After publicly questioning his place in the Liberal Party of Canada (PLC), Montreal MP Anthony Housefather finally decides to stay in the Liberal caucus. In a long statement published Friday afternoon, the elected official affirms that his “fundamental values” remain liberal.
After feeling “isolated” within his party, Mr. Housefather said on March 19 that he was “considering” his future. He has since spoken with “thousands of people” from his riding of Mount Royal. “Some have asked me to leave the Liberal caucus and change sides; others asked me to stay and be their voice,” he wrote.
A motion from the New Democratic Party (NDP) on Palestine adopted in the House of Commons the day before had been “the last straw” for the elected official of Jewish faith. This motion notably called on the government to work “towards the establishment of the State of Palestine as part of a negotiated two-state solution” and to “cease the approval and transfer of further arms exports to Israel.
“The passage of the motion and all the events leading up to it enraged me as much as it enraged most Jewish Canadians with whom I communicated. But I also know that my core values remain liberal,” says MP Housefather.
The latter had openly criticized Ottawa’s positions on the conflict in the Middle East in recent months. In particular, he said he was “very disappointed” with Canada’s support for a resolution presented to the United Nations General Assembly which called for a pause in hostilities in the Palestinian enclave before the holidays.
Mr. Housefather also had “lengthy discussions” with Prime Minister Trudeau as part of his reflection. “We discussed in detail federal leadership and actions that must be taken in the short term” to combat anti-Semitism, he said in his statement.
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