamentary dinner on the
evening of Feb. 6. All four major party leaders in Canada spoke
and extended their support to Israel.
Mycroft Schwartz is a student at the University of Victoria.
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