What is your position on what is happening between Israel and Hamas?
When there is armed conflict, it is worth taking a moment to consider the nuances. But there are no nuances here. Israel has been invaded by Hamas hitmen, terrorists dedicated to one cause, one goal: killing Jews. As a result, babies as young as 4 months old were murdered, men, women, old people. For me it was the worst demonstration of what historians call “Jew hatred” since the Holocaust. I consider that Canada can only adopt a position of total support for Israel, in addition to leading a campaign to denounce this criminal group.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Former Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney
This is a conflict that is debated. With the civilian Palestinian population caught in the crossfire in the Gaza Strip, we are witnessing significant human suffering on both sides. Do you think that Canada’s unconditional support for Israel risks harming it in the long term?
I readily admit that it is a tragedy that Hamas uses the local population to protect and hide. The leaders went into the tunnels in the territory. Hamas is telling its population not to leave, to accept death. That is the problem. I greatly deplore what is going to happen with young people [de la bande de Gaza], because approximately 50% of the population is very young. But it was provoked, all the same, this attack.
What is your position on Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip, which prevents the delivery of water, fuel and food?
It is a war tactic, a tactic to force the people of Gaza to leave the North before Israeli intervention. This is deplorable, all of this is deplorable, but it is part of an effort by the State of Israel to find the leaders of Hamas and settle their score once and for all. We cannot live next to an organization like Hamas, which is financed by foreigners and whose goal is to kill Jews.
What is Canada’s role? What can he do to try to have an influence on this conflict which could spread to other regions of the Middle East?
Canada does not have a huge influence in the region. [La ministre des Affaires étrangères] Mélanie Joly is doing what Canada must do. She is doing a good job being in the region and organizing the repatriation of Canadian citizens. Canada has a very modest role to play, but I think she plays it well.
You experienced several tumultuous periods in international politics when you were in power. If you were in charge right now, what would you do differently?
I am not prime minister. It’s been 30 years since I was Prime Minister. It will be up to those in office to take leadership. If I were prime minister, I would do something. It was my style. With [Nelson] Mandela, then with the reunification of Germany, then with the creation of the Francophonie Summit, then NAFTA. I was known as a prime minister who moved. Now, in this territory, in this problem, which is very, very delicate, there is a major player apart from Israel: the United States. And the United States reacted a bit like I just told you. This is not a pro-Israel position. This is a humanitarian position. Humanist.
In your opinion, Canada must maintain close ties with the United States to have influence?
Yes, this is the main factor. A Canadian Prime Minister who is not aligned with the Americans, with the president, with a certain influence, will not go far at the international level. They are our normal allies, our neighbors and best friends. We have privileged access to the White House, we must use it. I can guarantee you that when I was there, I used it. I worked to build friendly and strong relationships, with President Reagan, then Bush, then Clinton. At the international level, without that, it’s difficult for Canada to navigate.
However, on certain issues, you distanced yourself from the American position, notably on apartheid in South Africa, or on Nicaragua…
Yes, often ! About Cuba, about Central America, even in the case of Nelson Mandela [en Afrique du Sud]I had deep divisions with [Ronald] Reagan and [Margaret] Thatcher. A solid friendship on major current issues does not mean that we follow the Americans. On the contrary, the Prime Minister of Canada must always be motivated by the national interest of Canadians. Final point.
Some responses have been summarized for brevity and ease of reading.
Who is Brian Mulroney?
Brian Mulroney was Prime Minister of Canada, at the head of the Progressive Conservative Party, from 1984 to 1993. He was notably in power during the dissolution of the USSR, during the Gulf War and at the end of the apartheid in South Africa. He took a stand against apartheid, breaking with the American and British position of the time. Among his record in international politics, he concluded the United States-Canada-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He also negotiated the acid rain agreement with the United States.