Political leadership pulling through in the hard moments

OTTAWA—It has been hard not to be immersed in the horror playing out in Israel and Gaza right now. Thankfully for us in Canada, it is only on our screens, but many Canadians have family in the region, and it is real for them and real for those who live there. For many of us, the brutality of terror is something to which we try to remain blind, though only 22 years ago many Canadians died in the infamous 9/11 attacks. So there is no doubt where I stand: Israel was subjected to a terrorist attack from the recognized terror organization Hamas. Israel has the absolute right to defend itself. Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, and, from my perspective, cruelly uses them as a human shield—both practically and from a propaganda position to manipulate global public opinion. Human life, regardless of the ethnicity or religion, does not seem to matter to them. I have been to Israel, seen the beauty, opportunity, and anxiety that besets the country. While I am by no means an expert in anything related to Middle East politics or history, I can still appreciate the geopolitical reality that both the people of Israel and those in the Gaza Strip must constantly navigate. Again, those of us who live in Canada with our expansive land mass and restricted external threats can have a harder time conceiving the real threats that exist for Israel and others in one of the world’s most tumultuous regions. That’s a rather long lead-in to say that a small positive—in relative terms—in watching war in the Israel and the Gaza Strip unfold has been the mature, responsible response of most of Canada’s important political leaders. Rarely do they find themselves in lockstep, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre have rightly condemned the “terror attack” on Israel, condemned Hamas, not minced words on who Hamas are, and responsibly sought to find ways for innocents—be they Canadians, Israelis, Palestinians, or others—to get out of the conflict zone. Bravo. Now is not the time for the normal silly domestic political games to find a vote here or there. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has also condemned Hamas and recognized Israel’s right to defend itself. His party has had a complicated relationship with Middle East policy, and often had more of a pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel bent. Generally, he has managed to hold the line, despite some pressure to take a harder stance on Israel from some delegates at his recent policy convention in Hamilton, Ont. Equally, his foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson is suggesting Canada should push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. She is not alone in that, since others around the globe are doing it, too. But how could you negotiate as ceasefire between a nation state and a terror organization determined to destroy that country? It doesn’t seem like a realistic proposition. Perhaps the legions of you who are much smarter than I can explain its workability. Along with the war in the Middle East, which has the potential to spiral, it is not difficult to make the case the world is a more dangerous place than it has been in decades. War in Ukraine, Chinese government aggression, reckless populism in numerous locations, climate concerns, affordability concerns and poverty—sadly, it’s a long list of destabilizers and this doesn’t capture them all. Times like these require smart, wise, experienced, and attuned leadership—not clickbait and never-ending political marketing schemes. This week in Canada, we saw some of that leadership from our different parties. Let us hope it can be sustained and not fleeting. We don’t need a return to student-like politics anytime soon. Tim Powers is chairman of Summa Strategies and managing director of Abacus Data. He is a former adviser to Conservative political leaders. The Hill Times

Political leadership pulling through in the hard moments

Times like these require smart, wise, experienced, and attuned leadership, which the various political players are delivering. Let's hope it can be sustained.

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Political leadership pulling through in the hard moments

Times like these require smart, wise, experienced, and attuned leadership, which the various political players are delivering. Let's hope it can be sustained.

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