Photo: Jacques Boissinot Archives The Canadian Press The Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron
The government of Quebec joined its voice to that of Ottawa and demanded on Tuesday a “humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza”, in a motion adopted unanimously at the Salon bleu.
The Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, proposed that the National Assembly “affirm that a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and Israel as well as the immediate and unconditional release of those taken into custody hostage by Hamas are necessary”. His motion received support from all parties.
The day before, the minister had attached conditions to a possible ceasefire request, that is to say “the release of the hostages and the capitulation of Hamas”, in the words of Ms. Biron.
At the Salon Bleu, the next day, in addition to the request for a “humanitarian ceasefire,” the minister indicated her support for a resolution of the UN Security Council, which demanded, in December, “from all parties the immediate, safe and unimpeded delivery of large-scale humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” Ms. Biron also asked, with the support of the 125 elected officials, that “all parties respect international law and spare civilians.” The National Assembly finally “condemned the terrorist attacks and demanded that Hamas surrender its weapons.” All this while the general delegate of Palestine to Canada, Mona Abuamara, was in the stands of parliament.
In a press scrum on Wednesday, Ms. Biron declared that it was important for her to table a unanimous motion in the National Assembly. “We have always had the same position,” she responded to a journalist who asked her about the change of course of the Legault government, which refused in December to demand a “ceasefire.” The minister relied on the decision of the UN Security Council, which she said was to “reduce hostilities”. “We are in the synonym,” she argued.
Solidarity MP Ruba Ghazal welcomed Minister Biron's motion. “The CAQ has finally — finally — called for a ceasefire, even though it has been a very, very long time — many weeks — that 153 countries around the world have been calling for a ceasefire,” she said. Wednesday. Ms. Ghazal nevertheless deemed Quebec's refusal to support a solidarity motion demanding in particular that the Canadian government “cease all sales of arms and military equipment to the State of Israel” “inconsistent.”
“It’s really inconsistent for the CAQ to refuse this motion. This is in disconnect with the pacifist values of Quebec in the face of the Gaza massacre. Truly, the moral compass of the CAQ is broken,” lamented Ms. Ghazal.
— With François Carabin