Mulroney Resignation Saddens Mainstream Jewish Leaders

By John Dirlik

Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's announced resignation on Feb. 24 took most Canadians by surprise. With the exception of Jewish groups who expressed "profound regret," however, the PM's upcoming retirement elicited few tears.

Because Mulroney's popularity rating had hovered at an all-time low of 17 percent for almost two years, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation comedy program described his announcement as "the event Canadians have waited eight years for. "

Mulroney's resignation as leader of the Progressive Conservative party was viewed very differently by representatives of the Jewish community. "We have lost a good friend," said Irving Abella of the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC). "He understood the needs of our community. He was very sensitive to them and he had a visceral attachment to Israel."

In a letter to the prime minister, who is expected to step down when his party elects a new leader in June, B'nai B'rith of Canada praised Mulroney for the "uniquely honest and clear-thinking approach which characterized your interventions on Israel and the Middle East peace process." Said Milton Harris, a former CJC president, "It will be very difficult from a Jewish point of view to replace him. "

Mulroney undoubtedly has been Canada's most avidly pro-Israel prime minister. Early in the Palestinian intifada, when Canadians were exposed to daily press reports of the violence that already had claimed more than 20 lives, Mulroney was asked in his year-end interview on national television if he thought that human rights were being violated. By then, even staunchly pro-Israel President Ronald Reagan had voiced his displeasure over the number of casualties. Mulroney, however, stunned many Canadians with his unequivocal answer. "No," he flatly replied, "I think the Israelis who are in an extremely difficult situation, a historically difficult situation, [are] showing restraint."

During the Gulf war, while External Affairs Minister Joe Clark was speaking at a press conference in Jordan on the importance of PLO participation in future Arab Israeli peace talks, Mulroney was telling the House of Commons in Ottawa that, because of its support for Saddam Hussain, the PLO was "completely discredited" and that Canada's esteem for the Palestinian organization had dropped to "zero."

Mulroney pandered to the pro-Israel community not only with his unwavering public support for Israel but also with his choice of appointments for key positions in his government. He delighted Jewish organizations by removing the outspoken Joe Clark in 1991 and naming as new external affairs minister the staunchly pro-Israel Barbara McDougall. (Just hours before being sworn in, McDougall received a standing ovation at a Toronto synagogue for her lavish praise of Israel.)

A few months later, Mulroney scored more points with the Jewish community by naming Norman Spector as Canada's first Jewish ambassador to Israel. After yanking back to Ottawa the respected Michael Bell, Mulroney explained his decision at the reception honoring Spector. "I thought this posting would not only strengthen the bond between Canada and Israel," said Mulroney, "but also eliminate the doubt in anybody's mind as to where we stand on certain issues."

The motivation behind Mulroney's pro-Israel zeal has been increasingly obvious ever since 1984, when he was still a struggling opposition leader. A controversy had erupted when the Senate—in preparation for a major report on Canada's relations with the Middle East—asked a PLO representative to testify at one of its hearings. Mulroney was one of the most vociferous critics. The invitation, he explained in memorably explicit terms, was "insensitive to Jewish voters."

McGill University Paper Apologizes for Anti-Zionism Article

A storm of protest over an article that denounced Zionism as a racist ideology forced a rare public apology from the student newspaper at McGill University in Montreal. The opinion piece, which appeared in a McGill Daily special issue on racism, was labeled "virulently anti-Semitic" by a crowd of angry Jewish students who staged a noisy demonstration outside the newspaper's offices.

Rabbi Reuben Poupko of Congregation Beth-Israel addressed a rally of some 200 students who were carrying Israeli flags and placards that read " 100% Zionist and Proud." "The Daily has a plan," Rabbi Poupko said. "They want you to be ashamed of being Jews and Zionists, but Zionism is beautiful and wonderful. It is the miracle of the 20th century."

Another speaker, Rabbi Sydney Shobam of Beth-Zion Congregation, declared that "there is sanctity of life in Israel, not so in the Arab world."

After the rally, some 70 protesters entered the offices of the Daily, where the newspaper's editors were having their weekly staff meeting. After a lengthy and heated discussion, the staff agreed to a retraction, with 7 members voting in favor, 4 against and one abstaining.

The statement published on March 22 apologized for using the term Zionism "in ignorance of its full significance," as well as for the lack of any material on anti-Semitism in an issue devoted to racism.

Dan Robins, coordinating editor of the campus newspaper, suggested to the Washington Report that intimidation may have played a role in the decision to apologize. "You have to understand that the vote was taken with 70 people in the room yelling things like 'Zionism is great,"' he said.

A spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Committee who wrote the article in question was indignant. "The pressure tactics used by the Jewish Student Coalition were absolutely despicable," said Yousef Arafat. "The fact that they pressured the Daily staff into making an apology on the night of the rally is absurd. Many of the editors had not even read the article."

John Dirlik, a free-lance writer from Quebec, writes on Canadian and Middle East affairs.