It's now anti-semitism in Canada to protest Israel's actions

Our Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird has just resigned. He has had enough partying on the tax payers' dollar and protecting Israel so it's time to move through the revolving door to the corporate world. His final letter to the public in the Globe & Mail was boastful to say the least. The backlash in the comments was "good riddance to bad rubbish."

To give you an example of his work here is the Memorandum of Understanding he created between Canada and Israel. So it is now "anti-semitism" to protest Israel's actions. [my bold]

Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel regarding Public Diplomacy Cooperation

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, hereinafter referred to as the “Participants,”

Seeking to uphold the commitments made in the Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and Israel regarding a Canada-Israel Strategic Partnership, signed at Jerusalem on 21 January 2014 to strengthen their bilateral relationship,

Reaffirming their dedication to the shared values of freedom of expression and assembly, democracy, and the rule of law,

Sharing the view that only direct negotiations between the State of Israel and the Palestinians can lead to a peaceful resolution of the conflict and the achievement of a two states solution,

Deeply concerned by efforts to single out the State of Israel for criticism and isolate the State of Israel internationally including calls for a boycott of the State of Israel, for the divestment of investments, and for sanctions to be imposed on Israel,

Recognizing that the selective targeting of Israel reflects the new face of anti‑Semitism,

Have come to the following understanding:

The Participants will work together to oppose efforts to single out or isolate the State of Israel through:

Developing a coordinated, public diplomacy initiative both bilaterally and in international and multilateral fora to oppose boycotts of Israel, its institutions, and its people within three to six months;

Publically expressing their opposition to those who would call into question the State of Israel‘s very right to exist or to defend itself, by itself;

Engaging in annual consultations to identify opportunities to advocate in favour of the State of Israel's full participation in the global economy.

This Memorandum of Understanding will take effect on the date of its last signature by the Participants.
The Participants may amend this Memorandum of Understanding upon their mutual written consent.
A Participant may terminate this Memorandum of Understanding by giving a written notice to the other Participant.
Signed in duplicate at Jerusalem on this 18 day of January 2015, which corresponds to the 27 day of Tevet 5775 in the Hebrew calendar, in the English, French and Hebrew languages, all versions being equally valid.

John Baird
For the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada

Avigdor Lieberman
For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel

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Big Al's picture

"Recognizing that the selective targeting of Israel reflects the new face of anti‑Semitism,"

No, sorry dudes, that is not anti-Semitism. that's pushback toward a racist, terrorist government of a country in the middle east.

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MarilynW's picture

I'm just learning my way around this very nice site.

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To thine own self be true.

joe shikspack's picture

with some twisted creation of a bunch of fundamentalist morons from texas?

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

MarilynW's picture

the momentum against them is building. Our present government is dirt. Ugh.

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To thine own self be true.

Cordelia Lear's picture

refused to support Harper and said he was too much of an ideologue I knew Canada was in trouble. The Reform party needs to be Reformed. The Tories were generally bad enough but this new alliance to make "Conservatives" has sent them into Tea Party-esque spiral.

Jack Layton died much too early and it seems as if the NDP instantly shrank back to a minority. Justin Trudeau is not his father. Canada's politics are in a sorry place too these days.

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"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

Tammany Tiger's picture

Since when does that trump the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

By the way, Rep. Alan Grayson introduced legislation in the last Congress that would deny federal funding to colleges that divested from Israel. So much for his record as a civil libertarian.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

It's his one rotten stance. Same with Bernie.

I don't really know how their innards can withstand what just happened to Gaza without changing. It certainly changed me.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

joe shikspack's picture

either way it's bad, but being unable to see the war crimes that have been committed or being afraid that to challenge the war criminals would be a career-ender, with a lifetime label of anti-semite or self-hating jew, i guess has the same ultimate policy result.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

I'm guessing it's personal; I'm remembering that his parents fled the Holocaust, and for some people of that generation it's tough for them to see Israel as just another government to be judged like any other, by its actions.

This is a touchy subject, but the same thing is happening around the figure of Barack Obama. There's a need to see him as good because breaking the color line is good, and he did that, and that's one in the eye for the racist white hegemony. So he has to be good.

Same as the government of Israel must be good because it's good for Jews to have a safe place to live where they won't get murdered by anti-Semites, and the existence of Israel is one in the eye for the anti-Semites. So the government of Israel must be good.

Nothing *must* be good. Everything must be judged (man, I'm on a Biblical kick lately!) by its fruits. And also by the means it uses to get there.

There are no automatic tickets to goodness.

Except that, of course, everyone who prefers 3.5 D&D is automatically superior to everyone who doesn't.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

gulfgal98's picture

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

It's one of the dividing lines of our time.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Hoping to see you guys tomorrow.

Yes, I'm a climate activist who loves BBQ. I know it's wrong. Sad

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

joe shikspack's picture

by the way, which one of the three locations did you have in mind? i was guessing either the one in the urbana village center or the market street place.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Can't wait!

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

joe shikspack's picture

see you tomorrow!

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

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0 users have voted.

"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

That Memorandum stinks to high heaven.

Here's to his departure. Raising a glass for you!

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver