Montreal MP Anthony Housefather stated on Friday that he will stay in the Liberal caucus, even though he is still very angry about a motion passed by the House of Commons last month.
Housefather has been considering his next actions since the NDP-supported motion on the Israel-Hamas conflict, with significant Liberal changes, was passed on March 18.
In a statement released late Friday afternoon, Housefather said, “The adoption of the motion and all the events that preceded it have made me as angry as most of the Jewish Canadians that I have spoken with.”
“But I also know that my fundamental beliefs remain in line with the Liberal party and after careful thought, I believe that my biggest contribution to Canadians is to remain in the caucus and advocate for the centrist classical Liberal party that I believe in.”
My statement. Ma déclaration pic.twitter.com/hfJonLNDBP
— Anthony Housefather (@AHousefather) April 5, 2024
Housefather mentioned that he has had extensive discussions with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in recent days about what he described as “a significant issue of antisemitism in Canada right now” and what the federal government needs to do to address it.
“There is no more important issue for the Jewish community at this time,” he stated. “This issue needs to be addressed immediately.”
He revealed that Trudeau requested his direct collaboration to tackle the issue, including in the areas of law enforcement, antisemitism on university campuses, and the creation of safe zones between protests and community buildings.
Trudeau’s office did not provide any statement regarding Housefather’s decision.
The Israel-Hamas conflict will reach the six-month milestone on Sunday.
Housefather, who is Jewish, has been one of the most outspoken MPs criticizing pro-Palestinian demonstrations, stating that protesters have intimidated Canadian Jews and implied they are accountable for the actions of the Israeli government.
The original motion presented by NDP MP Heather McPherson included a demand for Canada to “officially acknowledge the state of Palestine,” but did not place it within a broader call for progress towards a two-state solution.
Housefather, alongside most major Canadian Jewish organizations, condemned the motion as biased, stating that it would reward Hamas for the Oct. 7 attack that incited the conflict.
The NDP motion caused significant division among government MPs, even as high-level Liberals renegotiated its wording with the New Democrats behind the scenes.
The government ultimately proposed 14 major amendments, and all but three Liberal MPs, including Housefather, voted in favor. Conservatives voted against.
The final motion closely resembled Canada’s existing Middle East policy. It acknowledged Palestinian statehood as part of a two-state solution within a peace process in the Middle East.
It also included language urging Hamas to disarm, identified it as a listed terrorist organization in Canada, and replaced language calling for Ottawa to “suspend all” military goods and technology trade with Israel with a paragraph calling for Canada to stop approving the transfer of “arms exports” to Israel.
Housefather stated that the revised proposal was improved, but he still could not endorse it, and he expressed disappointment that there was no opportunity to discuss the last-minute changes.
He mentioned that he would have preferred the government to reject what he described as a flawed NDP motion and introduce its own version later.
Housefather mentioned that during the past two weeks, he received feedback from numerous individuals, both within and outside his electoral district, and he is aware that his concerns about the motion are widely held.
However, remaining in the caucus enables him to continue advocating for the principles he was elected to uphold, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, financial responsibility, a principled foreign policy, and a adequately funded military.
