Ford condemns Hamas attack on Israel as MPPs consider motion related to conflict
MPPs set to consider 2 motions related to ongoing conflict
In the Ontario legislature Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford condemned Hamas's deadly attack on Israel as "terrorism in its darkest form" as MPPs considered a motion related to the ongoing conflict.
"Oct. 7th was a tragic day. For Israel, for the Jewish people, for the entire peace-loving world. Each of us, we watched in horror as children, the elderly, even Holocaust survivors, were stolen, beaten and slaughtered at the hands of Hamas," Ford said.
"These attacks, they're not just another conflict on the other side of the world. The impact is being felt throughout the country, including here in Ontario," he continued.
On Monday, Progressive Conservative House Leader Paul Calandra tabled two motions connected to the ongoing conflict that are expected to be debated and voted on this week.
The first, which was amended slightly this morning, calls for the legislature to "condemn the ongoing and reprehensible attacks being perpetrated by Hamas terrorists" and "recognize the inalienable right of the State of Israel to defend itself and its people against this horrific violence."
Speaking in the chamber, Ford said "Ontario's Jewish community needs our support.
"They need to be reminded of the best of us. They need to be reminded that there's far more than unites us than divides us. And what unites us is rejecting brutal acts of terror," he said.
Scarborough Southwest MPP Doly Begum spoke to the motion on behalf of the Official Opposition NDP.
"I want to make this very clear: Hamas's senseless violence, war crimes, and attacks on innocent civilians — women, seniors, babies — have caused unimaginable pain and trauma, not only to Israelis but to Jewish communities across the world," Begum said.
"I know that many Jewish Canadians are feeling unsafe, terrified at the scale of this targeted violence," she continued.
Begum said that Hamas does not represent all the people of Gaza, and that Palestinians are also suffering because of the militant group's attacks.
"So many Palestinian are feeling anxious and scared. More than that, their struggles are neglected and undermined by the rhetoric of those in power and a lot of mainstream media. And their stories have not fully been told," she said.
Move to censure NDP MPP
The second motion introduced by Calandra, seeks to censure New Democratic MPP Sarah Jama for a post she made on X, formerly known as Twitter. Jama called for an immediate ceasefire as well as an "end to all occupation of Palestinian land." She focused largely on the Palestinian territories, saying "violence and retaliation rooted in settler colonialism have taken the lives of far too many innocent people."
She did not directly mention the Hamas attack that killed some 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, and also saw dozens of Israelis and citizens of other countries taken captive and brought to Gaza by militants.
Israeli bombardments since the Oct. 7 attack have killed at least 2,778 people in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry there. The strikes have not stopped Hamas from continuing to barrage Israel with rockets launched from Gaza. Thousands of people have been wounded on both sides.
After public pressure from NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Jama apologized for her post but did not delete it. She remained in the NDP caucus, despite Ford calling for her to resign.
The motion tabled Monday would effectively ban Jama from speaking in the legislative chamber until she retracts and deletes her statement and apologizes "in her place in the House."
The motion says Jama made "antisemitic and discriminatory statements" and defended "Hamas terrorists."
In a statement issued Monday evening, Stiles accused Ford and his government of trying to turn public attention away from the RCMP's criminal investigation into the Greenbelt land swaps.
"MPP Jama's comments caused harm, and she apologized for that. She amended her statement and affirmed agreement with our party's position on this issue," Stiles said.
"Removing an elected MPP's ability to speak in the Legislature is a drastic step that shouldn't be taken lightly," she continued.
Stiles said Ford is "desperate to move the discussion away" from the RCMP's probe.
"[W]e urge him not to use this horrific conflict for his own political gain."
With files from Samantha Beattie and The Associated Press