Not every leader speaks out of both sides of his mouth with a view to pleasing all sides of a conflict.
Pierre Poilievre was very clear in his comments: Canada wouldn’t tolerate an attack like Iran’s missile bombardment of Israel on Tuesday, and Israel should not be expected to, either.
With polls showing he’s got a comfortable lead to become Canada’s next prime minister, the Conservative leader says if any country attacked Canada in a similar manner, he would not hesitate to answer militarily.
And the leader of the Official Opposition said Israel has his full support to counter Iran’s aggression.
“I will tell you what kind of prime minister I am going to be,” Poilievre told Greg Brady on AM 640 Wednesday morning. “If any country sent 150 ballistic missiles (media reports say it was 181) to Canada, you better believe I would retaliate.”
Clear and concise, with no ambiguity or safe double-talk. This was straight talk.
Poilievre insisted this “is what we would expect from any other country, and that’s the principled stand I will take.”
And Israel has a full green light to do so from the Conservatives.
“Let’s be very blunt about it, maybe it’s politically incorrect for me to say, but I am going to point it out,” Poilievre told Brady, noting Trudeau on Tuesday had a Jewish MP stand up in the House of Commons and claim Israel can retaliate while two of his cabinet ministers said the opposite.
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Meanwhile, Trudeau told reporters Wednesday that after a call with G7 leaders, it has been determined Israel is entitled to counter the offensive. But he appeared to contradict that sentiment with a second narrative about looking for an end to the fighting.
“We unreservedly condemn Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel. It is further destabilizing action by this terrorist regime in the region, putting civilians at risk and running risk of wider war,” said Trudeau. “Obviously, Israel has the right to defend itself against these attacks – at the same time, we try to do everything we can to avoid a wider war and to protect civilians and to get humanitarian aid into affected regions.”
The messaging of support for Israel was there, but his endorsement came across as more middle ground than Poilievre’s comments.
Poilievre said Trudeau is sending different “messages to those respective communities where he thinks he can be on everybody’s side and win everybody’s vote.” He added, “what that has done is divided Canadians, and we see as a result of his divisive reckless approach a 250% increase in police recorded hate crimes here in Canada. We have racial violence in Canada like we have never seen – as a result of Trudeau.”
It seems unrealistic to be talking about a two-state solution at a time when Canada’s ally, Israel, faces daily missile attacks, has more than 100 missing hostages, fighting going on in Gaza, an offensive into Lebanon and now has vowed to counter Iran’s aggression.
Trudeau is asking Israel to enter into two ceasefires, while also saying they have the right to defend themselves.
“As an international community we have to continue to do everything we can to call for peace and stability – which means calling for a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel and calling for ceasefire in Gaza and getting again back on track for a two-state solution where a peaceful secure, stable Israel, Israeli state, is alongside a peaceful stable Palestinian state,” said Trudeau.
It’s two sets of messages, while Poilievre has one message: He supports Israel over the terrorists who run Gaza and Iran.
Poilievre tweeted he was “horrified by Tehran’s latest assault against innocent Israeli civilians with missile barrages and terrorist attacks. Millions of civilians are forced to shelter from the attacks. Conservatives support Israel’s right to defend itself and defeat the terrorists.” .
There’s no middle ground.
While telling Brady Trudeau is considered a “complete joke” on the world stage, Poilievre made his position clear: “We do not accept anti-Semitism; we do not accept violence against Jews. We believe Israel as the right, just like any other country would, to retaliate for the 150 ballistic missiles targeted at Israeli civilians.”
Message delivered, with clarity.