This article originally appeared in the National Post. Below is an excerpt from the article.
By Jack Mintz, March 19, 2025
Our globe-trotting prime minister has been building strategic partnerships with “middle powers,” and even China, as a policy intended to strengthen Canada’s hand against Donald Trump’s offence on trade. However, one middle power not on his list is Israel, a key ally contributing to western security and an important trading partner in technology and defence systems.
Even after the Hamas slaughter, rape and torture of Israelis on October 7, former prime minister Justin Trudeau was the only G7 leader besides Japan’s not to visit Israel since 2023. It was a terrible signal at that time when antisemitism in Canada surged. Even if some Canadian politicians believe that Zionism and antisemitism are unrelated, antisemites have a much different perception — Jew hatred and Zionphobia (hatred of Israel) go hand in hand.
It is time to correct this. Mark Carney should visit Israel after the U.S.-Israel confrontation with Iran comes to an end. With an outreach to Israel and a parallel visit to the Palestinian Authority, he could improve Canada’s historic international standing as a peace broker in global affairs. It would also be a crucial step to combat growing antisemitism at home by making clear that Israel, so important to the Jewish community, is not a pariah state but a significant economic and security partner in today’s turbulent world.
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Jack Mintz is the President’s Fellow at the University of Calgary’s school of public policy and a distinguished fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
