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June 4, 2004
Election calls Jews to action
National, local bodies urge activism in your choice political
campaign.
PAT JOHNSON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
In what is shaping up as one of the most unpredictable election
campaigns in recent memory, federal candidates are seeking the support
of Jewish voters – and Jewish Canadians are taking a hard look
at the choices facing them.
A candidates' forum sponsored by three multicultural agencies, including
Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), is slated for next Wednesday at
the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. Candidates from
the three national parties in each of the five Vancouver ridings
have been invited to the forum, which is sponsored by CJC, with
the Chinese-Canadian organization SUCCESS and the Vancouver Multicultural
Society. The forum, which is similar to events in previous elections,
will address issues of social justice, immigration, human rights
and Canada's international role, in addition to questions raised
from the floor.
In an open letter to CJC members and supporters, Mark Weintraub,
the new chair of CJC, Pacific Region, urged Canadian Jews to get
involved in politics.
"A campaign is a most significant time to establish relationships
with and provide information of concern to potential members of
Parliament," he wrote. "One of the best ways in doing
this is to become active as a volunteer in a campaign. Even if your
candidate is unsuccessful, the educative value of your participation
for the longer term cannot be overemphasized."
Weintraub told the Bulletin he is encouraged that there have
been a few signs of increased political activity among Jewish British
Columbians, something CJC has long been encouraging.
In terms of issues specific to the Jewish community, Weintraub said
the community shares the same concerns as the bulk of the Canadian
electorate, from health-care policy, domestic security issues and
the environment, to fair and equitable taxation. Even issues like
anti-Semitism should not be considered "Jewish issues,"
he said. Citing as an example violence against women, Weintraub
said. "we're all affected by the pathology." Though anti-Semitism
affects Jewish Canadians most directly, he said, it is a Canadian
problem and needs to be addressed as such.
At the national level, the new umbrella agency CIJA-PAC – the
political action committee of the Canadian Council for Israel and
Jewish Advocacy – is set to release "issue sheets"
that will help Jewish and Zionist voters to query their local candidates.
In a letter to CIJA members, the group's chair, Mark Waldman, equated
participation in political activity with tikkun olam, the
Jewish interdiction to help repair the world.
"Other groups are involving themselves in various political
parties," Waldman wrote. "We too need to offer support
to candidates and volunteer for their campaigns. Without our presence,
visibility and participation, we will lose the ability to be heard
in Ottawa on important policy issues at a time when a strong voice
is needed most. The most effective means of conveying the Jewish
community's messages and mutual understanding to our political leadership
is by actively participating in the political process.... We need
a strong base of support among all of the political parties."
Waldman told the Bulletin he would like to see Jewish Canadians
avoid placing all their political eggs in one basket. Each member
of the community should become active in the campaigns of the political
party they feel best reflects their views – participation is
key, rather than the support of one particular party.
"It's critical for our community to get involved in political
activity," said Waldman. "The federal government plays
an important role in all aspects of our life."
Waldman and others were recently in Washington, D.C., meeting with
American political leaders and other Zionists. The speeches he heard
from Democratic and Republican politicians, Waldman said, indicated
that American leaders recognize the shared values between their
country and the only democratic regime in the Middle East.
"Supporting Israel is an American value, it's not a Democratic
or Republican value," he said. "We need to do that here."
Though the Jewish community has concerns with a wide swath of political
issues, Canadian foreign policy toward Israel has leapt to the top
of the community's agenda since the last election. Increasing acts
of verbal and physical hatred over the past four years in Canada
have created a sense of urgency and isolation. Canada's votes against
Israel at the United Nations have often riled Jewish community leaders,
though the addition of groups like Hamas to the list of banned terrorist
organizations has been seen as a positive development.
Few Jewish candidates have put themselves forward for election in
recent years. Two members of Vancouver's Jewish community contested
Conservative party nominations in Vancouver-Quadra and Vancouver-South,
but neither was successful. Canadians vote June 28.
The Vancouver candidates' forum being co-sponsored by CJC takes
place Wednesday, June 9, 7 p.m., at the Norman Rothstein Theatre
in the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.
Pat Johnson is a native Vancouverite, a journalist and
commentator.^TOP
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